Survey and Inspection Business Partner (North and South)

Government Recruitment Service; Colchester; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A government agency is seeking a Survey & Inspection Business Partner to lead strategic delivery across Marine Offices in Colchester. The role involves managing teams, overseeing compliance and audit standards, and driving improvements in customer service. Ideal candidates should have experience in stakeholder management and data analysis, with a focus on maritime safety. This is a dynamic leadership opportunity within the UK's maritime sector.

Benefits

Employer pension contribution of 28.97%

25 days annual leave, increasing to 30 days

Flexible working options

Qualifications

• Experience in leading teams to achieve organisational goals.
• Ability to advise industry and the public.
• Experience in managing customer service.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategic delivery across Marine Offices.
• Oversee management information and data analysis.
• Represent the North/South Region at the National Management Group.
• Work with the MCA Customer Insight team to improve customer experience.
• Manage delivery and implementation of major projects.
• Ensure alignment and consistency of Business Continuity Plans.

Skills

Stakeholder management

Data analysis

Project management

Customer service experience

Audit compliance

Job description

Overview

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 goals? 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

Role summary

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.

Responsibilities

• 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.

Role information

For further information on the role, please read the role profile. 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.