As Head of International and Technical Engagement, working within the Data Acquisition Team, you will be responsible for developing international relationships, technical standards and international training.

The UK Hydrographic Office is a leading centre for hydrography, providing marine geospatial data to inform maritime decisions. We work with a wide range of data suppliers and partners to support maritime navigation, safety, security and marine development around the UK and worldwide. The Data Acquisition team are responsible for obtaining the ‘raw material’ we need as an organisation.  This means we negotiate the supply of marine data from a wide range of external sources.  We also maintain relationships with national and international bodies such as the IMO and IHO.

It is important that the whole of the UKHO has a uniform understanding of our position regarding our engagement with various international bodies, and that the UKHO presents a consistent message. Similarly, our technical engagement (both national and international) and our contribution to international capacity building need to have a uniform approach across the business.  As Head of International and Technical Engagement, you will oversee and manage the International Bodies and Technical Engagement team to:

• Formulate engagement strategies (including international training);
• Assess potential opportunities to benefit from closer working relationships, such as through representation at a strategic level (eg IHO Assembly), contributing to working groups that are developing international technical standards, policy or guidance, and capacity building activities;
• Assess alignment of international bodies activities to UKHO strategy, identifying potential threats and to agree appropriate mitigating action;
• Define appropriate lines to take to support UKHO strategy.

The successful candidate will have a sound understanding of the role played by digital technical standards in the delivery of navigational products and services, combined with political awareness, excellent communication and strong influencing and leadership skills. Experience of working with IHO, IMO and RHC bodies and programmes is also required. 

And in return?

We will actively empower you to develop yourself and provide flexible working practices for a healthy work/life balance. You will also benefit from a brand new award winning office, with free use of our on site gym, free parking and subsidised canteen.

Application Process

If you are open to being based in a beautiful location, would revel in our new cutting edge building and relish the opportunity to work alongside talented professionals working on global leading products, we want to hear from you asap.

For a full job description, including the assessment criteria, please click the apply button. To apply you will need to send your CV and a completed diversity monitoring form (available to download via the apply link). 

Closing date: 12pm on 15 July 2019.

We guarantee to interview anyone with a disability, whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post. By ‘minimum criteria’ we mean that the evidence you provide in your competency statement must demonstrate that you meet the minimum pass mark, set by the short-list panel, for each criteria listed in the ‘short-list’ section, above. The short-list panel will not be made aware of any individual that has applied under GIS; this information will be processed solely by HR, in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998.

Selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit, on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles.