Marine Personnel Lead

Reporting structure

Reports To (Solid): Marine Personnel Manager

Direct Reports:

• Marine Personnel Officer
• Marine Personnel Administrator

Job Summary and Purpose

Oversee the day-to-day delivery of marine personnel services for the assigned fleet, ensuring the effective implementation of crewing processes, marine personnel policies, and regulatory requirements. The role acts as a key liaison between the Company and seafarers, providing operational support, guidance on employment-related matters, and ensuring the availability of qualified, compliant, and suitably deployed marine personnel to meet business and operational requirements.

Accountabilities

• Support the Marine Personnel Manager in managing complex departmental activities, including cross functional collaboration with senior stakeholders on rewards and compensation processes, feasibility studies, projects’ implementation, automation initiatives, procurement activities, etc. as required.
• Support the Marine Personnel Manager in developing, maintaining, and implementing marine personnel policies and documentation, including the Marine Personnel Manual, Seafarer Employment Agreements, and Memorandum of Agreement supplementary to the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
• Prepare and deliver detailed management reports including departmental budget, technical submissions, and tender documentation, ensuring accuracy, regulatory alignment, and strategic clarity.
• Handle National Seafarers related matters, working closely with HR to provide structured feedback, support career development pathways, and contribute to succession planning for Qatari officers and cadets.
• Liaise with Learning and Development to support the training and development of Qatari National cadets and officers, contributing to nationalization objectives and long-term workforce sustainability.
• Stay informed of seafarers competency gaps, development needs, and training requirements identified through structured seafarer debriefs and other assessment mechanisms.
• Provide expert guidance to team, vessels, seafarers, junior team members, and vessel management on policy interpretation and application, certification requirements, contract and employment related matters, ensuring compliance with international maritime conventions including STCW and MLC and Nakilat internal governance frameworks.
• Oversee day-to-day crewing activities including embarkation and disembarkation planning, documentation control, certification verification, and administration of seafarer employment contracts, ensuring compliance with company policies and international maritime regulations.
• Ensure accurate and up to date marine personnel records, databases, and crew documentation, crew certification validity and compliance status, are being maintained ensuring, audit readiness and regulatory compliance.
• Ensure travel arrangements for crew, including flight bookings, logistics coordination, and documentation, and communication with third party vendors in a timely and compliant manner for efficient and economical crew movements.
• Analyze and regulate manning statistics to identify current and future manpower gaps and coordinate closely with recruitment to ensure timely sourcing and deployment of high-quality seafarers.
• Undertaking disciplinary and corrective actions where required, ensuring fairness, consistency, and compliance with company policy and applicable regulations.
• In coordination with the Marine Personnel Training & Career Development, remain informed of and support activities related to the development of the annual training budget (as required), monitoring expenditure against approved OPEX
• Review and approve payroll, invoices, and related financial workflows, including TOFA processes, in accordance with delegated authority and internal controls.
• Conduct ship visits in line with the annual inspection program, engage directly with shipboard personnel, and prepare comprehensive reports capturing findings, risks, and improvement actions.
• Participate in SHEQ administered Safety Management System processes, including management of change activities, and monitor the implementation of amendments affecting the Marine Personnel Department.
• Engage with international industry bodies and organizations to profile the company at international level and stay in step with the seafaring market issues and updates.

Qualifications, Experience and Job Skills

Education & Qualifications

• Bachelor degree in Business Administration/Human Resources or any other related field

Experience

• 6 to 8 years’ experience in the marine industry in a similar role in marine personnel function

Job-Specific (Technical) Skills

• Strong and comprehensive understanding of the global marine industry and the extensive regulatory framework governing seafarer employment, including contractual, welfare, certification, and compliance obligations.
• Extensive knowledge and hands on experience in managing international marine personnel and crewing operations within a high demand, safety critical, and operationally complex environment.
• Expert level knowledge of international maritime conventions, in particular STCW and MLC, with the ability to interpret, apply, and enforce requirements across fleet operations and shore-based processes.
• Demonstrated ability to translate regulatory and policy requirements into practical, compliant, and efficient crewing solutions aligned with business and operational needs.
• Proven capability to operate effectively at senior management level, engaging with multiple stakeholders, managing competing priorities, and delivering outcomes under time pressure.
• Strong analytical and reporting skills, with the ability to prepare detailed management reports, policy documentation, tender submissions, and technical papers for senior and executive level reviews.
• High level judgment and decision-making capability in handling sensitive personnel matters, disciplinary actions, and regulatory risk exposure.