Chief Officer

Serco Limited; Kyle of Lochalsh; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension up to 6%

Training and development

Health and wellbeing program

Discounts

Volunteer day

Employee networks

Job summary

Serco Limited in Kyle of Lochalsh invites applications for a Chief Officer to join our Maritime Services team. You will help keep vessel operations safe, efficient, and purposeful, guiding decision-making that supports communities and mission outcomes.

You will lead deck operations, safety standards, and cargo handling, ensuring regulatory compliance and reliable service. Key requirements include a Certificate of Competence as Chief Officer, up-to-date STCW qualifications, an unrestricted ENG1

Qualifications

• Certificate of Competence as Chief Officer (under 3000GT) required.
• Up-to-date STCW qualifications (survival, fire fighting, safety, security).
• Strong organisational skills and a methodical approach.
• Experience in safety-critical environments.
• Unrestricted ENG1 medical.

Responsibilities

• Plan and supervise the maintenance of all deck areas, including holds, hatches, and superstructure.
• Oversee correct loading, discharge, and ballasting of the vessel, ensuring safety, stability, and compliance.
• Manage deck stores, including stowage, inventory, and re ordering.
• Inspect deck machinery, equipment, and records, ensuring high standards and readiness.
• Prevent infringements of Oil Pollution Regulations and work closely with the Chief Engineer during bunkering and bilge transfer.
• Act as a Watchkeeping Officer, normally taking the 4-8 watch and maintaining full navigational control.

Skills

Organisational skills

Safety-critical experience

Education

Certificate of Competence as Chief Officer (under 3000GT)

STCW qualifications (survival, fire fighting, safety, security)

ENG1 medical (unrestricted)

Job description

Chief Officer

Location: Kyle of Lochalsh, IV40 8AJ
Salary: Competitive salary plus excellent benefits
Schedule: 48 hours per week

Ready to impact a better future?
As a Chief Officer in our Maritime Services team, you'll play a key role in keeping our vessel operations running safely, smoothly, and with real purpose. Every decision you make and every standard you uphold supports our work that touches lives and creates positive impact for communities.

You’ll help shape the future of our maritime capability by maintaining exceptional standards across deck operations and vessel safety. Your work will support reliable services that people trust and depend on every day.

What you’ll do as a Chief Officer
You’ll be entrusted to:

• Plan and supervise the maintenance of all deck areas, including holds, hatches, and superstructure.
• Oversee correct loading, discharge, and ballasting of the vessel, ensuring safety, stability, and compliance.
• Manage deck stores, including stowage, inventory, and re ordering.
• Inspect deck machinery, equipment, and records, ensuring high standards and readiness.
• Prevent infringements of Oil Pollution Regulations and work closely with the Chief Engineer during bunkering and bilge transfer.
• Act as a Watchkeeping Officer, normally taking the 4-8 watch and maintaining full navigational control.

Does this sound like you?
You’ll be a great fit for this role if you have:

• A Certificate of Competence as Chief Officer (under 3000GT as a minimum).
• Up to date STCW qualifications, including survival, fire fighting, safety, and security duties.
• Strong organisational skills and a methodical approach.
• Experience working within safety critical environments.
• An unrestricted ENG1 medical.

Vetting and checks:
This role requires Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) clearance, which involves verifying your identity, employment history, nationality, and criminal record to meet government security standards. In addition, depending on the nature of the role, you may need to obtain formal Security Clearance (such as CTC or SC), which includes more detailed background checks on employment, criminal record, and financial history to ensure suitability for working in secure environments. Please note that UK residency requirements may apply for certain levels of clearance. You will also complete an Occupational Health Questionnaire so we can identify and provide any support you may need to undertake the role effectively.

Discover all you need to keep growing
We're one of the top 1% of international employers, so you can have confidence you’ll be part of a highly supportive culture with leaders you can count on to help you achieve your goals. From mentoring and training to our focus on internal progression, we're proud to offer clear development opportunities - and the support and tools to help you seize them.

What we offer

• Pension: Up to 6% contributory pension scheme
• Training and development: Over 1,100 internal courses available, funding for qualifications and apprenticeships (including L3 Team Leader and L5 Operations Manager apprenticeships), mentoring opportunities, and a focus on internal progression
• Health and wellbeing: 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme, BUPA Anytime HealthLine, wellbeing app, Simplyhealth cash plans to claim back money towards healthcare costs, 30% off at Serco-managed leisure centres
• Discounts: Discounts across around 1,000 retailers, from food and clothing to days out, entertainment and travel
• Charity: Paid volunteering day, tax free charitable giving through Payroll Giving Scheme, donate your pennies from your monthly pay to the Serco People Fund Charity
• Employee networks: Our networks support inclusion and connection by providing spaces for collaboration, learning, and belonging. They represent and empower all our colleagues including LGBTQIA+ employees, women, parents and carers, people with disabilities, veterans, and people from all cultural backgrounds.