Business Manager

Job summary

Do you have experience in building and motivating teams?

Are you able to provide data and analytical insights to help inform business decisions?

If so, we’d love to hear from you!

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) are seeking a Business Manager within UK Technical Maritime Services Directorate (UKTMS). UKTMS inspects and surveys ships to ensure compliance with UK and international safety, security and environmental standards. It also certifies ships and seafarers, registers vessels on the UK Flag, and, with Coastguard teams, responds to marine pollution incidents. Survey & Inspection (S&I) part of UKTMS, supports the Government’s strategy for “Safer Ships, Cleaner Seas” by carrying out consistent survey and inspection operations across two Divisions. Marine and Satellite Offices provide frontline services, supported by a National Business Unit managing financial transactions and reporting.

Our mission statement, that UKTMS embodies is; Safer Lives, Safer Ships, Cleaner Seas.

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 Business Manager, you’ll be responsible for the smooth running of the Marine Office (MO) managing surveyor workloads, driving consistent Business Support, and ensuring alignment with national S&I priorities. You’ll work closely with the Technical Manager (TM), S&I Business Partners and National Business Unit, whilst line managing Business Support staff to deliver high performance and promote continuous development. You’ll also oversee all surveyor timesheet and expense activity for your MO, ensuring accurate approvals, reconciliation and financial compliance that keep our operations running efficiently.

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

1. The post-holder is responsible and accountable for leading on business related S&I matters within the Marine Office to assist the Divisional Area in fully contributing to achieving its annual target activities and ‘Big Picture’ objectives.
2. Leading and mentoring the Business Support team within the Marine Office on business related administrative matters, and line managing the Business Support Manager within the Marine Office to ensure completion of PMR’s; identifying training/development needs; and setting challenging, and relevant objectives aligned to the MCA Big Picture and to the annual activities that the Marine Office and Divisional Area must achieve.
3. Contributing to the management of the Marine Office Network by playing a full role in the National Management Group; co-chairing Marine Office Management meetings with the TM; working with the TM to lead on business support and management initiatives to steer cultural change within the Marine Office in order to implement the Agency’s operational and transformational business objectives.
4. Providing advice to industry and the public in accordance with MCA policies, including being a point of contact for business related communications; contributing to the management, provision, and delivery of a first-class S&I service by the Marine Office to both customers and stakeholders of the Agency’s maritime services; leading the Marine Office Business Support team to provide a high quality customer service experience that both meets and manages customer expectations; contributing in the delivery of a regulatory climate that is clear, consistent and supportive of the UK maritime industries.
5. Producing a Monthly Report for the Deputy Director which includes management information on volume of surveys booked with comparative year on year modelling; financial forecasting; surveyor utilization rates and progress against MO/National targets; forward look/risk modelling; stakeholder complaints/resolutions; and concerns arising, with suggestions for remedial action.
6. Planning, allocating and managing surveyor resource and workloads within the Marine Office (i.e., Surveyor working patterns, job allocations, agreement of Annual Leave/TOIL) to ensure that MO annual S&I business commitments are met; Liaising with BM colleagues across the national Network to ensure that Business Support activities are performed and monitored consistently across all Marine Offices.
7. Co-ordinating Port State Control (PSC) activity within the Marine Office to support the UK in meeting its’ obligations under the Paris MOU Agreement in the inspection of foreign registered ships calling at UK Ports.
8. Managing MO Recruitment activity (for both surveyors & support staff).

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:

• Excellent level of numeracy and literacy (in English) for the post.
• Knowledge of resource planning, performance management and development.
• Experience of financial management and control, including interpretation of trends and developments to facilitate development of future business strategies.
• Well-developed inter-personal, oral and written communications including the ability to influence and persuade effectively.
• Evidence of management and leadership skills including the ability to build and motivate teams especially during periods of change.
• Good organisational and time management skills, ability to prioritise work and allocate resources effectively.
• An understanding of media queries and the ability to handle criticism and complaints.
• Analytical skills coupled with the ability to solve problems and make decisions, sometimes under time constraints.
• Understanding the concepts of change management.
• Computer literate and familiar in the use of Microsoft Office IT software.
• General understanding of shipping & fishing industry.
• An understanding of how government operates.
• Understanding of HR issues including the application and impact of employment law.

Additional Information

Please note – A full UK Driving License is required for this role.

Operational Delivery Profession (ODP) is the largest and most diverse professional community across the Civil Service. Many of us will have an association with several professional communities or specialisms, ODP applies to all public facing roles / or a role that is primarily aligned to supporting the work of those with public facing roles. All critical to the delivery of UK public services.

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