Principal Consultant Surveyor - Training and Technical Performance

Job summary

Can you provide expert technical leadership to support the safe, consistent and compliant delivery of maritime surveyor services?

Do you have experience of developing technical capability, assuring performance and improving standards within a regulated maritime or operational environment?

Have you completed MCA Surveyor Core Competencies and built strong technical knowledge through marine surveyor, maritime, engineering or assurance work?

If so, we’d love to hear from you!

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) is seeking a Principal Consultant Surveyor – Training and Technical Performance to support the delivery of high-quality, consistent and safe technical service across UK Technical Maritime Services (UKTMS). Working within the Training and Technical Performance team, you will help develop technical training, strengthen workforce capability, support performance assurance and promote the consistent application of maritime regulations, standards and best practice. This is an opportunity to use your technical expertise to influence national standards, support continuous improvement and contribute to effective maritime safety and regulatory outcomes.

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

As a Principal Consultant Surveyor – Training and Technical Performance, you will play a key role in supporting the Head of Training and Technical Performance by providing expert technical leadership, developing technical workforce capability, assuring training quality and overseeing technical performance activity across UK Technical Maritime Services.

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

1. Supporting delivery of UKTMS business plan objectives in line with MCA policies, standards and procedures.
2. Providing expert technical advice and guidance to promote consistent interpretation and application of maritime regulations and standards.
3. Contributing to the oversight, management and performance of the Consultant Surveyor network and other consultancy arrangements.
4. Designing, delivering and continuously improving technical training, workshops, briefings, coaching and workplace learning activity.
5. Leading audit, verification and evaluation of internal and externally contracted training to assure quality, outcomes and value for money.
6. Leading activity monitoring and technical performance workstreams, including remote verifications and oversight visits.
7. Analysing technical information, risks and trends to provide evidence-based recommendations to improve performance, consistency and compliance.
8. Building effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders, represent UKTMS when required and manage staff as delegated.

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.

Person specification

Required experience:

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

• Experience of providing specialist technical advice within a regulated, operational, engineering, maritime, or assurance environment.
• Ability to lead or oversee performance assurance, audit, monitoring, verification, or compliance-related activities.
• Experience of/involvement with designing, developing, delivering, and/or assuring technical training and development.
• Ability to analyse complex technical information, identify trends and risks, and make evidence-based recommendations to improve performance and compliance.
• Experience of building effective working relationships and influencing a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.
• Experience of contributing to policy, standards, governance, or continuous improvement activities.
• Ability to communicate complex technical information clearly through reports, briefings, presentations, and stakeholder engagement.
• Experience of leading teams, developing staff capability, and promoting a positive and inclusive working culture.
• Knowledge of quality management, audit readiness, and assurance processes, including evidence management and compliance requirements.
• The post holder needs to be computer literate and familiar in the use of Microsoft 365 suite of applications.

Additional Information

Successful candidates will be expected to undertake a physical medical health questionnaire for this role. Please see the attached document for further 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 32 hours per week.

Hybrid working available

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 post-holder will operate to a flexible (smarter) working pattern consisting of a 7.4 hour working day and over the course of a year the post-holder is contracted to work 1931 net conditioned hours.
• On occasion, there will be a requirement to work outside of normal conditioned hours.
• Work/Travel on official duty within and short-term visits overseas or offshore, which may involve overnight stays away from home.

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 categ