Cardiff, Hull, Liverpool, Southampton Job Summary Do you have the vision to shape customer and stakeholder experiences while driving innovation and digital adoption and development? Can you lead teams to embed a data driven culture and deliver continuous improvement across an organisation? Have you got experience in service transformation, stakeholder engagement and insight-led innovation? If so, we’d love to hear from you! The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) is seeking a Head of Business Transformation and Customer Insight to develop and lead innovative strategies enhancing customer experience and driving organisational change. Working within the UK Customer Maritime Services (UKCMS) Directorate, you’ll oversee critical functions including vessel and seafarer registration, certification, and customer insight. Your leadership will embed a data-driven culture, champion digital adoption, and deliver continuous improvement across services. This is an opportunity to influence policy, design intuitive digital solutions, and ensure MCA remains future-ready and customer-focused. 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 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 As the Head of Business Transformation and Customer Insight, you will lead the development and implementation of insight driven strategies that shape innovation, are transformative, and deliver stakeholder-focused improvements across UK Customer Maritime Services (UKCMS) Your Responsibilities Will Include, But Aren’t Limited To: Leading development and delivery of a strategic insight and innovation agenda ensuring data-driven, customer-centred, and future-ready services. Overseeing design and implementation of a customer insight programme. Translating customer insight into actionable change, influencing policy, service design/delivery and digital development to improve user experience and operational efficiency. Working with teams to champion digital adoption and transformation. Leading, managing and developing teams, building internal capability in data analytics, user research and change management. Providing evidence based guidance and constructive challenge to senior leaders to shape business transformation and service innovation strategies. Establishing frameworks and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to measure the impact of insight-driven interventions, ensuring performance is monitored, outcomes are transparent, and learning is shared across the wider organisation. Building strong relationships internally and externally ensuring best practice and quality of service. 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. As the Head of Business Transformation and Customer Insight, you will lead the development and implementation of insight driven strategies that shape innovation, are transformative, and deliver stakeholder-focused improvements across UK Customer Maritime Services (UKCMS) Your Responsibilities Will Include, But Aren’t Limited To: Leading development and delivery of a strategic insight and innovation agenda ensuring data-driven, customer-centred, and future-ready services. Overseeing design and implementation of a customer insight programme. Translating customer insight into actionable change, influencing policy, service design/delivery and digital development to improve user experience and operational efficiency. Working with teams to champion digital adoption and transformation. Leading, managing and developing teams, building internal capability in data analytics, user research and change management. Providing evidence based guidance and constructive challenge to senior leaders to shape business transformation and service innovation strategies. Establishing frameworks and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to measure the impact of insight-driven interventions, ensuring performance is monitored, outcomes are transparent, and learning is shared across the wider organisation. Building strong relationships internally and externally ensuring best practice and quality of service. 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 Essential Qualifications Degree in relevant customer insight or business management subject You will be required to provide evidence that you hold any essential qualifications at some point during the recruitment process. If you cannot provide evidence, your application will be withdrawn. Required Experience: To be successful in this role you will need to have the following experience: Demonstrable experience of leading innovation and service transformation initiatives, preferably within a complex or public sector environment. A proven ability to develop and implement customer-insight driven strategies that result in tangible service improvements, increased user satisfaction or operational efficiency. Demonstrable success in designing and delivering change programmes that align with strategic priorities and embrace digital, data and technology solutions. Excellent stakeholder engagement and influencing skills with a track record of securing buy-in for transformational initiatives across organisational boundaries. Experience in translating user research, behavioural insight, or data analytics into service or policy design, ensuring inclusive, intuitive and responsive outcomes for customers. A strong understanding of transformation methodologies such as service design, agile delivery, systems thinking or change management frameworks. Additional Information Operational Delivery Profession 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. 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. Regular, travel to other offices will be required and locations across the UK (including London), which may involve 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. Qualifications Degree in relevant customer insight or business management subject Behaviours We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process: Changing and Improving Seeing the Big Picture Leadership Making Effective Decisions Working Together Alongside your salary of £57,515, Maritime and Coastguard Agency contributes £16,662 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides. 