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Job summary

Are you able to provide expert technical advice and guidance on complex cases in the Maritime sector?

Could you influence operational procedure to make a positive difference?

Would you love to be part of a dynamic team where no two days are the same?

If so, we'd love to hear from you!

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) implements the Government's maritime safety policy in the United Kingdom and works to prevent the loss of life and occurrence of pollution on the coast and at sea.

Joining our department comes with many benefits, including:

• Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions here

• 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave), plus 8 bank holidays a privilege day for the King’s birthday.

• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.

Read more in the Benefits section below!

Find out more about what it's like working at: MCA roles: Maritime and Coastguard Agency - Department for Transport Careers

Job description

Play a pivotal role in supporting the MCA’s delivery of safe, sustainable and effective maritime operations. As a recognised technical specialist, you will provide expert advice on complex survey, inspection, audit and certification matters, helping ensure the consistent application of maritime legislation and standards. Working closely with Marine Offices, other MCA departments, industry, government partners, Certifying Authorities and Recognised Organisations, you will contribute to operational policy development, support innovation and emerging technologies, and help shape practical regulatory solutions for the future maritime sector.

The successful applicants will provide technical consultancy for UK Technical Maritime Services (UKTMS) and Maritime Technology Research and Development and support in meeting the Government's Survey and Certification, innovative technology and sustainability strategy.

Reporting to either the Head of International Survey Operations or the Head of Domestic Survey Operations, the HQ Consultant Surveyor will showcase their technical expertise providing input and support across Survey Operations’ activities and advising on crucial matters such as Inspection, Audit, Survey & Certification issues.

You will have the fantastic opportunity to collaborate with a variety of stakeholders providing advice and survey policy guidance to Marine Office staff, colleagues across UKMS and other government bodies. The role holder will be key in facilitating the MCA's regulatory response and growth to innovative technological developments.

These roles offer flexibility, development opportunities and the chance to really get involved and influence operational procedures to promote and embed positive changes and improvement in the Maritime industry.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Act as a recognised technical specialist within Survey Operations, providing authoritative advice and guidance on complex survey, audit, inspection, certification and regulatory matters, ensuring the consistent application of UK and international maritime legislation, standards and MCA policy across the survey network.
• Support the delivery of Survey Operations objectives by contributing specialist expertise to operational, technical and strategic initiatives. Represent the branch at internal and external groups, technical fora and stakeholder meetings as required, helping to drive consistency, continuous improvement and the successful implementation of MCA priorities.
• Provide expert technical and operational support to Maritime Technology Research and Development programmes, working across policy, operations and industry to enable the safe adoption of innovative technologies, alternative fuels and novel vessel designs within established regulatory frameworks.
• Engage with Recognised Organisations, Classification Societies, government departments and industry stakeholders to support the development of technical standards, regulatory policy and practical solutions that maintain safety, environmental protection and operational effectiveness while encouraging innovation.
• Serve as a principal source of technical expertise for Marine Office surveyors, providing advice on complex certification issues, policy interpretation, exemptions, equivalences, alternative design arrangements and challenging technical cases, including precedent-setting matters and historical regulatory decisions.
• Contribute to the UK's participation in national and international maritime forums, providing technical input, preparing briefing material and supporting the development of policy positions on emerging regulatory, technological and environmental issues.
• Undertake surveys, audits and inspections of complex or specialist vessels where required, providing expert oversight and supporting the delivery of statutory certification services on behalf of the UK Flag Administration.
• Contributing when requested to the MCA technical training programme for surveyors (MSDS) through the development and delivery of specified courses and relevant training material and the provision of training to or mentoring of Marine Surveyor colleagues on specified areas of Survey Operations activities.

Great line management is important to us as an organisation, and we will equip and support line managers to develop the skills they need. We aim to empower line managers to create teams where people can flourish and deliver excellent outcomes for the public.

For further information on the role, please read the role profile. Please note that the role profile is for information purposes only - whilst all elements are relevant to the role, they may not all be assessed during the recruitment process. This job advert will detail exactly what will be assessed during the recruitment process.

Person specification

You will be required to provide evidence that you hold any essential qualifications at some point during the recruitment process. If you cannot provide evidence, your application will be withdrawn.

To be successful in this role you will need to have the following experience:

1. Significant experience in a managerial role on board ship or in a technical position of responsibility within the maritime industry.

