Southampton
Job Summary
Are you an experienced Human Resources professional ready for a new challenge?
Do you have up to date knowledge and practical experience of dealing with formal and informal cases such as disciplinaries, grievances and attendance management?
Have you managed multiple cases at the same time?
If so, we'd love to hear from you
You will join the Directorate of Corporate Services that is responsible for the effective delivery of Corporate Services to the Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA). Corporate Services includes Communications, IT, Procurement, Finance, Health & Safety, Human Resources, Internal Audit and Assurance, Programme Management Office, and Property & Facilities.
Human Resources is a key enabling function responsible for the planning and delivery of the MCA's People Strategy and a full range of HR services including Organisational Design and Development, Talent Management, Employee Relations, Volunteer support, Reward and Resourcing, Planning and Governance.
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
This exciting opportunity will see you will be responsible for the effective management of cases from disciplinaries to grievances and performance to probation. You will work autonomously as you provide effective stakeholder management ensuring formal policies and procedures are followed to MCA standards whilst providing a high level of governance.
Your Responsibilities Will Include, But Aren't Limited To:
* Be responsible for managing multiple cases ensuring that all casework and employee relations (ER) activities are carried out in accordance with MCA and wider Civil Service policies and procedures.
* Ensure ER cases have a timely conclusion and act as an escalation point, where required.
* Manage litigation cases including Employment Tribunal and Personal Injury.
* Work in partnership with relevant internal and external stakeholders to gather and prepare evidence, witness statements and supporting individuals through the process.
* Effective internal and stakeholder management which includes, but is not limited to: Government Legal Department, Trade Union Representatives, Department for Transport (DfT) Voice of the Customer, DfT Group Policy, MCA managers and employees.
* Monitor and maintain up to date casework Management Information, identifying trends and risks, whilst proactively identifying solutions.
* Lead and implement relevant policy changes communicating these effectively to the business.
* Line management of an Employee Relations Advisor.
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 attached. 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.
This exciting opportunity will see you will be responsible for the effective management of cases from disciplinaries to grievances and performance to probation. You will work autonomously as you provide effective stakeholder management ensuring formal policies and procedures are followed to MCA standards whilst providing a high level of governance.
Your Responsibilities Will Include, But Aren't Limited To:
* Be responsible for managing multiple cases ensuring that all casework and employee relations (ER) activities are carried out in accordance with MCA and wider Civil Service policies and procedures.
* Ensure ER cases have a timely conclusion and act as an escalation point, where required.
* Manage litigation cases including Employment Tribunal and Personal Injury.
* Work in partnership with relevant internal and external stakeholders to gather and prepare evidence, witness statements and supporting individuals through the process.
* Effective internal and stakeholder management which includes, but is not limited to: Government Legal Department, Trade Union Representatives, Department for Transport (DfT) Voice of the Customer, DfT Group Policy, MCA managers and employees.
* Monitor and maintain up to date casework Management Information, identifying trends and risks, whilst proactively identifying solutions.
* Lead and implement relevant policy changes communicating these effectively to the business.
* Line management of an Employee Relations Advisor.
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 attached. 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
You will either be Level 5 CIPD qualified or be willing to work towards this.
Required Experience:
To be successful in this role you will need to have the following experience:
* Experience of Employee Relations casework management which may include grievances, disciplinaries, attendance management, litigation, performance or probationary issues.
* Up to date knowledge of Employment Law
* Excellent communication skills (both written and verbal)
* Excellent organisational skills with the ability to effectively manage priorities
* Ability to engage with a wide range of stakeholders including senior managers and external service providers
*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. There may be a requirement for occasional travel on official duty within the UK, which may involve overnight stays.
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.
There may be a requirement for occasional travel on official duty within the UK, which may involve overnight stays. Notice will be given prior to travel.
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 withdawn.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
* Making Effective Decisions
* Delivering at Pace
* Working Together
* Communicating and Influencing
* Managing a Quality Service
Alongside your salary of £34,233, Maritime and Coastguard Agency contributes £9,917 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 (opens in a new window).
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: Presentation and Interview
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 Word Count) And Personal Statement (750 Words). Please Provide Evidence Of Your Experience Of The Following:
* Handling multiple cases such as disciplinaries/grievances/attendances with your use of Employment law knowledge
* Effective stakeholder management including senior managers and external service providers
The sift will take place from 23/09/2025
As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a CV and personal statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
Stage 2: Interview - Presentation and Interview
At interview stage, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements:
Behaviours – Making Effective Decisions, Delivering at Pace, Working Together, Communicating & Influencing and Managing a Quality Service
You will also be required to complete a presentation which will assess the following:
* Behaviours; Communicating and Influencing and Managing a Quality Service
* Experience
Guidance will be provided if you are invited to interview.
The interviews will take place from 01/10/2025
This interview will be conducted Face to Face at our Southampton Office (Spring Place, 105 Commercial Road). 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
Feedback on your application can only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
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.
Appointments for this position will be made in order of merit. If you are successful in the selection process but there are no further available posts for the advertised role, you may be contacted to discuss an offer for a lower graded role (with similar experience and responsibility requirements).
If you are unsuccessful in the selection process, your application may be considered for a lower graded position if your demonstrated skills and experience meet the requirements of the alternative position. Candidates will be considered in order of merit.
AI Tools and Platforms
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 for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use
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
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.
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 : Becca Currie
* 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