Operations Manager

Who are Inchcape?

At Inchcape Shipping Services, our vision is to create a connected world where customers can trade successfully and make informed decisions in every port, everywhere. We achieve this by combining our worldwide infrastructure with local expertise, through our global network of more than 250 proprietary offices and a team of over 3,000 dedicated professionals. Our diverse customer base includes owners and charterers in the oil, cruise, container, and bulk commodity sectors, as well as naval, government, and intergovernmental organisations.

Job Purpose:

Purpose

This role is primarily to manage Port agency operations and achieving Revenue and EBITDA budget targets for East coast ports under her / his area of operations.

Scope of Role

• Responsible for Vessel and Husbandry operations in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal, Pondicherry, and Andaman & Nicobar Island ports henceforth called “ECI Ports”
• Responsible for achieving budget allocated to ECI ports / offices.
• Responsible to work with port teams and commercial team (India and globally) to ensure that target list of possible customers is made and approached to get new business. Also responsible to ensure that the good relationship is maintained with all existing customers.
• Coordination of all vessel’s operation & crew logistics at all ECI ports. Assist where necessary with Hapag Lloyd liner husbandry functions. Oversight of monthly KPI reports and weekly intelligence reports to submit to Intelligence team and Country Manager – India.
• Supervision and guidance of junior staff and training them in the Inchcape way.
• Ensuring all QMS & QHSSE standards are being followed in the execution of all operational activities, Attend QHSSE Coordination Committee meetings and contribute significantly.
• Jointly with the location teams regularly update the relevant QHSSE documents and save on location Marine Shared folders.
• Utilise OneDA system and Optic as per Standard Operating Procedures
• Complete all LMS Training (including Mandatory training) on timely basis.
• All Open Jobs / CAR’s for locations to be promptly closed
• Vendor management to be overseen and handled properly.
• Develop and maintain a good relationship with Senior Port / Customs / Immigration Officials.
• Responsibility of achieving Budget

The role is responsible to ensure that the allocated Budget for ECI ports is achieved. She / He will be expected to take leadership in this regards and ensuring proper communication is maintained between ISS staff in ports, ISS commercial team members and customers for achieving this goal. He will also be expected to visit customers, along with commercial team members, for generating revenue.

Co-ordination, Supervision and Monitoring:

Supervision and monitoring all Operation and Documentation activities on day-to-day basis and to ensure all processes are carried out in a timely and professional manner based on the Company’s objectives, overseeing all documentations and assignments and to ensure appropriate documentations / clearances are done.

• Formulate guidelines to implement right shipping practices & procedures for the team and align local SOP as needed.
• Ensure compliance to customs regulation & tariff for import / export and marine/cruise statutory tariff.
• Oversee submission of shipping documents to port & customs, payment of Light dues.
• Ensure LPA’s adherence to principal’s procedure.
• Follow-up for invoices from Port and local vendors so as to avoid delays in closing appointment.
• Check Invoices received / log and update POP system and upload to the POP jobs
• Monitor activities and make changes where necessary which will add value.
• Evaluate information /results and choose the best solution to solve problems.
• Monitor Documentation agent’s performance Marine Operations:
• Discuss important matters that come up in berthing meetings with Port LPA’s for ECI.
• Oversee declaration of all vessels and advance planning for berthing and requested service.
• Oversee communications with all concerned parties, including Terminal/ Shippers and Receivers.
• Oversee communications with Master/ Principals on Pre- arrival requirements
• Vessel inward outward clearance oversight.
• Oversee crew logistics arrangements and take corrective actions where necessary.
• Oversee vessel requirements, delivery of spares, repairs, supply, medical assistance, survey
• Supervising vessel operations and providing additional support to the WCI team as needed.
• Oversee and ensure that Vessel /owners updated on local procedures prior arrival.
• Coordinating with the principles for DA Queries and with DAC team when required.
• Keeping self-abreast of all WCI procedures and developments.
• Ensuring prefund against PDA prior vessel arrival for SPOT calls and from HUB customers/principals as and when required.
• India East coast must be 100% QHSSE compliant and ready at any given time. All CAR’s (audit / customer escalations, including old open CAR and OFI’s) needs to be closed within 10 days of CAR being raised. Maintain performance dash boards for your coast locations.
• All appointments (including CLS & HUB) opened in POP & Optic must be updated by LPA with ATA and Vessel E-Mail within 24hrs of berthing. Subsequently ATS to be updated. This is to be enforced strictly and oversight maintained by you.
• ATA /ATS & Vessel Email Address to be updated in Pop System with 24hrs of berthing.
• Oversight on obtaining Income Tax Clearances/ filing returns for Marine.
• Complete Freight tax documentation jobs know how until Final tax payment.
• All advance fund request for port charges or vendors should indicate the estimated revenue to be generated. This role is to ensure these are done properly and reflect the correct line items.
• Oversight that all appointments to be closed to CE with 48 hours of ATS, and DA to be closed within 20 days of ATS. Follow-up for outstanding for locations.
• Oversee that Trade notices / Circulars & Tariff changes from Port, Customs, DG Shipping, Immigration must be stored on the location common drive and on Location Q-share point. Escalate any matters of concern to the Country Manager.

Debt Control:

Follow up and monitor the disbursement accounts turnaround and debt collection with the purpose of maintaining a low average of debtors and credit periods within company set guidelines

Safety, Quality and Environment:

Ensure strict compliance to all relevant safety, quality, and environmental procedures in accordance with ISS Quality Management System and ISS Health and Safety Environment policies and procedures to deliver highest quality services to the customers.

Customer Service Excellence:

Identify, understand, and meet internal customer needs by demonstrating high level of commitment and applying maximum efforts to achieve results to the highest quality standards thus maintaining and exceeding customer satisfaction. Applying promptly corrective actions to the service failures and ensuring that they do not reoccur in the future.

Data Integrity and Quality:

Supervising the integrity, accuracy and timely updates and application of system such as FIS to meet the Principals’ requirements and KPI’s within company set parameters.

• Ensure QHSSE policy is followed without any deviation and achieve Clean Internal Audit reports for WCI.
• Ensure 100% accuracy by LPA’s for all WCI locations in data input in POPDA and Optic.
• Ensure Marine KPI’s are maintained & QHSE documents and location audit files kept updated

Vendor Management:

Periodic review, evaluation, costing, initial assessment and renegotiation of vendor terms and conditions

keeping in view current market trends, competition, and business gains with the purpose of verification of

supplier’s product. Catalogue information to ensure all third-party providers are complying with ISS standards

in delivery of high-quality services thus meeting and exceeding customer satisfaction goals.

Reporting:

Monthly preparation and submission of Operational reports as required to the Country Manager to provide

updates of performance and any irregularities and to ensure monthly submission of other operation,commercial and quality assurance reports.

Knowledge

• Graduate level required.
• PG Dip / MBA in Shipping/Logistics field is desirable.
• Relevant Marine Services and or Port operations experience in the WCI Area.
• Experience of office management and interfacing with external service providers
• Understanding of Quality / Compliance & HSSE regulations

Skills

• Ability to lead large teams locally and remotely with the ability to adjust communication style for different situations and cultures
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Planning and Delivery skills.
• Comfortable in working in a fast-paced environment where each day brings new challenges.
• Competent user of full Microsoft Office package including Word, Excel, and Outlook

Experience

• 8 to 10+ years of experience in Port operations, Marine and Ship Ops.
• Effective team player experienced in facilitating collaboration and change.
• Proven ability to manage vessel full calls in India effectively and the ability to achieve seamless operational success.