• Experience applying maritime legislation, classification rules and technical standards in an operational or regulatory environment.
• Experience making sound technical decisions, managing risk and providing professional judgement on complex maritime matters.
• A strong understanding of vessel operations, survey, inspection, audit or certification activities.

2. Experience engaging with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders and communicating complex technical information clearly and effectively.

• Experience working collaboratively with industry, government bodies, classification societies, operators or technical specialists.
• Ability to influence outcomes, build effective working relationships and manage challenging or sensitive discussions.
• Experience translating complex technical or regulatory requirements into practical advice for diverse audiences.

3. Experience managing competing priorities and delivering high-quality outcomes in a demanding environment.

• Proven ability to organise and prioritise a varied workload while balancing operational demands and strategic objectives.
• Experience analysing complex information, exercising sound judgement and making effective decisions within tight timescales.
• A track record of delivering against deadlines while maintaining accuracy, consistency and attention to detail.

We would love to be joined by an enthusiastic and pragmatic individual with the relevant maritime qualifications outlined in the role profile. You will be motivated by delivering high standards, making sound judgements and contributing to the safety and professionalism of the maritime sector.

You will be a strong advocate for change and continuous improvement, recognising the benefits of promoting and embracing new ways of working within your team.

We are looking for someone who can demonstrate leadership through technical expertise, professional credibility and the ability to influence and guide others.

Excellent communication skills are pivotal to this role. You will be confident building positive working relationships, influencing others and providing clear guidance and advice to a range of audiences.

You will be highly organised and resilient, able to remain effective in a fast-paced environment, exercising sound judgement and maintaining high standards while balancing competing demands.

Additional Information

Successful candidates will be expected to undertake a physical medical and mental health questionnaire for this role. Please see the attached document for further information.

Operational Delivery Profession (ODP) is the largest and most diverse professional community across the Civil Service. Many of us will have an association with several professional communities or specialisms, ODP applies to all public facing roles / or a role that is primarily aligned to supporting the work of those with public facing roles. All critical to the delivery of UK public services.

Working hours, office attendance and travel requirements

Full time roles consist of 37 hours per week.

The expectation at present is a minimum of 60% of your working time a month will be spent at either your designated workplace (one of the locations cited in the advert) or, when required for business reasons, in another office/work location/visiting stakeholders. Your designated workplace will be your contractual place of work. There may be occasions where you are required to attend above the minimum expectation.

Visa Sponsorship

Please note that we will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa where a role has been deemed to be business critical. This role does not meet that category, and we will not sponsor a visa. Therefore, this role is not open to applications from those who require sponsorship – candidates must ensure they have the appropriate right to work in the UK before applying. Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.

Licences

- Full UK Driving Licence
- Passport valid for international travel

Qualifications

The minimum academic qualification required is one of:
a. MCA Recognised STCW II/2 Master unlimited Certificate of Competency; or
b. MCA Recognised STCW III/2 Chief Engineer unlimited Certificate of Competency; or
c. Honours Degree in Naval Architecture, Ship Science, Marine Engineering, Mechanical and Marine Engineering or Marine Technology
d. Applicants without the qualifications stated in a, b or c above, may also be eligible if they are Chartered Engineer (CEng.) (through Royal Institution of Naval Architects (RINA) or the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST)), but in such cases evidence of the equivalent level of learning plus relevant marine industry experience will need to have be demonstrated to the satisfaction of an MCA S&I technical review panel.
“Relevant marine industry experience” is that which provides understanding and experience of the underpinning competencies expected of a Ship surveyor (see MSF4989) which includes marine structural design, construction or repair, and stability measurement or analysis.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Leadership
• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing
• Seeing the Big Picture

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Underpinning competencies (as detailed in MCA Document MSF4989) – Level 4 - please see attached framework.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £63,645, Maritime and Coastguard Agency contributes £18,437 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

Being part of our brilliant Civil Service means you will have access to a wide range of fantastic benefits:

• Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions here

• 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave).

• 8 Bank Holidays plus an additional Privilege Day to mark the King’s birthday.

• Access to the staff discount portal.

• Excellent career development opportunities and the potential to undertake professional qualifications relevant to your role paid for by the department, such as CIPD, Prince2, apprenticeships, etc.
  
  
• Joining a diverse and inclusive workforce with a range of staff communities to support all our colleagues.
  
  
• 24-hour Employee Assistance Programme providing free confidential help and advice for staff.
  
  
• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.

Find out more about the benefits of working at DfT and its agencies (opens in a new window).

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

How to apply:

Our selection process ensures a comprehensive assessment of each applicant's qualifications, skills, and potential fit within our organisation.

