Senior Coastal Operations Officer

Senior Coastal Operations Officer

Maritime and Coastguard Agency

Reference number: 442716

Salary: £41,663

Advertised salary is inclusive of a base salary of £35,663 and £6,000 of additional allowances which includes:

On-call Allowance - £3,000 per annum

Public Holiday, Evening and Weekend allowance - £1,000 per annum

Enhanced Public Holiday, Evening and Weekend allowance - £2,000 per annum.

Contract type: Permanent – Full Time

Location: Lerwick & Kirkwall

Job summary

Can you operate as a high energy and resilient individual in an emergency service?

Do you have a passion for developing people and love to build and support others to achieve their best?

Have you got experience of leading operational teams in an emergency response environment?

If so, we’d love to hear from you!

The 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, Veterans Network and volunteer Respect Ambassadors.

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 a privilege day for the King’s birthday

• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.

Find out more about what it's like working at the Maritime and Coastguard Agency - Department for Transport Careers

Job description

As Senior Coastal Operations Officer, you have the responsibility of the management, administration, readiness, and safety of Coastguard Rescue Officers (CRO’s) within Coastguard Rescue Teams. This will be under the supervision of the Coastal Operations Area Commander to ensure that the Operational Area is at a state of constant readiness.

You will also be responsible for the supervision, management and administration of operational equipment, vehicles and estate belonging to a number of Coastguard Rescue Teams.

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

1. Leading and managing a number of teams allocated by the Coastal Operations Area Commander. You will act as mentor and coach to Station Officers, ensuring that there is a consistent standard of leadership and compliance with policy across the teams they are allocated.

2. Recruitment, induction, and technical training of volunteer Coastguard Rescue Officers including the monitoring of their probation progress.

3. Ensuring Coastguard Rescue Officers are developed appropriately, are motivated and understand the commitment required within the volunteer Coastguard Rescue Service. This includes ensuring that Coastguard Rescue Officers are trained and assessed in all disciplines required in line with national policy, and Area priorities.

4. Ensuring adequate levels of supervision and governance are maintained and compliance with ISO 9001:2015. This includes ensuring all associated records and databases are updated and maintained.

5. Ensuring teams under your control maintain a high level of operational readiness. This includes: complying with Equipment Management processes; adhering to equipment inspection regimes; ensuring vehicles are compliant with legal requirements and ensuring that HMCG properties are kept in good order and all requirements of the Health and Safety policy are followed.

6. Representing HM Coastguard at operational level in local liaison and multi-agency partnership working.

7. Ensuring that the MCA safety culture and safe systems of work are implemented within the teams they are responsible for.

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.

Benefits

Being part of our brilliant Civil Service means you will have access to a wide range of fantastic benefits:

• 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).

• 8 Bank Holidays plus an additional Privilege Day to mark the King’s birthday.

• Access to the staff discount portal.

• Excellent career development opportunities and the potential to undertake professional qualifications relevant to your role paid for by the department, such as CIPD, Prince2, apprenticeships, etc.

• Joining a diverse and inclusive workforce with a range of staff communities to support all our colleagues.

• 24-hour Employee Assistance Programme providing free confidential help and advice for staff.

• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.

Apply before 11:55 pm on Monday 16th February 2026.