Marmion
Head of Ship Chartering
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Location: Remote role, UK based candidates are preferred, Northern European candidates will be considered.
Compensation: Competitive Salary and Benefits Package (to be discussed during first contact). BUPA private healthcare, annual incentive bonus scheme, DCAS car allowance.
Role Overview: New & exciting role within a privately owned, well-established & growing business. Rare opportunity to build & lead a department. Highly influential position with professional development & progression.
Travel: Regular travel throughout the UK and Northern Europe
Key Responsibilities:
Establish, Launch & Lead the Chartering Department:
- Design, launch and implement the company's short sea dry cargo chartering strategy, establishing the foundations for a sustainable and profitable business unit.
- Develop the chartering department's operational framework, including processes, governance, reporting structures, and KPIs.
- Develop departmental budgets, business plans and revenue forecasts, providing regular updates to senior management on performance against strategic objectives.
- Lead the day-to-day chartering desk and set its commercial strategy, priorities and growth plan.
- Recruit, lead, coach and develop a small team, setting clear expectations and fostering a collaborative, accountable culture.
Commercial Growth & Negotiations:
- Source cargoes and suitable tonnage across short sea dry bulk trades in Northern Europe.
- Negotiate and conclude voyage and time charter fixtures on commercially advantageous terms.
- Build and maintain trusted relationships with shipowners, charterers, brokers and other market counterparties.
- Identify new customers, trade lanes and market opportunities, converting them into sustainable and profitable business.
- Represent the business at customer meetings, negotiations and relevant industry events across the UK and Northern Europe.
- Monitor freight markets, vessel availability, cargo flows and relevant commercial developments to support timely decisions.
- Prepare and review voyage estimates, commercial proposals and fixture economics.
- Manage charter-party negotiations and ensure agreed terms protect the company’s commercial interests.
- Work closely with operations, finance and other internal teams to support effective post-fixture execution and issue resolution.
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Strategic Management & Commercial Ownership:
- Own the department’s profit and loss performance, budgets, forecasts and management reporting.
- Provide regular updates and recommendations to senior leadership regarding departmental performance and future growth opportunities.
- Maintain high standards of commercial governance, risk management, record keeping and regulatory compliance.
Experience & Qualifications:
- Demonstrable experience in short sea dry cargo chartering is essential, as a chartering broker, owners’ broker, operator or in a comparable commercial shipping role.
- Strong knowledge of Northern European dry bulk trades, market dynamics, charter-party terms and voyage economics.
- Demonstrable track record of negotiating and concluding profitable fixtures.
- Established network of relevant shipowners, charterers and brokers; a transferable portfolio of business would be advantageous.
- Previous experience managing a chartering operation or clear readiness and ambition to step into a leadership role.
- Experience of leading, motivating and developing a team.
- Proven ability to manage a profitable departmental profit and loss account.
- Strong IT proficiency, including confidence with chartering systems, market data tools and Microsoft Office applications.
- A relevant maritime, shipping, business or commercial qualification is desirable but not essential where equivalent experience can be demonstrated.
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Skills & Attributes:
- Commercially astute, entrepreneurial and results focused.
- Excellent negotiator with sound judgement and a disciplined approach to risk.
- Confident communicator and relationship builder at all levels.
- Self-starting, resilient and capable of building a department patiently and sustainably.
- Strong networker with the credibility to represent the business externally.
- Organised, analytical and comfortable operating in a fast-moving market.
- Flexible approach to working hours in line with market and customer demands.
If you feel you are suitable, please apply today by submitting your CV.
For more on Marmion, check out our 5★ reviews on Trustpilot & Google.
Thank you for your interest. We carefully review every CV and will contact shortlisted applicants by phone or email. If you don't hear from us within 5 working days, unfortunately your application hasn't been successful on this occasion.
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