The selection process for this role will be:

Stage 1: Sift of CV and personal statement

Stage 2: Interview and written exercise

Stage 1: Sift

At sift, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile element:

Experience – you will be asked to provide a CV (unlimited wordcount) and personal statement (750-word count). Please provide evidence of your Experience of the following:

1. Significant experience in a managerial role on board ship or in a technical position of responsibility within the maritime industry.

• Experience applying maritime legislation, classification rules and technical standards in an operational or regulatory environment.
• Experience making sound technical decisions, managing risk and providing professional judgement on complex maritime matters.
• A strong understanding of vessel operations, survey, inspection, audit or certification activities.

2. Experience engaging with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders and communicating complex technical information clearly and effectively.

• Experience working collaboratively with industry, government bodies, classification societies, operators or technical specialists.
• Ability to influence outcomes, build effective working relationships and manage challenging or sensitive discussions.
• Experience translating complex technical or regulatory requirements into practical advice for diverse audiences.

3. Experience managing competing priorities and delivering high-quality outcomes in a demanding environment.

• Proven ability to organise and prioritise a varied workload while balancing operational demands and strategic objectives.
• Experience analysing complex information, exercising sound judgement and making effective decisions within tight timescales.
• A track record of delivering against deadlines while maintaining accuracy, consistency and attention to detail.

The sift will take place on 10 August 2026.

Stage 2: Interview and written exercise

At interview stage, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements:

• Behaviours – Making Effective Decisions, Leadership, Delivering at Pace, Communicating & Influencing, Seeing the Big Picture
• Experience – Experience making sound technical decisions, managing risk and providing professional judgement on complex maritime matters; A strong understanding of vessel operations, survey, inspection, audit or certification activities.
• Technical: 1. MSF 4989 - Underpinning Competencies – Level 4.

You will also be required to complete a written exercise. Guidance will be provided if you are invited to interview.

The interviews will take place week commencing 24th August 2026.

This interview will be conducted online via Microsoft Teams. Further details will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.

You can find out more about our hiring process, how to apply, and application and interview guidance on our careers site (opens in a new window).

Please note that we will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change.

Further information on the selection process

We will also hold a 12-month reserve list for this role, which may lead to potential opportunities beyond the role you applied for. You can read more about our reserve lists here.

Reasonable Adjustments

As a Disability Confident Leader employer, we are committed to ensuring that the recruitment process is fair, accessible and allows all candidates to perform at their best. If a person with a visible or non-visible disability is substantially disadvantaged, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need during the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you need a reasonable adjustment so that you can complete your application, you should contact Government Recruitment Service via dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Document Accessibility

This job advert contains links to the DfT Careers website. Our website provides useful guidance and information that can support you during the application process. If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert or the information on our website, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Further Information

For more information about how we hire, and for useful tips on submitting your application for this role, visit theHow We Hire page of our DfT Careers website. You can find detailed information about the recruitment process and what to expect when applying for a role.

This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the Demystifying Vetting website.

Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please See our vetting charter.

If your application is successful but you have been dismissed from the Civil Service, your application could be removed at the pre-employment checking stage depending on the nature of the dismissal.

Pre-employment Checking

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment. A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

All external applicants and current employees of accredited non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) will be required to undergo a Social Media Check. A Social Media Check is a review of your publicly available online activity, typically across platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and others. The purpose is to identify any public posts or content that could raise concerns for employers, such as:

• Hate speech or discriminatory behaviour
• Threats or acts of violence
• Illegal activity or substance misuse
• Sexually explicit material
• Extremist views or affiliations

Importantly, this check does not involve hacking into your accounts or accessing private messages. It only considers content you have chosen to make public. Employers use this kind of screening to help ensure their workplace remains safe, inclusive, and aligned with company values. It’s not about judging your personality or lifestyle - it’s about checking for potential red flags that might affect the role or company culture. If you have questions or concerns about the social media check, we would be happy to explain in more detail what’s being looked at and how your data is handled securely and fairly.

Feedback

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Medical

Successful candidates will be expected to have a medical.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Leanne Grillandini
• Email : leanne.grillandini@mcga.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact Government Recruitment Services via email: dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website Here

Attachments

Annex E - SI Health Standards Opens in new window (pdf, 512kB)MSF4989 R04.22 PDF Opens in new window (pdf, 245kB)Role Profile - HQ Consultant Surveyor Opens in new window (pdf, 148kB)