Regional Resilience Coxswain/Mechanic

About us

Our purpose is simple: to save lives at sea. 24 hours a day, every day, RNLI lifesavers are ready to launch to the rescue.

We’re looking for a Regional Resilience Coxswain/Mechanic to join our lifesaving Operations team based in Shetland. The role may occasionally take you to provide cover at our Orkney or Caithness lifeboat stations – and at a stretch, other Scottish lifeboat stations – and conduct passages of lifeboats around the UK and Ireland coast.

The role will primarily provide 24-hour cover support for our existing full time lifeboat crew to take rest periods and annual leave keeping the lifeboats on service. This will involve you staying at or near the station to respond to a pager launch request. The role will also provide cover support for periods of sickness or other station cover gaps.

Some of the benefits

• Flexible working
• 26 days’ annual leave plus Bank Holidays
• Outstanding pension scheme (contributions of up to 16% of basic salary)
• Life assurance
• Health and dental cashplan

Your role

As a Regional Resilience Coxswain/Mechanic, you will:

• Become competent to carry out Coxswain and Afloat Mechanic duties as required at lifeboat stations during periods of relief cover
• Inspire and motivate the teams; managing their progress by leading them on seagoing exercises, conducting shore-based training, identifying ways they can improve and imparting your valuable knowledge
• Ensure the lifeboats and equipment are maintained and ready for service 24/7 when providing cover
• Be responsible for the management and welfare of the station volunteers when providing cover
• Meeting and talking to the general public about the RNLI
• Taking a lead on Safety, Health and Environment issues, helping to develop a positive culture within the stations
• Spending time in the day to day running of the Lifeboat Station; this may be in the form of answering e-mails, ensuring maintenance records are maintained or updating the station’s monthly assurance report

About You

To be considered as the Regional Resilience Coxswain/Mechanic, you will need:

• Demonstrable leadership experience in an operational role
• Excellent communication and operational leadership skills
• Have thorough Maritime knowledge and the ability to command and lead a team
• Be able to safely handle/operate boats up to 20 metres in length in a variety of conditions
• Knowledge of RNLI/SAR and lifeboat operations
• Have had experience working within assurance and audit systems
• Have a sound knowledge of Health, Safety and Environmental considerations within the workplace
• Essential to live within Shetland. Consideration will be given to Orkney or Caithness residents

It is preferred that the successful candidate will already be competent and passed out as a lifeboat Coxswain, Mechanic or Helm, however training can be given to those with other relevant experience.

Working for the RNLI will present you with opportunities to become involved in a variety of projects. There will be training opportunities to develop your training delivery, health and safety, maritime and technical skills.

As this is a sea-going appointment, you will need to satisfy the Institution’s medical and eyesight standards.

So, if you are ready for your next exciting challenge as our Resilience Coxswain Mechanic, and if you consider yourself to be someone who is a natural leader, who can inspire and motivate a team of dedicated people, please apply via the link below.

Closing date: 17 March 2025.

The RNLI is committed to safeguarding; protecting a person’s health, wellbeing, and human rights, enabling them to live free from harm, abuse, and neglect. We expect all employees and volunteers to share this commitment and have a zero-tolerance approach. The suitability of all prospective employees and volunteers will be assessed during the recruitment process in line with this commitment. This will include relevant criminal record checks being carried out dependent on the eligibility of the role. (England & Wales; DBS check, Scotland; Disclosure Scotland PVG, Northern Ireland; Access NI, Republic of Ireland; Garda Vetting; International, International Child Protection Certificate process).

Our staff and volunteers have been saving lives at sea without prejudice for 200 years. We respect and value diversity of background, skills and perspectives within our teams, and consider it essential to help us deliver a world-class lifesaving service. We are an inclusive organisation and welcome applications from everyone. In addition to having the skills needed for the role, we also look for applicants who share our commitment to living our RNLI values (trustworthy, courageous, selfless, and dependable), and helping us work towards Our Vision: To save Every One.