Navy Command - Admiralty Pilot - Limited Ships (Trainee Pilot) HMNB Portsmouth

Job summary

At Navy Command, we lead, support, and sustain the Royal Navy across every theatre of operations. We coordinate the people, platforms, and missions that keep the Fleet ready for today’s challenges and tomorrow’s opportunities. Together, we uphold centuries of naval tradition while driving innovation that ensures the Royal Navy’s readiness to protect our nation and secure our future.

As the authority responsible for generating the Royal Navy’s operational capability, Director Force Generation ensures ships, submarines, aviation, commando forces, and supporting elements achieve the required levels of readiness. By balancing capability, risk, and operational demand, the directorate provides assured force output and acts as the Fleet’s scheduling authority, ensuring the Royal Navy can deliver whenever and wherever required.

You'll be based at HMNB Portsmouth, one of the oldest and busiest naval bases in the world. It is home to the Royal Navy’s aircraft carriers (HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales) alongside destroyers, frigates, and specialist squadrons. As a vibrant hub of maritime power and innovation, Portsmouth sustains the Fleet and supports thousands of personnel.

Job description

The primary purpose of the King’s Harbour Master (KHM) Portsmouth Department is to protect the Dockyard Port of Portsmouth, comprising Portsmouth Harbour and 55 square miles of the eastern Solent, as required by the Dockyard Ports Regulation Act 1865 and the Dockyard Port of Portsmouth Order 2005. This requires the operation of a navigational Safety and Environmental Management System (SEMS) in accordance with the Defence Maritime Regulations DMR-DSA02 Regs and the Port Marine Safety Code together with the delivery of the operational objectives defined in the Naval Base Management Plan. As part of the delivery of operational outputs, KHM provides an Admiralty Pilotage service.

Admiralty pilots are part of the KHM organization and are employed to enable KHM to discharge his statutory duties to ensure the safe movement of vessels within the Dockyard Port of Portsmouth.

Responsibilities:

Admiralty pilots are accountable to the KHM through the Chief Admiralty Pilot (CAP) for the conduct of their duties. Their key responsibilities are:

1. To provide pilotage support and advice to Commanding Officers and Masters of designated ships within the Dockyard Port of Portsmouth in accordance with approved safety procedures, Statutory Instruments and local regulations where appropriate so that a safe and efficient conclusion to their entry, departure or transit of the district is achieved. This service may range from advice to full conduct of the move.
2. To assume full responsibility for the safety and navigation of any HM Ships or other vessels being moved without power as directed by KHM.
3. To assume full responsibility for the safety and navigation of other vessels (including “dead” ships and unpowered barges) as directed by KHM.
4. When assigned to a pilotage task, APs are authorised to:
5. Provide pilotage support to ships in accordance with their licence.
6. Take action as they consider necessary to ensure the safe and efficient execution of their duties.
7. Liaise with tug masters as necessary to give detailed briefings on deployment of tugs assigned in support of their task.
8. Liaise with the master rigger to ensure all requirements for a move are understood by all parties.
9. To adjust magnetic compasses fitted to MOD owned craft in accordance with the relevant MOD standard when trained.
10. Conduct administrative and other tasks as directed by CAP and KHM to support pilotage and other marine activity in the Dockyard Port of Portsmouth.
11. Deputise for CAP when directed.
12. Be available for pilotage tasking and training in accordance with the published Pilot Roster and at other times as agreed with CAP or KHM.
13. Assist with training new pilots as directed by CAP or KHM.
14. Undergo initial and continuation training in accordance with the Admiralty Pilot training scheme.
15. Provide pilotage advice and waterway expertise to assist the VTS Supervisor as required.

Additional Information:

The successful applicant will be required to follow and successfully complete the admiralty pilot training scheme. This will require you to observe and conduct acts of pilotage with a qualified admiralty pilot. You will also undertake tug familiarisation training. During the training period you will be required to record training and experiences. You will also be expected to successfully complete two examinations before gaining your ‘Limited Ships’ pilot licence and will be licenced to pilot vessels up to 140m length overall or up to 7.2m draught. This stage normally takes around 12-18 months to complete.

Initially, the candidate will be expected to mainly work standard working hours from Monday to Friday but must be prepared to adjust this to make the most of available training opportunities, in particular to achieve night movements. Once qualified to Limited Ships, you will be expected to work within a roster system which provides pilotage support 24/7, 365 days in a year, to a maximum of 2400 hours per annum. Out of hours, weekends and public holidays working are routinely required. This will also include periods of being ‘on call’ during which time you will be required to respond within 1.5 hours. Therefore, candidate would need to hold a UK full driving licence.

Promotion to All Ships Admiralty Pilot (Unlimited) is subject to the availability of a vacant All Ships Pilot slot, completing sufficient moves of larger / unusual vessels and pass the practical assessments to a satisfactory standard. This is highly dependent on the availability of such moves and normally takes around three to four years to achieve from commencement of training.

In addition to the pilotage training, you also need to complete MOD civilians mandatory training as per the schedule.

All qualified APs are paid pilotage fees per act of pilotage. These vary according to size of ship and historically, Portsmouth APs receive around £5000 per pilot per year. This payment is non-pensionable. A Market Skills Allowance of £12000 per year is currently paid to Queen Elizabeth Class Carrier endorsed Portsmouth Admiralty Pilots (APs) and qualified Portsmouth APs training towards endorsement. This payment is non-pensionable and subject to periodic review.

Admiralty Pilots are expected to wear uniform, which will be provided. High quality Personal Protective Equipment is also provided.

If you experience any technical difficulties with the CS Jobs system, please contact the Support Team via the Help link.

Person specification

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced and suitably qualified commercial or military mariner to join a dynamic team in a role with pan defence maritime responsibilities based within HMNB Portsmouth.

The successful candidate must be/have:

• A Highly motivated team player who is able to thrive in a safety critical environment and work flexibility as part of a 24/7 operations team.
• Strong communication skills, being able to communicate with a wide range of people including senior civil servants and military officers both within Navy Command and across the MOD.
• Able to lead, create and engage others in delivery of a shared vision.
• An ability to make clear and confident decisions - in time-sensitive situations while remaining calm and focussed.
• Able to deliver service objectives with professional excellence, expertise and efficiency, taking into account our diverse customer needs.
• Able to take responsibility for delivery of timely and quality results with focus and drive.