Head of Risk and Resilience

Can you lead the development of effective risk management, business continuity and resilience arrangements across a complex organisation?

Do you have the confidence to provide expert advice, challenge and assurance to senior leaders on organisational risk and corporate resilience?

Have you successfully embedded policies, processes and reporting frameworks that support strong governance and continuous improvement?

If so, wed love to hear from you!

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) is seeking a Head of Risk and Resilience to lead our organisational approach to risk, corporate resilience and business continuity. This high-profile role sits within Corporate Services and is central to providing effective assurance to the Chief Executive, Executive Committee and Board. You will lead a small team, work closely with senior stakeholders across the Agency and the Department for Transport, and help embed a strong culture of governance, resilience and continuous improvement across the MCA.The MCAs Risk and Resilience Team are responsible for the organisations risk and business continuity management, ensuring that the organisation is compliant with government guidance, maintaining policies and procedures and overseeing training.

Please note we are also recruiting for a Head of Performance and Planning which may be of interest.

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 Kings 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: MCA Homepage , Civil Service Careers

As Head of Risk and Resilience, you will lead the MCAs risk management, corporate resilience and business continuity functions, ensuring the Agency has robust arrangements in place to identify, manage and report risks. You will provide expert advice and assurance, develop effective governance and reporting processes, and work across the organisation to embed best practice and compliance with relevant government guidance driving a culture of good governance.

Your responsibilities will include, but arent limited to:

1. Providing effective leadership to the Risk and Resilience Team, building capability and supporting a high-performing culture.
2. Leading and developing the Agencys approach to risk management in line with government guidance, including HM Treasurys Orange Book.
3. Overseeing the Corporate Risk Register and produce accurate, timely risk reports for key governance meetings.
4. Developing, maintaining and testing business continuity policies, plans and procedures to support organisational resilience.
5. Ensuring risk and business continuity reporting supports effective oversight by the Executive Committee, Board and relevant committees.
6. Leading engagement with the Department for Transport on risk and business continuity matters, including escalation where required.
7. Working with Learning and Development colleagues to ensure appropriate risk and business continuity training is available across the Agency.
8. Supporting the administration of formal Agency governance meetings, including Executive Committee, Audit, Risk and Assurance Committee (ARAC) and Board meetings where required.

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.

Required experience:

To be successful in this role you will need to have the following experience:

1. Be a credible and authentic leader, with the ability to articulate a vision, and engage people to deliver results.
2. Cross organisational leadership, able to successfully implement and embed policies and processes
3. Operating robust Risk Management across organisations with knowledge of government risk practices (ideally HM Government Orange Book)
4. Organisational Business Continuity management with knowledge of government business continuity guidance and best practices (such as ISO 23110)
5. Providing effective advice on risk and business continuity issues, and applying public sector guidelines and rules
6. Developing and implementing risk and business continuity management and reporting frameworks suitable for providing oversight at Board and executive level
7. Highly developed interpersonal, communication and influencing skills with a demonstrable ability to develop and maintain effective relationships with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders up to a senior level.
8. Excellent organisational and management skills with the ability to work proactively and at pace to deliver against multiple priorities.
9. Experience of handling sensitive information with tact and maintaining confidentiality.

Additional Information

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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Working hours, office attendance and travel requirements

Full time roles consist of 37 hours per week.

Whilst we welcome applications from those looking to work with us on a part time basis, there is a business requirement for the successful candidate to be able to work at least 30 hours per week.

This role is suitable for hybrid working, which is a non-contractual arrangement where a combination of workplace and home-based working can be accommodated subject to business requirements.

The expectation at present is a minimum of 60% of your working time a month will be spent at either your designated workplace (one of the locations cited in the advert) or, when required for business reasons, in another office/work location/visiting stakeholders. Your designated workplace will be your contractual place of work. There may be occasions where you are required to attend above the minimum expectation.

Occasional travel to MCA sites and to London for meetings and events, some with overnight stays.

If you have a question about hybrid working, part time/job share hours, flexible working, travelling for work, or require a reasonable adjustment, please contact the Vacancy Holder during the recruitment process to avoid possible disappointment later in the process should your working arrangements not be compatible with the requirements of the role (see below for contact details).

Visa Sponsorship

Please note that we will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa where a role has been deemed to be business critical. This role does not meet that category, and we will not sponsor a visa. Therefore, this role is not open to applications from those who require sponsorship candidates must ensure they have the appropriate right to work in the UK before applying. Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.