Maritime and coastguard agency
Head of Private Office
Job Description
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Business Management and Improvement
Governance
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About the job
Job summary
Are you credible and authentic leader?
Do you have experience leading, establishing and maintaining high standards of support to senior executives, non-executives and chief executives?
Would you like the opportunity to lead the MCA work on Parliamentary business including managing responses to Parliamentary questions and MPs correspondence?
If so, we are looking for a Head of Private Office to join us at the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) and 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 a world-leading organisation, accelerating the transition to sustainable shipping with non-negotiable safety standards. We put our people, our customers and our planet at the heart of everything we do.
We are committed to giving all our colleagues purpose, professionalism and pride in what we do. We work in supportive, diverse and inclusive teams.
We want everyone to feel valued and supported to achieve their potential at MCA.
This culture of inclusion is underpinned by our staff networks groups covering, Women’s, LGBTQI+, Race, Carers, Mental Wellbeing and volunteer Respect Ambassadors.
Job description
This is a Full-Time post.
What is the Corporate Services Directorate?
The Directorate of Corporate Services is responsible for the effective delivery of Corporate Services to the Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA). Corporate Services includes Governance, Performance, Private Office, Internal Audit and Assurance, Communications, Procurement, Finance, Health & Safety, Human Resources, Programme Management Office, Property & Facilities, and Regulatory Compliance Investigations.
What is the purpose of the Head of Private Office?
As the Head of Private Office, you will report to the Assistant Director of Corporate Governance. You will be responsible for leading the Private Office functions for the Chief Executive and the MCA’s Parliamentary and Ministerial business.
You will work closely with the Chief Executive, Executive Director of Corporate Services and Assistant Director of Corporate Governance on matters for Ministerial or Parliamentary attention, ensuring any briefings, submissions and correspondence from the MCA meet required standards and are of a good quality.
You will establish and maintain a high standard of support to the Chief Executive, assisting them on many important aspects of their work and assisting with relaying their priorities across the Agency. This includes overseeing their secretarial support.
You will establish and maintain a high standard of support to the Chair and Non Executive Directors, assisting them on many important aspects of their role including supporting the key governance meetings.
Your responsibilities include but are not limited to:
- Provide effective and inspiring leadership to your functional areas within MCA. Fostering a high performing culture based on excellence and continuous improvement through effective performance management, communication, colleague engagement and the development of staff.
- Lead the Private Office team to ensure it operates efficiently, by overseeing and improving processes to prioritise the day-to-day work of the team, including flow of papers, day packs, management of diaries, travel bookings, meetings and wider business activities.
- As a visible and professional ambassador for the Agency, ensure that the Private Office functions as the first point of contact for external senior level engagement with the MCA, including with ministerial private offices and senior industry leaders.
- Lead the Agency’s work on Parliamentary business, including managing responses to Parliamentary Questions and MPs’ correspondence, the preparations of Ministerial briefings for Ministerial meetings and Parliamentary events
- Collaborate with senior leaders across the MCA as necessary to ensure that all papers, briefings, submissions and other correspondence for the Chief Executive, executive meetings or Ministers meet content and quality standards.
For further information about the role and responsibilities, please see the attached role profile.
Person specification
About You
To be successful as the Head of Private Office you will be a credible and authentic leader, with the ability to articulate a vision, and engage people to deliver results. You will also have experience working with Senior Executives, Non-Executive Directors and Chief Executives where you have overseen the support offices that ensures their time is well managed and they receive the highest quality support. Your experience will also include preparing briefings, responses and relevant correspondence for ministers or parliamentary business.
You will have highly developed interpersonal, communication and influencing skills with demonstrable ability to develop and maintain effective relationships with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders up to a senior level.
Organisational and management skills are key for this position along with the ability to work proactively and at pace to deliver against multiple priorities, as well has the ability to handle sensitive information with tact and maintaining confidentiality.
Additional Information
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.
The expectation is that you will spend a minimum 60% of your working time based at your principal workplace or out on official business. Details of the arrangement will be discussed further with your line manager.
There may be a requirement for occasional travel on official duty within the UK, which may involve overnight stays. Notice will be given prior to travel.
Behaviours
We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Leadership
- Communicating and Influencing
- Working Together
- Delivering at Pace
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.
Click here to get a copy of the MCA Staff Benefits Brochure
Find out what it’s like to work at the Maritime and Coastguard Agency
Things you need to know
Selection process details
How to Apply
CV and Personal Statement:
As part of your application, you will be required to complete a CV and a Personal Statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
Within your CV and personal statement please demonstrate your knowledge and experience of:
- Experience of being a credible and authentic leader, with the ability to articulate a vision, and engage people to deliver results.
- Experience working with Senior Executives and Chief Executives where you have overseen their support functions and ensured their time is well managed and they receive the right support and preparations to the highest standard.
- Experience of working preparing information for MPs such as briefings, reports or responding to queries.
- Experience of interpersonal, communication and influencing skills with the ability to develop and maintain effective relationships with a wide range of stakeholders.
- Experience of excellent organisational and management skills with the ability to work proactively and at pace to deliver against multiple priorities.
- Experience of handling sensitive information with tact and maintaining confidentiality.
Your personal statement will be limited to a maximum of 1,250 words.
It is essential when submitting your personal statement that you provide as much detail as possible, and utilise the full word count given, against the essential criteria outlined above as this will be used in conjunction with your CV to assess candidate suitability to move to the next round in the recruitment process.
Sift and Interview Dates:
The sift is due to take place w/c 3rd February 2025
Interviews/assessments are likely to be held w/c 17th February 2025
This interview will be conducted via face to face at one of our offices. Further details of which will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.
We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change. You will be provided with sufficient notice of the confirmed dates.
The selection process will be designed specifically for the role. As a result, your assessment will include:
- An interview.
- A presentation.
You’re encouraged to become familiar with the role profile, as you may be assessed against any of the criteria recorded within.
Further Information
Reasonable Adjustments
As a Disability Confident Leader employer, we are committed to ensuring that the recruitment process is fair, accessible and allows all candidates to perform at their best. If a person with a visible or non-visible disability is substantially disadvantaged, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.
Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need during the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.
If you need a reasonable adjustment so that you can complete your application, you should contact Government Recruitment Service via dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
Document Accessibility
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the ‘Contact point for applicants’ section.
This job advert contains links to the DfT Careers website. Our website provides useful guidance and information that can support you during the application process. If you cannot access the information on our website for any reason, please email DRGComms@dft.gov.uk for assistance.
Further Information
This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.
For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting
For more information about how we hire, and for useful tips on submitting your application for this role, visit the How We Hire page of our DfT Careers website. You can find detailed information about the recruitment process and what to expect when applying for a role.
Pre-employment Checking
Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.
A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
Nationality requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
- UK nationals
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
- Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)
Working for the Civil Service
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
Diversity and Inclusion
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
Recruitment team