Certification Officer

Job Title: Certification Officer (Temporary Contract)
Location: Southampton (On-site)
Hours: Full-time, 37 hours per week (Monday to Friday)
Contract: Temporary until end of June 2023 (with potential extension)
Working Pattern: 7.4 hours per day, start time between 8:00am-9:00am (dependent on business needs)

About the Role

Brook Street is currently recruiting for a Certification Officer to join a Civil Service client based in Southampton. This is an excellent opportunity for someone looking to begin a career within the Civil Service, particularly if you have strong organisational skills, attention to detail, and an interest in the maritime sector.

The role sits within the Seafarer Services branch, which is responsible for the certification of seafarers-essentially providing the licences required to work at sea. You will play a key role in assessing applications and ensuring all certifications meet regulatory standards, while delivering a high level of customer service.

No prior maritime experience is required, as full training will be provided.

Key Responsibilities

• Review and assess physical and digital documentation submitted by seafarers, ensuring eligibility against regulatory criteria and service level agreements
• Process applications for examinations, requesting further information where necessary
• Assess and issue Certificates of Competency and Flag State Endorsements to eligible applicants
• Communicate with applicants via email to request additional information or explain unsuccessful applications
• Handle telephone and email enquiries from seafarers, maritime colleges, and shipping companies
• Maintain accurate records by processing incoming mail and updating tracking systems, databases, and spreadsheets
• Support administrative tasks, including branch projects, customer service initiatives, and process improvements
• Deliver a high standard of customer service at all times

About You

• Highly motivated, enthusiastic, and eager to learn with a flexible approach to work
• Strong attention to detail with experience handling data accurately
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, particularly Outlook and Excel
• Experience communicating with customers or stakeholders via phone and email
• Excellent organisational and time management skills, with the ability to prioritise workloads and meet deadlines
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Able to present information clearly, confidently, and professionally

This is a fantastic opportunity to gain valuable experience within a Civil Service environment while developing administrative and customer service skills in a unique and important sector.

Brook Street is proud to support the Armed Forces Covenant and as such, we guarantee to interview all candidates who are veterans or spouses/partners of military personnel, and who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy.

As a Disability Confident Leader, and holder of the Gold Award status from the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme, Brook Street, as a supplier to the Public Sector Resourcing Framework (PSR), will offer you a guaranteed interview with a PSR Sourcer.

Should you identify as a candidate with a disability and/or as a veteran or spouse/partner of military personnel and meet all the essential criteria for the role, we encourage you to reach out to us via the Brook Street website. Here you will find a link to register your interest and state the role that you are interested in. We are committed to engaging with you.

In cases where we have a high volume of ex-military candidates/military spouses/partners, who meet all of the essential criteria, Brook Street will interview the best candidates from within that group.