Drydocking Manager (Ship Repair)

About the role

A client of Gatesource HR is expanding its ship-repair capabilities and is looking for an experienced Drydocking Manager in Guyana. This is a hands-on builder-operator role, not just scheduling or maintenance. The manager leads active repair projects while building the people, systems and infrastructure needed for the yard's long-term growth, adapting proven international practices to a growing operation.

Key responsibilities

• Direct the full docking cycle, from vessel-data validation and docking conferences through inspection, refloating and undocking, backed by an approved, independently checked technical package.
• Maintain safety controls for confined spaces, hot work, lifting, electrical isolation, work at height and underwater work, and exercise stop-work authority when needed.
• Turn contracted scopes into schedules, manpower plans, material requirements, subcontracting strategies, inspection plans and production targets.
• Coordinate repair work across structural steel, propulsion and machinery, piping, electrical systems, blasting and coating, outfitting, testing and commissioning.
• Control labour productivity, overtime, subcontractor performance, material usage, rework, costs and forecast margins, and manage change orders and variations.
• Support estimating, contract reviews, bids, technical proposals and client presentations.
• Assess yard capacity and workflows, then build a three-year growth roadmap covering people, systems, assets, capital investment and new repair capabilities.
• Set up systems for estimating, job costing, document control, quality records, production reporting and project closeout, and build a competency framework for supervisors, planners, engineers, inspectors and skilled trades.
• Recruit, coach and develop local staff, reduce dependency on individuals and maintain compliance with class-society rules, flag and port-state requirements, approved drawings, client specs and ISO systems.
• Strengthen preventive maintenance of drydock equipment and emergency assets, and report on safety, progress, costs, margins, quality and risks.

Required profile

• At least 12 years of progressively responsible experience in ship repair and drydocking, including five years leading a significant operational area or multiple projects.
• Substantial experience in a large, structured shipyard handling classed-vessel repairs and multiple projects.
• Demonstrated success improving safety, turnaround time, throughput, productivity, gross margin, rework, asset reliability, customer retention or workforce capability.
• Experience leading supervisors, tradespeople, engineers, planners, inspectors, subcontractors and suppliers in a safety-critical environment.
• Degree or recognized technical qualification in naval architecture, marine engineering, mechanical engineering, ship construction or a related field; strong English, digital literacy and clear reporting skills.

Preferred experience

• Formal Dockmaster or drydock-operations training.
• Background as a naval architect, marine engineer, chief engineer or master mariner with significant docking responsibility.
• IACS-class environment and ISO 9001, ISO 45001 or environmental management systems experience.
• Qualifications in project management, QHSSE, continuous improvement, commercial or asset management.
• Experience transferring systems from an established shipyard to a growing operation, preparing capital-investment plans or expansion proposals, and working with multicultural teams and vessel owners.

What we offer

• Base salary, bonus, housing allowance and flights.