UK Ministry of Defence
Navy Command, Defence Marine Services, Moorings and Markers Officer (MSO2)
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HM Naval Base Portsmouth, Naval Base Headquarters, Portsmouth, PO1 3LS
Job Summary
At Navy Command, we lead, support, and sustain the Royal Navy across every theatre of operations. We coordinate the people, platforms, and missions that keep the Fleet ready for today’s challenges and tomorrow’s opportunities. Together, we uphold centuries of naval tradition while driving innovation that ensures the Royal Navy’s readiness to protect our nation and secure our future.
As the authority responsible for generating the Royal Navy’s operational capability, Director Force Generation ensures ships, submarines, aviation, commando forces, and supporting elements achieve the required levels of readiness. By balancing capability, risk, and operational demand, the directorate provides assured force output and acts as the Fleet’s scheduling authority, ensuring the Royal Navy can deliver whenever and wherever required.
You'll be based at HMNB Portsmouth, one of the oldest and busiest naval bases in the world. It is home to the Royal Navy’s aircraft carriers (HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales) alongside destroyers, frigates, and specialist squadrons. As a vibrant hub of maritime power and innovation, Portsmouth sustains the Fleet and supports thousands of personnel.
This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.
Job Description
Are you seeking a new opportunity to advance your career while making a real difference? At Navy Command, we recognise and value your abilities and potential. Join us in a role where you’ll lead, inspire, and contribute to the delivery of the UK’s most diverse and advanced maritime assets. Together, we’ll ensure the Royal Navy continues to protect our nation and shape the future of global defence.
We are seeking an experienced maritime professional to assist in the management of a complex moorings and afloat navigation markers maintenance and replacement contract within Defence Marine Services (DMS). This contract oversees the maintenance of approximately 300 MOD moorings, navigation markers and targets across the UK, Gibraltar and Cyprus, and is responsible for supporting the implementation of a Moorings Replacement Programme.
Marine Services Officers must hold specific maritime qualifications, detailed under ‘Essential Qualifications’. Evidence of these qualifications will be required at the interview stage.
We value flexible ways of working. This role requires regular onsite attendance (around 60% of the working week) to benefit from face-to-face collaboration, while offering flexibility of hours to support work life balance and business needs. During the initial period, you may be asked to attend more frequently to get familiar with the site, team, and responsibilities.
If you need to contact Defence Business Services (DBS) regarding this vacancy, please indicate that your vacancy is being handled by Resourcing Team 1. If you experience any technical difficulties with the CS Jobs system, please contact the Support Team at candidate@support.oleeo.com
Person specification
As a Marine Services Officer 2, you will support the Moorings and Markers Manager in delivering Contract 3, which provides the supply and maintenance of Authority Moorings, Markers, and Targets on behalf of the Ministry of Defence. This contract manages approximately 304 MOD moorings, navigation buoys, and target buoys across the UK, Gibraltar, Cyprus, and the Falkland and Ascension Islands.
Key Responsibilities
- Contract Management: Monitor and assess contractor performance against requirements and schedules; manage relationships with contractors and subcontractors; chair and attend contractual meetings; oversee MOD fuel usage; raise requests for contract actions ensuring value for money.
- Safety and Compliance: Act as MOD representative for moorings and navigation marks in line with safety and environmental management plans; ensure compliance with diving regulations; review vessel diving project plans with qualified personnel; participate in relevant safety forums.
- Assurance and Standards: Manage mooring standards and relevant statutory assurances including flag, class, and safety codes; oversee product supply chain and government equipment related to moorings.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Serve as MOD point of contact for customers and internal MOD departments; liaise with third parties including design authorities, classification societies, and maritime organisations; coordinate additional mooring requirements.
- Operational Support: Respond to buoy checks and operational enquiries; rationalise mooring inventories; support projects as subject matter expert; assist delivery teams as required; contribute to risk management, project management, and business planning; represent DMS in trials for new or modified mooring capabilities.
- Moorings Maintenance: Oversee annual maintenance programmes including planning, customer and contractor liaison; assist in identifying and planning new mooring requirements throughout their lifecycle.
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To be successful with your application, you will need to show that you meet the following essential criteria:
- Understand the importance of different styles and methods of communicating and adapting to meet the needs and influence a diverse stakeholder group;
- Work across team boundaries and organisations.
Licences
- Full UK Driving Licence and Passport
Applicants must provide proof of qualifications during the application process. All qualifications/licences must be valid at the time of application.
Additionally, candidates must demonstrate experience in one or more areas of the marine industry, such as maritime design, construction, survey, operations, or administration.
Qualifications
On entry, maritime professional staff joining as Marine Services Officer (MSO2) must have one of the following qualifications:
- MCA Recognised STCW II/1 OOW Unlimited Certificate of Competency;
- MCA Recognised STCW III/1 EOOW Unlimited Certificate of Competency;
- RN Ship Command Qualifications or Engineering equivalent;
- Foundation degree/HND or higher in Naval Architecture, Marine Engineering, Marine Technology or Port Operations.
Applicants must provide proof of qualifications during the application process. All qualifications/licences must be valid at the time of application.
Additionally, candidates must demonstrate experience in one or more areas of the marine industry, such as maritime design, construction, survey, operations, or administration.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Communicating and Influencing
- Working Together
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- IC2 - Specialist Knowledge - Awareness
- IC3 - Safety and Environmental Management - Awareness
Alongside your salary of £55,030, Ministry of Defence contributes £15,942 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).
Discover My Benefits
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Please follow the link to visit the Discover My Benefits site which showcases the benefits and discounts offered when working as a civilian for the MOD:
https://discovermybenefits.mod.gov.uk/civilian/
- 25 days paid annual leave rising (1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of 5 years’ service
- Market-leading employer pension contribution of 28.97%
- Personal & professional development
- Alternative working patterns for many roles
- Access to a confidential, professional support service
- Discount schemes
- Bicycle / season-ticket loans
- Enhanced maternity, paternity, and adoption leave
- Special paid leave to volunteer (up to 6 days a year)
Our headquarters in Portsmouth offers an impressive range of on-site facilities including a gymnasium, tennis courts, and other sporting facilities, a children’s nursery, a bistro restaurant, a shop and plenty of car parking spaces.
In Navy Command we believe that everyone has the potential to make a difference and you’ll be supported through your learning journey and your career. This can include working towards membership of a professional body and/or undertaking an apprenticeship as part of your role.
You’ll have access to a variety of qualifications pathways ranging from GCSE/A-Level equivalent all the way up to master’s degree, depending on your role, your previous skills and your experience. Some qualifications even include “on-the-job” training which means minimal disruption to your working day but maximum impact.
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, Experience and Technical skills.
As part of Defence Reform, Navy Command continues to review and evolve its Target Operating Model to support more agile ways of working. In this context, the role and responsibilities of this role may develop over time to reflect changing business priorities and opportunities.
At Sift You Will Be Assessed Against
- CV: to include job history, qualification details and previous skills highlighting experience and working knowledge of the Maritime Intelligent Customer Competency framework.
- Personal Statement: this should be a maximum of 500 words, that sets out your motivation for applying and shows how your skills and experience meet the essential requirements for the role.
- Behaviours
- Communicating and Influencing
- Working together
- Technical Skills: (as per Maritime Competency Framework)
- IC2 - Specialist Knowledge - Awareness
- IC3 - Safety and Environmental Management - Awareness
At interview you will be assessed against the Behaviours and Technical Skills listed above as well as your experience against the essential criteria listed in the Person Specification.
You should be prepared to discuss examples from your work history that demonstrate how you meet these requirements.
In the event of a high volume of
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