Principal Inspector of Marine Accidents

Are you looking for a role where you can improve safety at sea and make a difference to lives?

Can you lead and give direction to a team with your knowledge and experience in the marine industry?

Do you have an altruistic sense?

If so, we would love to hear from you.

DfT is a high-profile department at the heart of UK government. We work with agencies and partners to support the transport network that helps businesses and gets people and goods travelling around the country. We plan and invest to make journeys better.

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 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 Department for Transport Central - Department for Transport Careers.

Based in Southampton, the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) is an independent organisation within the Department for Transport. The Branch is responsible for investigating accidents and incidents involving UK vessels anywhere in the world, and any vessels within UK territorial waters, with the aim of improving the safety of life at sea and the avoidance of accidents in future. The Branch is not responsible for apportioning blame or liability, nor does it enforce laws or carry out prosecutions.

The MAIB comprises 34 specialist and administrative staff. Inspectors are divided into four teams each headed by a Principal Inspector.

As a Principal Inspector of Marine Accidents, you will be responsible for supervising a multi-disciplinary team of inspectors carrying out investigations into marine accidents. You will also be a member of the senior management team, contributing to the formulation of policy and the development of the Branch.

Your responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

• Acting as duty co-ordinator and the Branchs initial point of contact for out of hours accident notifications within a 4-week cycle; leading and managing a team of specialist accident investigators.
• Deploying to accident sites, at short notice during duty weeks, to manage the more demanding investigations; this could include travel worldwide.
• Directing the progress, conduct, and quality assurance of investigations, the development of recommendations, and overseeing production of the report.
• Dealing with individuals and organisations involved in marine accidents in what can often be stressful situations.
• Representing the Branch at industry fora.
• Contributing to MAIB's wider management strategies.

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.

Special Features of the Role

Your commitment to deploy will be managed through a duty system whereby 4 duty teams rotate through a weekly cycle. During your duty week you will need to be available to travel to accident sites at 2 hours notice. The following week (standby) you will be at 6 hours notice to fill in for or assist the duty team if it is deployed. For weeks 3 and 4 of the cycle you will be expected to be contactable and available to deploy unless otherwise agreed. Duty rosters are published well in advance to enable you to plan ahead, and flexibility is possible to accommodate important family events and other commitments.

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.

To thrive in this role, you will:

• Be expected to apply sound judgement under pressure and have both strong leadership and managerial skills.
• Be highly motivated, inquisitive and a critical thinker who is able to engage with new, unfamiliar or controversial concepts.
• Require considerable diplomatic skills, be comfortable engaging with people from all walks of life, and be empathetic when dealing with the victims, next-of-kin and others affected by marine accidents.
• Have the confidence and technical background to enable you to tackle accident investigations involving vessels of all types.
• Have the ability to be able to assess and analyse data from various sources, and able to recognise when external expertise is required to make progress.
• Have excellent verbal and written communication skills and have the critical skills necessary to quality assure the work of others.

Applicants must hold relevant commercial marine transport industry experience. This is taken to mean any of: experience in command or as the senior engineer afloat, or senior management in role ashore; industry experience as a naval architect; or experience as a marine accident investigator.

Additional Information

You will be required to undertake a Post Graduate Cert in Applied Marine Accident Investigation and Foundation e-learning module of the Contract Management Capability programme once in role, unless these accreditations are already held. Both qualifications are fully funded by the MAIB.

Important:

• Due to the nature of MAIB operations, you will be required to undertake physical activities and must be able to board vessels by pilot ladder and move around disrupted environments unaided.
• You will also be exposed to situations, information and material of a sensitive or traumatic nature and recordings that could be distressing.

We advise candidates to consider these requirements before applying. Please note also, that we will require successful candidates to undergo an internal health check assessment before starting in post. Candidates will be given more information on this assessment closer to the time by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch within Department for Transport. Please see the attached document for further information.

Working hours, office attendance and travel requirements

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. Full time roles consist of 37 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.

Regular travel to other offices will be required, which may include international travel and involve overnight stays.

The successful candidate will require Full UK Drivers License.

Visa Sponsorship

DfTc does not offer Visa Sponsorship for this role.