Business Administration Officer

The role sits within Seafarer Operations, part of the UK Customer Maritime Services Directorate. Seafarer Operations centres around the Certification and Endorsement of seafarers – essentially a licence to allow them to work at sea and onboard vessels.
Working as part of the Seafarer Operations Business Unit, you will provide administrative support to the Certification Operation who provide class leading customer service alongside the assessment of applications from seafarers for marine examinations and subsequent Certificates of Competency or Endorsements.
This Certification operation is fee earning and the role will primarily centre around the reallocation and handling of payments from seafarers, marine colleges and training providers. In addition, the role provides administrative support for other processes such as financial forecasting, data processing for analysis, reconciliation and other tasks which support the day to day business activities as well as change and continual improvement projects.
You will use your excellent attention to detail to accurately handle each application ensuring a high standard of quality management whilst delivering at pace.
This is a great opportunity for someone who is looking to start their career within the MCA or the Civil Service. You don’t need any maritime experience to join us, just a dedication to provide a high-quality service to the public.
Your responsibilities include but are not limited to:
+ Data processing and collation for business administrative tasks and projects to support the wider Certification Operation.
+ Contribute to and provide support for other business administrative tasks such improvement of working practices, ensuring all work is performed in line with Business service standards. To process all accounts receivable from seafarers and companies and to ensure all monies are correctly recorded such as receipting all govpay payments, processing bank transfers, ensuring correct payments are taken.
+ To recognise income by coding-off and re-allocating the monies paid by seafarers.
+ To process refunds and deal with any over/under payments made by seafarers and companies.
+ To create and maintain seafarer accounts on our financial system.
+ Manage email inbox, process enquiries and deal with issues from seafarers, certification team, maritime colleges and shipping companies, whilst providing class leading customer service.
+ Create invoices and issue receipts as requested by seafarers and companies.
+ Update and manage Rolling Account entries and enter bank transfers and all relevant information onto the cash book.
+ Complete weekly and monthly reconciliation of cashbook ensuring all transactions are up to date and balance.
For further information about the role and responsibilities, please see the attached role profile., This role will be based in the Southampton HQ (or relevant office). MCA supports flexible working and operates a hybrid working model between home and office for this role, giving you greater flexibility over where and when you work.
The expectation is that you will spend a minimum 60% of your working time based at your principal workplace or out on official business. Details of the arrangement will be discussed further with your line manager.

Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
+ Working Together
+ Managing a Quality Service
+ Delivering at Pace
+ Developing Self and Others, It is essential when submitting your personal statement that you provide as much detail as possible, and utilise the full word count given, against the essential criteria outlined above as this will be used in conjunction with your CV to assess candidate suitability to move to the next round in the recruitment process.
Sift and Interview Dates:
The sift is due to take place 22nd October 2024.
Interviews/assessments are likely to be held w/c 4th November 2024.
This interview will be conducted face to face at one of our offices. Further details of which will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.
We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change. You will be provided with sufficient notice of the confirmed dates.
The selection process will be designed specifically for the role. As a result, your assessment will include:
+ An interview.
You’re encouraged to become familiar with the role profile, as you may be assessed against any of the criteria recorded within.
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., 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.

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.

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.

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).

Apply and further information
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.

Are you experienced in Microsoft Office applications?
Do you enjoy working with data, especially with numerical data?
Would you ensure your work is of a high-quality standard?, + Experience using Microsoft Office applications (Outlook, Word, Excel).
+ Experience working with a high level of attention to detail to ensure work is of a high-quality standard.
+ Experience working with data, especially numerical.
+ Experience providing excellent customer service via email.

If so, we are looking for a Business Administration Officer to join us at the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) and we'd love to hear from you!
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) implements the government’s maritime safety policy in the United Kingdom and works to prevent the loss of life and occurrence of pollution on the coast and at sea.
Safer lives. Safer Ships. Cleaner Seas.
Our vision is to be a world-leading organisation, accelerating the transition to sustainable shipping with non-negotiable safety standards. We put our people, our customers and our planet at the heart of everything we do.
We are committed to giving all our colleagues purpose, professionalism and pride in what we do. We work in supportive, diverse and inclusive teams.
We want everyone to feel valued and supported to achieve their potential at MCA.
This culture of inclusion is underpinned by our staff networks groups covering, Women’s, LGBTQI+, Race, Carers, Mental Wellbeing and volunteer Respect Ambassadors.

Alongside your salary of £23,847, Maritime and Coastguard Agency contributes £6,908 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. We offer generous annual leave, attractive pension options, flexible working, inclusive working environments and much more to support a healthy work/life balance.