Head of Harbours

**Head of Harbours**

**Salary £55,056 to £63,367 plus relocation allowance: Perm Location: Scarborough Harbour Office**

We are recruiting for a new Head of Harbours.

We are at a pivotal point in our history. In April 2023 the 8 councils that served North Yorkshire unified to create geographically the largest council and third largest unitary within the country.

The new North Yorkshire Council provides the platform for improving the efficiency and effectiveness, maximising opportunities of scale across a rural council whilst improving outcomes for residents and businesses. It places communities at the heart of the council with the aim of being the most local, large council in England whilst ensuring we are in a strong position to manage the challenges ahead including rising costs and increased demand for services.

Devolution deals are enabling regeneration and investment into our great county, including ambitious plans for our maritime sector, pivotal to our North Yorkshire Coast.

At an early stage of our new Council we are recruiting a new Head of Harbours.

**The Service**

North Yorkshire Council has three harbours at Whitby, Scarborough and Filey on the North Yorkshire Coast. The Council’s Harbours form an intrinsic part of the local community with significant history and heritage and support a range of users and local industry from commercial fishing through to tourism and leisure craft.

Staffed by a 24/7 team, the harbour is responsible for both land and water areas of jurisdiction extending from circa. 2 nautical miles at sea to Ruswarp Weir at Whitby and to the extent of the piers at Scarborough with direction of navigation out to 275 fathoms into the South Bay. Within this jurisdiction, the harbours team deal with all matters including safety, traffic management, bridge operations, maintenance, maritime security, and emergency response whilst also taking an active role in the community

**The Role**

As a Head of Harbours, you will be the senior responsible officer for the Harbours Service across three harbours at Whitby, Scarborough, and Filey on the North Yorkshire Coast. The Council’s Harbours form an intrinsic part of the local community with significant history and heritage and support a range of users and local industry from commercial fishing through to tourism and leisure craft

You will lead and manage the Harbours Service with a sound understanding of both operational and professional fields. Required to deal effectively with complex, confidential, and sensitive situations and provide expert guidance and advice, you will lead the development of the Harbour Strategy and Investment Plan alongside service plans, management of budgets, resource allocation and the setting and delivery of key objectives for the future.

You will be responsible for delivering the Council’s functions in relation to Harbours. You will ensure high quality and compliant services in line with relevant legislation and to work closely with key partners to develop Harbours policies and procedures. Overseeing the ‘Designated Person’ for the Statutory Harbour Authority you will ensure the harbours operate in a way that fully complies with the legal obligations of relevant Harbours Acts and the requirements of the Port Marine Safety Code.

You will ensure that safety of navigation is maintained throughout the harbours and that appropriate security and emergency response procedures are in place. This will include working in partnership with the Harbour Master and also close liaison with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, North Yorkshire Police, Border Force and the Environment Agency to ensure the efficient and effective operation of the harbours and the coordination and delivery of various emergency response plans relating to pollution; flooding; oil spills; counter terrorism and organised crime.

The Council’s Harbours are managed on a commercial basis and you will develop commercial strategies and partnerships to maximise income and manage all operations cost effectively to deliver an annual operating surplus.

Operating as Local Authority Ports you will ensure that the principles of good governance, as set out in the Ports Good Governance Guidance, are enshrined within harbour operations. You will perform a strategic and technical advisory role on harbours matters and maintain effective relationships with key stakeholders and partners including the harbour users, elected members and the Department for Transport.

Responsible for the development of Harbours initiatives, supporting and delivering transformation and regeneration. Whilst harbour activity is governed to some extent by statute, there is scope for the Council to utilise its Harbours to support wider strategic objectives such as economic regeneration, improving the tourism economy and delivery of major events. You will be responsible for ensuring that the Council’s approach to harbours is innovative and acts to support the wider strategic