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Navigation Policy (Technology) Lead

Employer
Maritime and Coastguard Agency
Location
Southampton, Hampshire
Salary
£38,654
Closing date
23 May 2022

Job Details

About the job

Summary

We welcome applications from all communities and we don’t discriminate against any identity. We’re interested to hear from you, regardless of your background.

Would you love to play a key role in forming the policies around novel technologies within the navigation sector of the maritime shipping industry within the UK?

Do you enjoy collaborating with a variety of internal and external stakeholders and building positive working relationships?

Could you contribute to making a difference to the safety of navigation on United Kingdom (UK) ships or in UK waters?

If so, we'd love to hear from you!

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) implements the government's maritime safety policy in the United Kingdom and works to prevent the loss of life and occurrence of pollution on the coast and at sea.

Safer lives, Safer ships, Cleaner seas.

Our vision is to be the best maritime safety organisation in the world.

Find out more about what it's like working at the Department for Transport.

Job description

It’s an exciting time to be part of the MCA with this opportunity to take up a new role as the Navigation Policy (Technology) Lead which sits in the Navigation Team within the UK Maritime Services directorate. This role would allow candidates enthusiastic about emerging technology, to make a career in the digitisation of shipping, joining the sector during its formative stages.

Reporting directly to the Head of Navigation, the successful candidate will act as the team’s focal point for knowledge and liaison on matters relating to current and emerging technologies. The Navigation Policy (Technology) Lead will support and collaborate across the wider navigation team that advises and provides guidance on policy and oversight of SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea Convention, 1974) and the COLREGs Convention (International Regulations for the Prevention of Collisions at Sea 1972); associated and applicable EU legislation and the ITU Convention (International Telecommunications Convention).

The role holder will be the interface between existing navigation policy and novel technologies and will keep up to date with developments in the field of maritime technology that could pose a risk to, or to help advance the safety of navigation on United Kingdom (UK) ships or in UK waters.

This is a fantastic opportunity to utilise your mariner background and perspective to play a key role in contributing to navigational safety in the United Kingdom waters by working with stakeholders across the MCA, in other government departments and with the wider shipping industry in order to input into the United Kingdom's policy on maritime future technology and ensure these are considered in new regulations.

This role will be based in the Southampton HQ. MCA supports flexible working and operates a hybrid working model between home and office for this role, giving you greater flexibility over where and when you work. Details of the arrangement will be discussed further with your line manager.

There will be a requirement for travel on official duty within the UK and overseas or offshore, which may involve overnight stays away from home. A passport valid for international travel is required.

Responsibilities

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
• Acting as Future Technologies specialist and focal point within the Navigation Team for current and novel technology relating to UK Technical Services Navigation’s (TSN) policy areas:
i. Maintain and update knowledge to help guide its implementation as the MCA works towards Maritime 2050 and beyond, as a leader in maritime innovation.
ii. To provide operational experience and advice, to support the policy for implementation and operation of these technologies.
iii. To contribute to the review and assessment of Safety cases and requests from other MCA branches.
iv. To contribute to, and where applicable help lead, projects and reviews relating to the regulation surrounding Navigation technology and MASS (Marine Autonomous Surface Ships) and its future development.
v. Liaise with other Branches to ensure the responsibilities of UK Maritime Services Navigation are included in approvals and regulation development pertaining to Navigation Technology and MASS, key relationships being with:
a. Maritime Future Technologies; and
b. UK Maritime Services - Ships Standards.

• Assisting and where necessary deputising for the Nautical Policy Lead across their area policy areas, specifically:
i. MCA or UK representation, as applicable, regarding Policy covering SOLAS V and COLREGS, within stakeholder engagement groups, National and International bodies;
ii. To assess applications for exemptions and/or equivalences under UK and International flag State Administration legislation requirements for safety of navigation (SOLAS Chapter V and COLREG); and
iii. Providing support and developing specific policy requirements identified from committees run by TSN including UK Safety of Navigation (UKSON), UK Radio- Navigational Equipment and Standards (UKRNES) committees, where appropriate.

• Categorisation of Waters: To review and advise on ad hoc reclassification, maintain an ongoing review of the process, and updates to the Merchant Shipping Notice.

• Providing navigational operational knowledge within Technical Services Navigation to review the navigational considerations relating to routing and other applications received by the Marine Licensing team.

• Assisting and contributing to the overall work of the branch as required by the Head of Navigation.

For an in-depth insight into the role, please refer to the Role Profile attached to this advert.

About You
We would love to be joined by a technologically focused mariner who has experience and knowledge of current maritime technology who is keen to learn and increase their knowledge of new technologies and upcoming developments within the marine industry. To be successful in this role, you will have experience in the management of bridge/navigational systems and/or procedures of a SOLAS compliant vessel, along with the along with the relevant qualifications as outlined in the role profile.

You will be passionate about the role of technology in the future of the Maritime industry, looking to build a career within this sector from its early stage of development.

You have excellent communication skills and are comfortable in pushing back and providing direction for your internal and external stakeholders, handling any difficult situations diplomatically. You’re able to adapt and tailor your approach to suit your audience, breaking down technical messages into understandable terms.

You have great interpersonal skills and you thrive working collaboratively with others to achieve successful outcomes, building strong working relationships as you go.

We would love to attract someone with an analytical approach to dealing with problems in order to make robust and effective decisions. You will be flexible in your approach to work in evolving and developing situations and your organisational skills mean you are able to balance and re-organise workload where necessary.

Licences

Passport valid for international travel

Qualifications

Either:
An MCA recognised STCW II/1 Officer of the Watch Unlimited Certificate of Competency and;
Qualification at Level 6 or above of the England, Wales and Northern Ireland register of Regulated Qualifications (e.g Degree, degree apprentice) or recognized equivalent, preferably with a Science, Technology, Engineering or Maths (STEM) element included in the syllabus.

Or:

An MCA recognised STCW II/2 Chief Officer or Masters Unlimited Certificate of Competency and;
Qualification at Level 5 or above of the England, Wales and Northern Ireland register of Regulated Qualifications (e.g FdSc, DipHE, HND), or recognized equivalent, preferably with a Science, Technology, Engineering or Maths (STEM) element included in the syllabus.

Behaviours

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

  • Making Effective Decisions
  • Communicating and Influencing
  • Working Together
  • Seeing the Big Picture

Benefits

Being part of our brilliant Civil Service means you will have access to a wide range of fantastic benefits. We offer generous annual leave, attractive pension options, flexible working, inclusive working environments and much more to support a healthy work/life balance.

Company

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) is an executive agency of the United Kingdom working to prevent the loss of lives at sea and is responsible for implementing British and international maritime law and safety policy. It is also responsible for land based search and rescue helicopter operations from 2015.

Its responsibilities include coordinating search and rescue (SAR) on the coastline and at sea through His Majesty's Coastguard (HMCG), ensuring that ships meet international and UK safety standards, monitoring and preventing coastal water pollution and testing and issuing Merchant Navy Certificates of Competency (licences) for ships' officers and crew to STCW requirements The organisation is led by Virginia McVea, its Chief Executive, who took up post in February 2023.The MCA are chiefly responsible for the syllabus and national training standards issued by the Merchant Navy Training Board (based at the UK Chamber of Shipping).

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