Manager - Technical & Marine

Job title: Manager - Technical & Marine

Department: Technical

Grade Band: Management

Reporting to: Global CEO

Direct reports: NIL

Location: Chennai

Job purpose:

The Manager - Technical & Marine oversees the safe, efficient, and compliant technical and marine operations of the company's managed fleet. This includes leading a team of Technical Superintendents, Marine Superintendents, and support personnel to ensure vessel availability, operational excellence, safety, environmental compliance, and cost optimization. The role requires a strategic mindset with deep technical and marine knowledge, excellent leadership, and regulatory expertise.

Main tasks and responsibilities

Fleet Technical Management

• Oversee the day-to-day performance of the assigned fleet, ensuring optimal vessel availability, minimal downtime, and timely maintenance.
• Approve and monitor dry-docking schedules, budgets, and execution.
• Review vessel performance reports and initiate corrective/preventive actions where required.
• Ensure that all technical operations comply with Flag State, Classification Society, and international maritime standards.
• Coordinate vessel maintenance, repairs and inspections.
• Oversee vessel retrofitting and technological upgrades.
• Strategically plan for fleet expansion and vessel upgrades
• Establish and monitor KPIs for Fleet Operations
• Prepare reports for Senior Management
• Analyse data to identify areas for improvement
• Lead and participate in process improvement initiatives
• Stay informed about Industry trends and technological advancements

Marine Operations Oversight

• Ensure high navigational standards, cargo operation safety, and marine compliance across the fleet.
• Guide and monitor Marine Superintendents to ensure marine visits, inspections, and audits are conducted as per plan.
• Ensure compliance with Maritime Regulations and Industry Standards
• Maintain oversight of port state control inspections, vetting performance, and third-party audits.

Budget and Cost Control

• Develop and manage annual OPEX and CAPEX budgets for the fleet.
• Control technical and marine expenditure and identify areas for cost optimization without compromising safety or performance.
• Identify and implement cost saving measures

People Management

• Lead and mentor a multidisciplinary team of Marine and Technical Leads and superintendents and coordinators.
• Participate in recruitment, training, appraisals, and development of shore-based and sea staff.
• Promote a strong safety and quality culture across the fleet and teams.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Act as the senior point of contact for owners, charterers, and regulatory authorities.
• Ensure effective client communication and satisfaction with fleet performance.
• Address and resolve fleet-related issues and disputes

Regulatory Compliance and Audits

• Ensure compliance with ISM, ISPS, MLC, ISO standards, and internal policies.
• Prepare for and lead audits and inspections by regulatory bodies and oil majors.

Incident Response and Risk Management

• Lead root cause analysis and investigations of major incidents and near misses.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):

Budgetary Compliance - Fleet OPEX: 10% variance from annual budget. Weightage:10%

Fleet Technical Availability: 98% vessel availability. Weightage: 20%

Dry Docking Budget Compliance: 5% deviation from approved dry-docking budget. Weightage: 15%

Third-party Inspection Performance (e.g., vetting, PSC): 90% inspections cleared without major deficiencies. Weightage: 15%

Marine Visit & Internal Audit Completion Rate: 95% of scheduled visits/audits completed on time. Weightage: 10%

Compliance with Company's Safety Management System (SMS): 100% implementation and audit closure rate. Weightage: 10%

Key interactions (Internal External)

External: vessel Owners Port State Control (PSC), Flag Administrations Drydock Facilities, OEM Suppliers Insurers, Agents

Internal: GCEO HR & Admin Technical Superintendents Procurement / Supply Chain Compliance Finance

Education requirements

Master Mariner Foreign Going (Class 1 Certificate of Competency)

MBA or equivalent preferred

Language requirements

English

Background and experience

• Minimum 15 years of experience in the maritime industry, with at least 5 years in a Senior Management position.
• Prior sailing experience as Master on ocean-going vessels.
• Strong knowledge of Tanker, Dry bulk and Container vessel operations.
• Strong knowledge of Maritime Regulations and Safety Standards
• Exceptional Leadership and Team Management skills
• Excellent communication and negotiation abilities
• Proven experience in handling dry-docking, class surveys, and technical budgeting.
• Strong working knowledge of ISM Code, vessel inspections, and regulatory compliance.
• Familiar with planned maintenance systems (PMS) and ERP/technical fleet systems.
• Seagoing experience in a command position of not less than 5 years
• Advanced training on management systems and management system internal auditing
• A wide knowledge of international rules & regulations and of industry guidelines and practices
• Training, experience and skills in incident investigation
• Training, experience and skills in risk management
• Good leadership, managerial and communication skills as well the ability to work within a team
• A willingness to learn and adopt new systems and ideas
• Excellent command of the English language.

Competencies and skills

Core Competencies (Grade G - Management Level)

Integrity & Accountability: Takes ownership of outcomes and supports team members in upholding ethical standards; addresses issues of non-compliance proactively

Customer Focus: Builds strong relationships with internal and external customers; adjusts processes or actions based on customer feedback and expectations

Continuous Learning: Seeks feedback and applies learnings to improve performance; encourages a mindset of improvement within the team

Agility: Adapts plans quickly to address operational challenges; helps team remain flexible during changes or unexpected issues

Collaboration & Communication: Encourages input from all stakeholders; clearly communicates expectations and updates across departments and shifts

Leadership Competencies (Grade G - Management Level)

Leading by Example: Demonstrates consistency in behaviors, follows through on commitments, and fosters accountability within the team

Team Empowerment: Provides autonomy and support to others to take initiative in improving operations; promotes ownership and skill development within the team

Strategic Thinking: Connects day-to-day operational decisions with broader business goals; helps the team understand how their work supports the organization's strategy

Emotional Intelligence: Adapts leadership style to team and situation needs; manages stress, models empathy, and builds a respectful work environment

Operational Excellence: Applies structured methods to optimise workflows and deliver service efficiency; ensures high standards in port and vessel performance

Functional Competencies (Grade G - Management Level)

Fleet Technical Management: Deep understanding of vessel machinery, systems, and operational reliability

Maintenance & Repair Oversight: Ability to plan, manage, and monitor maintenance plans and shipyard projects.

Safety, Compliance & Incident Management: Expertise in maritime HSEQ standards and incident handling.

Vetting, Audits, and Regulatory Liaison: Oversees preparations for port state inspections, audits, and vetting.