Code Vessel Team Lead

• Details
• Reference number
• 474724
• Salary
• £57,515
• A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

GBP

• Job grade
• Grade 7
• Contract type
• Permanent
• Business area
• MCA - UK Technical Maritime Services
• Type of role
• Operational Delivery
• Policy
• Project Delivery
• Working pattern
• Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time
• Number of jobs available
• 1
• Contents

• Location
• About the job
• Benefits
• Things you need to know
• Apply and further information

Location

Southampton

About the job

Job summary

Can you apply your technical expertise to develop, interpret or implement equipment standards, safety systems, or engineering requirements within the small vessel sector or a related environment?

Have you worked with or have experience of the small commercial vessel sectors and developed an understanding of the diverse operations carried out?

Are you passionate about improving safety standards and driving positive change across the maritime industry?

If so, we’d love to hear from you!

Lead a specialist team at the forefront of maritime safety, helping to shape standards and policy that support the safe operation of small commercial vessels. Working collaboratively with industry, government and technical experts, you'll contribute to the development of practical, risk-based solutions that make a real impact. This is an opportunity to influence the future of the sector, tackle complex challenges and play a key role in maintaining confidence in the UK's maritime regulatory framework.

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.

Job description

Shape the future of small commercial vessel safety and regulation. As the Code Vessel Team Leader, you'll play a key role in developing and implementing initiatives that improve safety, security and environmental standards across the UK’s small commercial vessel sector. Working closely with industry and government stakeholders, you'll provide technical leadership, influence policy and regulatory frameworks, and help deliver evidence-based solutions that support safe, sustainable and commercially successful maritime operations. This is an exciting opportunity to make a lasting impact on the future of UK maritime safety.

Your responsibilities will include, but aren’t limited to:

• Lead and support the team in developing and maintaining technical standards, policies, and procedures for the small commercial vessel sector.
• Deliver team objectives, manage risks, and ensure compliance with Civil Service and MCA expectations.
• Provide strategic direction on the development, implementation and review of regulations and standards, particularly for Code Vessels.
• Represent the MCA and UK at national and international forums, preparing and presenting technical papers where required.
• Act as the key contact for industry and stakeholders, fostering effective collaboration across the MCA, DfT and external partners.
• Work with analysts, lawyers and stakeholders to implement regulations, guidance and codes, ensuring governance and consultation requirements are met.
• Oversee responses to consultations, enquiries, briefings and ministerial submissions, ensuring high-quality outputs are delivered on time.
• Maintain technical expertise, monitor emerging technologies and provide informed advice to senior leaders, Ministers and stakeholders.

Great line management is important to us as an organisation, and we will equip and support line managers to develop the skills set out in the Civil Service Line Management Standards.

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

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

• Technical expertise in small vessel operations, engineering standards, safety-critical systems, naval architecture, marine surveying, or the development and application of maritime regulations and codes of practice.
• Strong leadership and stakeholder management skills, with experience influencing others, contributing to governance activities, and delivering effective outcomes within a regulatory or technical environment.
• Excellent communication and drafting abilities, producing high-quality technical and regulatory documentation, confidently using Microsoft Office tools, and able to undertake occasional international travel.

Additional Information

Working hours, office attendance 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 35 hours over 5 days 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.

The role will require some planned and unplanned travel, with some work and travel taking place outside normal working hours and potentially at weekends.

Travel to other parts of the UK, and overseas, including overnight stays, is also likely.

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.

Behaviours

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

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Managing a Quality Service
• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace

Technical skills

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

• Evidence - Analysis and use of evidence. o 1.5 Science and Technology. (Level 3) o 1.6 Futures, Foresight and Horizon Scanning (Level 3) Politics – Politics and democracy o 2.1 Advising, briefing, and drafting (Level 3)

Benefits

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 DfT and its agencies .

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 for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles , 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: Assessment - Presentation
• Stage 3: Interview

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

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 (1250-word count). Please provide evidence of your Experience of the following:
• Demonstrable experience of developing or applying equipment standards (e.g. fire protection, lifesaving appliances, other safety critical systems) or engineering and design requirements within a the small and / or domestic vessel sector, or in a closely related context.
• Demonstrable knowledge and experience with the type and range of operations undertaken by the <24m vessel sector.
• Demonstrable knowledge and professional experience, either in naval architecture/marine surveyor practice and/or in technical rules/codes of practice/regulations administration, development and application
• Candidates must be able to demonstrate a high standard of drafting ability to allow them to draft quality submissions and other technical documents.
• Proven experience in stakeholder engagement, governance, and leadership in a regulatory context

The sift will take place week commencing 31st August 2026

Stage 2: Assessment

At assessment stage, you will be invited to complete a presentation. The assessment will take place online via Microsoft Teams. You will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements:

• Technical - Policy Profession Standards Policy Profession Standards (atlas101.ca)
• Evidence - Analysis and use of evidence.
• 5 Science and Technology. (Level 3)
• 6 Futures, Foresight and Horizon Scanning (Level 3)
• Politics – Politics and democracy
• 1 Advising, briefing, and drafting (Level 3)

The assessment stage will take place week commencing 14th September 2026

Guidance will be provided if you are invited to the assessment.

Candidates successful at assessment stage will be invited to interview.

Stage 3: Interview

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

• Behaviours – Seeing the Big Picture, Managing a Quality Service, Making Effective Decisions and Delivering at Pace

The interviews will take place from 1st October 2026.

This interview will be conducted in person at our Southampton office (Spring Place, 105 Commercial Road, Southampton, SO15 1EG). 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 .

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.

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 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

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.

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) 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)
• 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

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code 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 .

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 and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy .

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans 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 Page
• Email : leanne.page@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