Vessel Traffic Services Operator

Job summary

Are you someone who thrives in a problem-solving environment and would love a varied, dynamic and rewarding role?

Are you highly resilient with the ability to remain calm and professional in pressurised situations?

Do you hold a Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) Operator Qualification or have the willingness to work towards achieving this once in post?

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

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.

Read more in the Benefits section below!

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

Job description

Based at our Coastguard Operations Centre in Falmouth, we have a fantastic opportunity for a number of Vessel Traffic Services Operators (VTSO) to join our dynamic team providing a crucial VTS Traffic Information and Navigational Assistance Service in accordance with current national doctrine and the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA) recommendations.

As a VTSO your day will include taking mandatory ship reports from vessels navigating within the service area, gathering key information in relation to cargo, passengers and vessel damage or defects to ensure they are compliant with both national and international maritime regulations and able to safely continue their passage.

This is a dynamic role in which you’ll be faced with a multitude of interesting and varied situations – from a compliant vessel just passing through to ships that have run aground, a passenger ferry dealing with a fire, loss of pollutant cargo overboard or even managing vessels safely around swimmers in the English Channel.

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

1. Delivery of a vessel traffic service as defined by IALA recommendations and guidelines to vessels navigating in the service area to ensure compliance with all local, national and international regulations
2. Working as part of a team to manage day-to-day operations to provide a high and effective standard of VTS service delivery
3. Planning, prioritising and managing work based on dynamic risk assessments, and ensuring resources are available for both forecast and actual demand
4. Balancing work against resource and recommending additional staff or assistance from other teams to provide suitable coverage
5. Implementing sound leadership, management and direction within a team, and ensuring safe working practices are maintained

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.

Person specification

Applicants are required to demonstrate a willingness to work towards and obtain a VTS C0103-1 qualification – (eligibility to enrol for this qualification requires English as a first language or an English Language certification to the equivalent of IELTS level 5.0)

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

• be confident and proficient in the use of multiple IT systems
• combining auditory and visual information
• demonstrating spatial and situational awareness
• demonstrating alertness and decisiveness when required
• carrying out several tasks simultaneously (multi-tasking)
• carrying out routine work without losing situational awareness
• prioritising and deciding what situations require immediate action
• show initiative and make decisions whilst working within a framework of standards, regulations and structured procedures
• demonstrating effective participation as a member of a team
• working within a busy, high-pressure environment
• communicating with a range of stakeholders, both verbally and in writing.

Additional Information

Please note that this is a uniformed role and uniform will be required to be worn at all times when on duty.

Successful candidates will be expected to undertake a physical medical and mental health questionnaire for this role. Please see the attached document for further 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.

This role is not suitable for hybrid working and will require the successful candidate to work solely from their designated workplace (one of the locations cited in the advert) or, when required for business reasons, from other offices/work locations/visiting stakeholders.

If your employment ceases within 24 months of completing your training course, you will be required to reimburse the MCA any associated training fees based on the length of your employment.

The role requires occasional travel to attend ongoing training courses, meetings and working groups which will involve some time away from home and the regular workplace.

This role is full-time only and you will be required to work a 12-hour shift pattern (both day and nightshifts) to allow HMCG to provide its 24 hour emergency service to the public, 365 days a year. On average the shift pattern equates to 37 duty hours per week over a 12-month period. As such, this position attracts a number of allowances to reflect the shift working and unsociable hours.

Appointment to this role is subject to meeting Health Standards, please see attached document.

For more information please Vessel traffic service operators , HM Coastguard UK

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.

Behaviours

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

• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions
• Working Together

Benefits

Being part of our brilliant Civil Service means you will have access to a wide rang