Business Support Officer
| Posting date: | 26 February 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £30,485 per year |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 15 March 2026 |
| Location: | Southampton |
| Company: | Government Recruitment Service |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | 450184/1 |
Summary
Can you deliver at pace and meet tight deadlines?
Do you experience of working with senior stakeholders?
If so, we’d love to hear from you!
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) is an independent unit within the Department for Transport, dedicated to improving safety at sea. MAIB investigates marine accidents involving UK vessels worldwide and all vessels in UK territorial waters, aiming to prevent future accidents rather than assign blame or liability.
Each year, MAIB receives 1,500–1,800 accident reports, leading to around 30 detailed investigations. Based in Southampton, the branch employs 34 staff, including four specialist investigation teams supported by an administrative team.
MAIB’s responsibilities include determining accident causes, publishing safety recommendations, raising awareness of marine risks, and promoting national and international cooperation in accident investigation. Committed to excellence, MAIB strives to remain a global leader in safety investigations, uphold best practices, and ensure staff expertise through regular specialist training.
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 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 DFT.
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) in Southampton investigates marine accidents to improve safety at sea. This key role supports the Branch’s business operations, acting as Local Information Manager and ensuring best practice in information management. You will handle Freedom of Information, Subject Access and other information requests. Working in a fast‑paced operational environment, you’ll face daily challenges and play a vital part in keeping the organisation running smoothly. Excellent organisational skills and the ability to manage workflow are essential.
Your responsibilities will include, but aren’t limited to:
- The postholder will act as the focal point for all requests received into the Branch. They will be responsible for updating the relevant record management system (Respond) with information and drafting the responses. They will have a good working knowledge of the Freedom of Information Act or a willingness to learn and develop that knowledge. They will work closely with all sections in the Branch to provide answers within the 20 working days of receipt of requests. This will require regular senior stakeholder management.
- Attend FOI Departmental training and forums and disseminate notes to the wider Business Support team as required.
- Providing guidance on Information management best practice.
- Carrying out oversight of paper/digital folders to ensure appropriate retention and IM policy is being applied.
- Manage the Business Support Outlook calendars, mailboxes, and appointments.
- Proactively managing the Chief Inspector’s and Deputy Chief Inspector’s inboxes ensuring deadlines are met by actioning, delegating, or flagging items as appropriate.
- Ensure the effective organisation of meetings for the Branch, including setting up suitable dates, room bookings, forward planning agendas, coordinating and circulating papers, minute taking, following up actions, keeping updated action logs, as required and the regular reporting of management information.
- Assist the finance manager when required and provide finance support for any period of leave.
- Managing the recommendations administrative workflow and ensure that any outstanding, impending, or completed targets are flagged to the appropriate (internal and external) stakeholders to action.
For further information on the role, please read the role profile. 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.
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