Survey and Inspection Business Partner

Aberdeen, Belfast, Cardiff, Colchester, Glasgow, Hull, Liverpool, Milford Haven, Plymouth, Southampton

Job Summary
Can you build relationships with key stakeholders and help support the wider business?

Do you want to help shape the future of surveying and inspection?

Have you got experience in leading teams to achieve organisational gaols?

If so, we'd love to hear from you

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) enforces the UK government's maritime safety policy, aiming to prevent loss of life and pollution at sea and along the coast. Within MCA, the UK Technical Maritime Services Directorate (UKTMS) inspects and surveys ships to ensure compliance with UK and international safety, security, and environmental standards. It also certifies ships and seafarers, registers merchant vessels under the UK Flag, and responds to pollution incidents in collaboration with Coastguard teams.

Survey & Inspection (S&I), part of UKTMS, supports the Maritime Strategy of "Safer Ships, Cleaner Seas" by delivering consistent, high-quality survey and inspection operations. The function is divided into North and South Regional Areas, each led by an Assistant Director and comprising Marine and Satellite Offices that provide frontline services. A National Business Unit supports these regions by managing financial transactions and reporting, ensuring efficient operations and a first-class service to maritime stakeholders.

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 and 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: Maritime and Coastguard Agency - Department for Transport Careers

Job Description
The Survey & Inspection Business Partner leads strategic delivery across Marine Offices, managing Business Managers to meet MCA targets. This role ensures consistent performance, oversees management information, reports risks, and supports mitigation. Representing regions nationally, they drive cultural change and operational improvements. Key duties include advising industry and the public, managing customer service, preparing monthly reports, and ensuring compliance with audit and ISO standards. This is a dynamic leadership opportunity within the UK's maritime safety framework.

Your Responsibilities Will Include, But Aren't Limited To:

• Set the strategic direction for the Marine Office Business Managers to achieve the annual target activities as detailed in the MCA business plan.
• Oversee the management information and data analysis for the North/South* Region, promptly reporting risks and pressures to the Assistant Director, and collaborating with internal partners to develop mitigation strategies.
• Represent the North/South* Region at the National Management Group (NMG) and lead on business support and management initiatives to steer cultural change within Marine Offices to implement the Agency's operational and transformational business objectives.
• Work with the MCA Customer Insight team to use data to drive a high-quality customer service experience that both meets and manages customer expectations; contributing to the delivery of a regulatory climate that is clear, consistent and supportive of the UK maritime industries.
• Project manage and oversee delivery and implementation of major projects and programmes of work impacting Survey and Inspection.
• Manage and allocate the Business Support assistance following a major maritime, or other, incident within the UK area covered by the relevant Marine Office.
• Manage and maintain S&I Business Continuity Plans, ensuring alignment and consistency of approach to Business Continuity across all Marine Office and provide feedback/lessons learned to NMG colleagues.
• Manage the national audit schedule, monitoring and closure of audit findings, and ensuring that current and accurate records are kept within the Marine Office in agreed ISO accreditation formats.

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.

Please note :
there is one role available per area split. 1 role based in the North and 1 role based in the South.

North -
Aberdeen, Belfast, Glasgow, Hull , Liverpool.

South -
Colchester, Cardiff, Plymouth, Milford Haven, Southampton.

The Survey & Inspection Business Partner leads strategic delivery across Marine Offices, managing Business Managers to meet MCA targets. This role ensures consistent performance, oversees management information, reports risks, and supports mitigation. Representing regions nationally, they drive cultural change and operational improvements. Key duties include advising industry and the public, managing customer service, preparing monthly reports, and ensuring compliance with audit and ISO standards. This is a dynamic leadership opportunity within the UK's maritime safety framework.

Your Responsibilities Will Include, But Aren't Limited To:

• Set the strategic direction for the Marine Office Business Managers to achieve the annual target activities as detailed in the MCA business plan.
• Oversee the management information and data analysis for the North/South* Region, promptly reporting risks and pressures to the Assistant Director, and collaborating with internal partners to develop mitigation strategies.
• Represent the North/South* Region at the National Management Group (NMG) and lead on business support and management initiatives to steer cultural change within Marine Offices to implement the Agency's operational and transformational business objectives.
• Work with the MCA Customer Insight team to use data to drive a high-quality customer service experience that both meets and manages customer expectations; contributing to the delivery of a regulatory climate that is clear, consistent and supportive of the UK maritime industries.
• Project manage and oversee delivery and implementation of major projects and programmes of work impacting Survey and Inspection.
• Manage and allocate the Business Support assistance following a major maritime, or other, incident within the UK area covered by the relevant Marine Office.
• Manage and maintain S&I Business Continuity Plans, ensuring alignment and consistency of approach to Business Continuity across all Marine Office and provide feedback/lessons learned to NMG colleagues.
• Manage the national audit schedule, monitoring and closure of audit findings, and ensuring that current and accurate records are kept within the Marine Office in agreed ISO accreditation formats.

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.

Please note :
there is one role available per area split. 1 role based in the North and 1 role based in the South.

North -
Aberdeen, Belfast, Glasgow, Hull , Liverpool.

South -
Colchester, Cardiff, Plymouth, Milford Haven, Southampton.

Person specification

Essential Qualifications/licenses:

• A full UK driving license

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

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

• Experience in setting strategic direction and leading teams to achieve organisational goals.
• Proficiency in overseeing management information, reporting risks, and developing mitigation strategies.
• Experience in managing business support and operational initiatives to drive cultural change and implement business objectives.
• Strong communication skills to provide advice to industry and the public, serve as a point of contact for business communications, and collaborate with internal and external partners.
• Experience in using data to drive high-quality customer service and manage customer expectations. Ability to prepare comprehensive reports, including financial forecasts, survey volumes, and stakeholder feedback.

*Working Hours, Office Attaendance And Travel Requirements*
Full time roles consist of 37 hours per week.

Whilst we welcome applications from those looking to work with us on a part time basis, there is a business requirement for the successful candidate to be able to work at least
30
hours per week.

This role
is suitable
for hybrid working, which is a non-contractual arrangement where a combination of workplace and home-based working can be accommodated subject to business requirements.

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.

Regular travel to other offices will be required, which may involve overnight stays.

If you have a question about hybrid working, part time/job share hours, flexible working, travelling for work, or require a reasonable adjustment, please contact the Vacancy Holder during the recruitment process to avoid possible disappointment later in the process should your working arrangements not be compatible with the requirements of the role (see below for contact details)

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.

Security Checks
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Licences

A full UK driving license

Behaviours

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

• Leadership
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Working Together

Alongside your salary of £57,515, Maritime and Coastguard Agency contributes £16,662 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

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 MCA (opens in a new window).

Selection process details

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

*How To Apply:*
Our selection process ensures a comprehensive assessment of each applicant's, 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

You must be successful at each stage to progress to the next stage.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a CV and personal statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Stage 1: Sift
At sift, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements:

• Experience – you will be asked to provide a CV (unlimited wordcount) and personal statement (1000-word count). Please provide evidence of your Experience of the following:

• Experience in setting strategic direction and leading teams to achieve organisational goals.

• Proficiency in overseeing management information, reporting risks, and developing mitigation strategies.
• Experience in managing business support and operational initiatives to drive cultural change and implement business objectives.
• Strong communication skills to provide advice to industry and the public, serve as a point of contact for business communications, and collaborate with internal and external partners.
• Experience in using data to drive high-quality customer service and manage customer expectations. Ability to prepare comprehensive reports, including financial forecasts, survey volumes, and stakeholder feedback.

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead Success Profile element, Experience in setting strategic direction and leading teams to achieve organisational goals. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

Please note: the sift will be completed on a rolling basis whilst the campaign is still live, so you may receive your sift scores before the advert closing date.

The sift will take place week commencing 03/11/2025

Stage 2: Interview and Presentation
At interview stage, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements:

• Behaviours – Leadership, Making Effective Decisions, Communicating and Influencing, Seeing the Big Picture, Working Together

You will also be required to create and deliver a presentation to assess the Behaviour Communicating and Influencing. Guidance will be provided if you are invited to interview.

The interviews will take place week commencing 17th November in Glasgow for applications in the North. Interviews for the South will take place week commencing 24th November in Southampton.

This interview will be conducted in person at our either our Southampton and Glasgow office depending on the Location you apply for. The addresses for each location are as follows: Southampton - Spring Place 105 Commercial Road Southampton SO15 1RG. Glasgow - 64 Inchinnan Road, Paisley, PA3 2RP. 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
Feedback on your application can only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Adverts with a reserve list
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.

During your application, you should indicate which location(s) you wish to be considered for and, if successful, you will be placed on an individual list of candidates for each location. Candidates will be held on that list and drawn from it in merit order. We advise you to carefully consider which locations you wish to be considered for. If you decline an offer for a location you have expressed a preference in or have expressed an interest in more than one location and accept an offer, you will be withdrawn from any lists you may be held on. We may also offer candidates a location that they have not expressed a preference for where we have the requirement to do so but this will again be done on the basis of your place in the overall merit order and, in this event, you will not be removed from the list if you decline.

AI Tools and Platforms
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 for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

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 as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Document Accessibility
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

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 cannot access the information on our website for any reason, please email for assistance.

Further Information
For more information about how we hire, and for useful tips on submitting your application for this role, visit the How 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.

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.

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

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

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.

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 the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

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 : HR Resourcing
• Email :

Recruitment team

• Email :

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:

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