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. Find out more about the benefits of working at MCA (opens in a new window). Artificial intelligence Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use. Selection process details This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience. How To Apply: Our selection process ensures a comprehensive assessment of each applicant's qualifications, skills, and potential fit within our organisation. The Selection Process For This Role Will Be: Stage 1: Sift of CV and personal statement Stage 2: First Stage Interview Stage 3: Second Stage Interview and Presentation You must be successful at each stage to progress to the next stage. Stage 1: Sift At sift, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements: Experience – You Will Be Asked To Provide a CV (unlimited Wordcount) And Personal Statement (1000-word Count). Please Provide Evidence Of Your Experience Of The Following: Demonstrable experience of leading innovation and service transformation initiatives, preferably within a complex or public sector environment. Demonstrable success in designing and delivering change programmes that align with strategic priorities and embrace digital, data and technology solutions. Excellent stakeholder engagement and influencing skills with a track record of securing buy-in for transformational initiatives across organisational boundaries. A strong understanding of transformation methodologies such as service design, agile delivery, systems thinking or change management frameworks. Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead Success Profile element, Experience – Demonstrable experience of leading innovation and service transformation initiatives, preferably within a complex or public sector environment. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview. Please note: the sift will be completed on a rolling basis whilst the campaign is still live, so you may receive your sift scores before the advert closing date. The sift will take place week commencing 05/01/26. Stage 2 : First Stage Interview At interview stage, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements: Behaviours Changing and Improving Experience Stage 3 : Second Stage Interview and Presentation At second interview stage, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements: Behaviours: Seeing the Big Picture Leadership Making Effective Decisions Working Together You will also be required to create and deliver a presentation to assess the Behaviour - Seeing the Big Picture. Guidance will be provided if you are invited to second interview. First stage interviews will take place week commencing 12/1/26 and week commencing 19/1/26. Second stage interviews will take place w/c 26/1/26. Both interview stages will be conducted online via Microsoft Teams. Further details will be provided to you should you be selected for interview. You can find out more about our hiring process, how to apply, and application and interview guidance on our careers site (opens in a new window). Please note that we will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change. Further information on the selection process We will also hold a 12 month reserve list for this role, which may lead to potential opportunities beyond the role you applied for. You can read more about our reserve lists here. Reasonable Adjustments As a Disability Confident Leader employer, we are committed to ensuring that the recruitment process is fair, accessible and allows all candidates to perform at their best. If a person with a visible or non-visible disability is substantially disadvantaged, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes. Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need during the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional. If you need a reasonable adjustment so that you can complete your application, you should contact Government Recruitment Service via dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs. Document Accessibility If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section. This job advert contains links to the DfT Careers website. Our website provides useful guidance and information that can support you during the application process. If you cannot access the information on our website for any reason, please email DRGComms@dft.gov.uk for assistance. Further Information For more information about how we hire, and for useful tips on submitting your application for this role, visit the How We Hire page of our DfT Careers website. You can find detailed information about the recruitment process and what to expect when applying for a role. Pre-employment Checking Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment. A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government. All External Applicants And Current Employees Of Accredited Non-departmental Public Bodies (NDPBs) Will Be Required To Undergo a Social Media Check. A Social Media Check Is a Review Of Your Publicly Available Online Activity, Typically Across Platforms Like LinkedIn, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, And Others. The Purpose Is To Identify Any Public Posts Or Content That Could Raise Concerns For Employers, Such As: Hate speech or discriminatory behaviour Threats or acts of violence Illegal activity or substance misuse Sexually explicit material Extremist views or affiliations Importantly, this check does not involve hacking into your accounts or accessing private messages. It only considers content you have chosen to make public. Employers use this kind of screening to help ensure their workplace remains safe, inclusive, and aligned with company values. It’s not about judging your personality or lifestyle—it’s about checking for potential red flags that might affect the role or company culture. If you have questions or concerns about the social media check, we would be happy to explain in more detail what’s being looked at and how your data is handled securely and fairly. Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment. This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience. Security Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks. Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks. Nationality requirements This Job Is Broadly Open To The Following Groups: UK nationals nationals of the Republic of Ireland nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window) nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020 Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window) Working for the Civil Service The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants. We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy. The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants. We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy. Diversity and Inclusion The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window). This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative. The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window). Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records. Contact point for applicants Job Contact : Name : Rachel Millican Email : Rachel.Millican@mcga.gov.uk Recruitment team Email : dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk Further information If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact Government Recruitment Services via email: dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website Here