Border Force - National Operations Headquarters - Maritime Command Procurement & Strategy Support - (Includes Leadership & Management Apprenticeship)

180834

£30,817 - £33,899

Permanent

HO - Borders and Enforcement

Administration / Corporate Support
Finance

Flexible working, Full-time, Part-time

1

Fareham Murrills Industrial Estate

The Home Office is here to make the UK safer. Border Force is a Law Enforcement arm of the Home Office with primary responsibility for UK Border Security, including counter terrorism, immigration and customs matters.

We are responsible for handling the UK border control by implementing immigration and customs regulations and working with the wider Home Office on counter terrorism, organised crime, modern slavery and trafficking. Border Force has five operational regions in the UK: North, Central, Heathrow, South and South East & Europe. These regions have responsibility for securing the border 24 hours a day, 365 days a year at the UK’s 140 seaports, airports, 200+ general aviation ports, postal depots and international rail network. This includes the Eurostar from Brussels and Paris to St Pancras International and the Eurotunnel from Coquelles to Cheriton, where Border Force has juxtaposed controls.

This is a fantastic opportunity to be part of a team that both protects and enhances the UK economy. Our work is varied and rewarding, attracting people from all backgrounds and walks of life.

The UK Border is protected by the Border Protection Squadron as part of National Operations Headquarters, with a fleet of vessels including Offshore Patrol Vessels and smaller Coastal Patrol Vessels. The Squadron is responsible for delivering the maritime enforcement capability and, in so doing, to prevent and disrupt organised crime from exploiting the UK’s territorial waters for illegal purposes including drugs trafficking, illegal immigration and modern slavery. All vessels carry out maritime enforcement, surveillance, security and interception duties in both UK and adjacent international waters.

Operational Support are responsible for supporting functions within Maritime Command which include:

• Maritime Technical and Logistics Unit: ensuring all assets (Cutters, Coastal Patrol Vessel (CPV)), Rigid-Hulled inflatable Boats (RHiBs) and Tactical Water Craft (TWC) are maintained, which includes fleet wide purchases, fleet improvements and major projects. The team provides up and down direction regarding fleet performance and development

• Maritime Command Centre: a 24/7 command and control capability to support operational activity including the first point for all internal and external operational enquiries and tasking’s, including Operation Deveran

• Health and Safety: Overall responsibility for health and safety, mentoring, education and compliance within an operational arena. Providing specialists to review accidents and investigations and assure compliance with Maritime regulations

• Training: maintain and organise all mandated training for the command, including finance, development and delivery of specialist training

The Maritime Technical and Logistics Unit (MTLU) work in three defined silos working as a single cohesive unit.

The Stores Team will deliver routine stores and logistics to support the operation of all vessels.

The Vessel Management team (VMT) plan and deliver the routine maintenance of all vessels, including the financial planning.

The Procurement & Strategy team (P&S) provide direction about fleet performance and development. This team carries out the larger and fleet wide purchases, fleet improvements and major projects. The Procurement & Strategy Senior Officer has overall lead on strategy and finance.

You will report directly to the Procurement & Strategy Senior Officer to produce and monitor the strategy and finance and to project manage the delivery of key projects. However, the post may rotate through all areas of Maritime Technical and Logistics Unit and the post holder will be required to cover short term absence in the Vessel Management Team at times.

This is an evolving role where the job description may vary, covering other responsibilities as and when the need arises.

The successful candidate will:

• Be committed to continuous personal and business improvement

• Be flexible, adaptive and creative in solving problems and positive when taking care of change

• Have a strong sense of personal ethics and honesty

• Enjoy dealing with colleagues, members of the public and external stakeholders

• Effectively organise and plan

• Be professional and customer focussed

• Be able to confidently manage potentially difficult and challenging situations

• Think in an objective and analytical manner

• Demonstrate sound interpersonal, communication and relationship-building skills and thrive working as part of a team

• Be able to manage difficult and challenging situations

The successful applicant will require a high level of flexibility to meet changing demands.

Please note: a Full valid UK Driving Licence (automatic or manual) is required in this role.

Leadership and Management Higher Officer Apprenticeship
As part of our commitment to your development, following successful recruitment and onboarding, you will be offered the chance to enrol onto our Leadership and Management apprenticeship programme.

This apprenticeship offers you a fantastic opportunity to learn and develop your leadership and management skills while operating in a frontline Border Force environment. Following successful completion of the programme you will gain a nationally recognised qualification.

The Leadership and Management Team Leader Level 3 programme provides practical learning on different leadership styles, organisational cultures, team management models and the importance of personal development.

As part of the apprenticeship enrolment process you will undertake an enhanced eligibility assessment with the programme provider. If following this assessment, it emerges you do not meet eligibility, you will receive comparable Leadership and Management training through an in-house offer.

This Leadership training will enable ultimate recognition of excellence in this area and will be a pre-requisite of being able to compete effectively for higher level roles in Border Force and the Home Office.

About the Apprenticeship
You must have GCSE, or equivalent, Grade C or above in Maths and English or are willing to complete level 2 Maths and English functional skills by the end of the apprenticeship.

The Leadership and Management Apprenticeship programme takes approximately 12 - 18 months to complete.

This is a Level 3 apprenticeship – equivalent to an A Level qualification.

You will spend approximately 20% of your time undertaking off-the-job learning activities, including face-to-face workshops, digital courses, mentoring and job shadowing.

You will undertake an End-Point Assessment (EPA) at the end of the scheme, which you will need to pass in order to complete your apprenticeship.

This role attracts an allowance, candidates should contact BFBPS - Businessmanagementunit@homeoffice.gov.uk for further clarification. The allowance is in recognition of the skills and qualifications required to undertake this role.

Responsibilities

• Working closely with the Senior Officer to determine the overarching fleet strategy

• Forward planning fleet development to suit the Strategic Business Plan

• Project Managing; ensuring timely delivery of upgrades and procurement of new equipment

• Working closely with Home Office commercial partners for branch to assure branch compliance to Home Office commercial policy

• Managing non-business as usual procurement

• Managing wider branch procurement activities

• Managing capital investment, investigating new equipment and systems upgrades

• Providing an accurate financial forecast of all Maritime Technical and Logistics Unit spend

• Handling Maritime Technical and Logistics Unit policies and strategy including Border Force Assurances

• Following Maritime Technical and Logistics Unit procedures such as standard operating procedures, contingency planning, work force planning and future needs

Whilst this list is not exhaustive it gives a good indication of the day to day tasks required of the role.

Essential Criteria

• Valid STCW II/1 – Deck Officer of the Watch or valid STCW III/1 – Engineering Officer of the Watch

• Recent experience of undertaking project management

• Recent experience in procurement processes

• Recent experience in Government finance procurement policies

• Sound understanding of procurement processes; the successful candidate should be able to demonstrate awareness of finance procurement policies

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to influence stakeholders at senior and junior levels

• Experience of working in a changing environment and planning, collaborating, and delivering through others, to meet both short and longer-term deadlines

Desirable Criteria

• Recognised Project Management qualification (i.e. PRINCE2 or ANPM or equivalent)

Full valid UK Driving Licence (Manual or Automatic)

Valid STCW II/1 – Deck Officer of the Watch or valid STCW III/1 – Engineering Officer of the Watch

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

• Managing a Quality Service
• Changing and Improving
• Making Effective Decisions
• Seeing the Big Picture

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Managing a Quality Service