His Majesty’s Coastguard is a Category One emergency service and the only service which operates nationally across the length and breadth of the United Kingdom. It is both a partner and service provider to the other emergency services, local authorities and UKSAR providers.
HM Coastguard is the operational arm of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency with responsibility for 6 Coastguard functions:
* Search and Rescue
* Pollution Response
* Vessel Traffic Management
* Maritime Safety
* Maritime Security
* Emergency and Disaster Management
There are four delivery disciplines within HM Coastguard Operations; Maritime, which coordinates activities from an operations room environment, Aviation which operates the Aeronautical Coordination Centre (ARRC) from an operations room environment, Coastal which provides a frontline emergency response on the coast and Counter Pollution which operates as the UK Competent Authority with specific responsibility for counter pollution preparedness and responding to at-sea pollution from shipping and offshore installations within the UK Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), and the management of the UK Government’s stockpiles of equipment and dispersant.
The Chief Coastguard has strategic operational oversight of around 500 staff and 3,500 Volunteer Coastguard Rescue Officers and manages a budget of £36M RDEL £3M CDEL.
To support operational delivery, the Chief Coastguard has operational oversight of 22 helicopters, 3 Fixed Wing Aircraft, S100 drones, 480 response vehicles, spray aircraft, counter pollution equipment.
Principle Responsibilities
* Accountable to the Director HMCG, ensure that HM Coastguard Operations delivers its UK's Coastal State responsibilities (6 Coastguard functions) and provides leadership and strategic oversight of a UK wide critical emergency service function.
* Provide strong leadership and direction across the whole of HM Coastguard Operations to ensure effective service wide performance and operational delivery.
* Setting strategic direction and priorities ensuring that operational policy development is informed by, and congruent with national and international Coastguard developments for example at the IMO.
* Provide strategic oversight and guidance to ensure effective governance, supervision and management of both Capital and Programme budgets and resources is embedded across the Coastguard service.
* Be accountable to the Director for providing strategic oversight on current Projects and through regular meetings with Programme and Project leads, ensure the successful, effective and timely delivery of projects through advanced planning and ongoing review against agreed targets.
* Represent HM Coastguard Operations at the UKSAR Strategic Board which oversees risk and Search and Rescue strategy for 30,000 volunteers.
* Act as Chair for the UKSAR Operators Group which oversees and mitigates tactical operational risk matters across UK Search and Rescue voluntary services
* Ensure that HM Coastguard Operations has suitable UK wide business continuity plans in place to ensure delivery of its statutory functions in the event of a catastrophic incident.
* Providing strategic oversight to ensure that HMCG Operations remains underpinned by effective technology and staffing structure that is both fit for purpose and capable of adapting to meet future demands.