Details
Reference number
449929
Salary
£35,663
Plus £1,500 on call allowance
A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
GBP
Job grade
Higher Executive Officer
Contract type
Permanent
Business area
Maritime
Type of role
Administration / Corporate Support
Digital
Operational Delivery
Working pattern
Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time
Number of jobs available
1
Contents
* Location
* About the job
* Benefits
* Things you need to know
* Apply and further information
Location
Southampton
About the job
Job summary
Can you manage a team that supports accident inspectors while ensuring accurate data entry, retrieval, and reporting?
Have you worked with complex datasets, including maintaining data quality, querying relational data, and presenting statistics through tools such as Microsoft Dynamics and Power BI?
Do you have experience leading a team and overseeing the integrity, performance and security of a case management or database system?
If so, we'd love to hear from you
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) is an independent unit within the Department for Transport, dedicated to improving safety at sea. MAIB investigates marine accidents involving UK vessels worldwide and all vessels in UK territorial waters, aiming to prevent future accidents rather than assign blame or liability.
Each year, MAIB receives 1,500–1,800 accident reports, leading to around 30 detailed investigations. Based in Southampton, the branch employs 34 staff, including four specialist investigation teams supported by an administrative team.
MAIB's responsibilities include determining accident causes, publishing safety recommendations, raising awareness of marine risks, and promoting national and international cooperation in accident investigation. Committed to excellence, MAIB strives to remain a global leader in safety investigations, uphold best practices, and ensure staff expertise through regular specialist training.
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 DFT.
Job description
Based in Southampton, the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) investigates marine accidents to improve safety at sea. The postholder will lead a team supporting accident inspectors and ensure accurate data entry, retrieval and reporting. You will manage the quality, integrity and security of MAIB's Microsoft Dynamics‑based case management system and national accident database, providing data and statistics for operational, public and strategic use. The role requires strong data management skills, Microsoft 365 knowledge and proven team leadership.
Your responsibilities will include, but aren't limited to:
* Managing the provision of support to four teams of accident inspectors to include carrying out some operational support duties as part of a rota with the other Investigation Support Officers.
* Maintain and optimise the Dynamics of the case management system database structure and performance.
* Ensure data integrity, consistency and security across all environments.
* Manage data retention policies.
* Support configuration and customisation of Dynamics CMS to meet investigative and operational needs.
* Liaise with internal and external developers to implement system improvements.
* Stakeholder engagement you will work closely with inspectors, analysts and IT teams to understand data needs.
* Provide technical support and training to users of the case management system.
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
To be successful in this role you will need to have the following experience:
* Proven experience in database administration
* Experience with Power BI or similar data visualisation tools
* Knowledge of Maritime Industry
Additional Information
Due to the nature of MAIB operations, you will be required to undertake physical activities such as working in disrupted environments, confined spaces and boarding vessels by pilot or shoreside ladders. You will also be exposed to situations, information, and material that may be potentially traumatic. We therefore 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.
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.
Occasional travel to other offices will be required, 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
DfTc does not offer Visa Sponsorship for this role.
Licences
Valid Passport
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
* Leadership
* Changing and Improving
* Managing a Quality Service
* Making Effective Decisions
* Working Together
We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:
* Leadership
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £35,663, Department for Transport contributes £10,331 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 DfT and its agencies .
Things you need to know
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 for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.
As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a CV, behaviour and personal statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
Our selection process ensures a comprehensive assessment of each applicant's 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: Interview
You must be successful at each stage to progress to the next stage.
Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
Stage 1: Sift
At sift, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements:
Behaviours – you will be asked to provide a 250-word statement on the following Behaviours: Leadership
Experience – you will be asked to provide a CV (unlimited wordcount) and personal statement (750-word count). Please provide evidence of your Experience of the following:
* Proven experience in database administration
* Experience with Power BI or similar data visualisation tools
* Knowledge of Maritime Industry
Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead Success Profile element, Leadership. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.
The sift will take place week commencing 9th March 2026
Stage 2: Interview
At interview stage, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements:
* Behaviours – Changing and Improving, Managing a Quality Service, Making Effective Decisions, Working Together
* Strengths
You will also be required to create and deliver a written assessment to assess the Behaviour Making Effective Decisions. Guidance will be provided if you are invited to interview.
The interviews will take place week commencing 23rd March 2026.
This interview will be conducted in person at our Southampton office. 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 .
Please note that we will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change
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 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 for assistance.
Further Information
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.
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.
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.
Medical
Successful candidates will be expected to have a medical.
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)
* 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
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code 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 .
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 and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy .
Apply and further information
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans 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 : Joanne Wake
* Email :
Recruitment team
* Email :
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:
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