Senior Coastal Operations Officers

Senior coastal operations officers are responsible for leading, training, and managing a number of coastguard rescue teams as well as providing response to incidents along the coast.

As a senior coastal operations officer, you will help to make a real difference and will provide critical support in the response to emergencies around the coast.

Responsibilities of a senior coastal operations officer:

Providing an on-scene response to incidents and leading on the direction of assets.
Operational liaison with other agencies, such as the police and ambulance service.
Recruitment and technical training of volunteer coastguard rescue officers.
Supervision and management of vehicles and estate.
Inspection of operational equipment.
Ensuring compliance with policy across teams.

A male senior coastal operations officer stands in blue overalls. Beside them are coastguard rescue officers dressed in high-visibility jackets.

A senior coastal operations officer stands facing away from the camera. In the distance, there are coastguards performing a mud rescue.

Core skills

Communication

Representing HM Coastguard at an operational level, this job involves liaison with other agencies, as well as members of public. You will need to keep them calm to find out the right information.

Leadership

As a senior coastal operations officer you will manage a number of teams and act as on-scene leadership in the response to incidents.

Resilience

This can be a very difficult job which involves an on-call element where you are deployed to emergencies at any time. You may be involved in the response to incidents that don't always end well, but could include keeping people in serious distress calm or incidents that end in fatalities.

Attention to detail

You will be responsible for ensuring teams remain operationally ready, including following health and safety policies and maintaining equipment inspection regimes.

We will advertise any vacancies for senior coastal operations officers on Civil Service Jobs. We therefore advise checking on there regularly for any opportunities.

Fran Wilkins
Senior Coastal Operations Officer
16 years of service

Hear from one of our senior coastal operations officers

What made you join HM Coastguard?
I joined a lifeboat crew in my hometown when I was 17 and my dad’s a commercial fisherman, we’ve always lived in a seaside town and the sea has always been a part of my life. I did a nautical studies GCSE and that’s what really got me interested in all that’s possible in the Coastguard.
What safety advice would you give to anyone visiting the coast?
Be appreciative that it’s quite a hazardous environment if you take it for granted, so be cautious in where you go and what you do. Always check the weather, check the tide times and make sure you understand tide times too!
Jake Barker
Senior Coastal Operations Officer
1 year of service

Hear from one of our senior coastal operations officers

How did you start your career with HM Coastguard?
After some time in the military and private sector I was looking for a new career in the civil service. When I came across the SCOO job advert I cancelled all my other applications. I'm still undergoing training but everyday is different with some interesting challenges.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
I wake up excited about going to work (seriously). I'm doing something different everyday, learning everyday, meeting different and really interesting people everyday.

Senior coastal operations officers