Location - Europe / Asia
A leading maritime organisation in Europe is seeking a Global Marine Crewing leader to provide strategic direction and governance for the recruitment, employment, training, and development of seafaring personnel across its global operations.
This role is responsible for defining and maintaining group-wide standards, policies, and systems that underpin a strong safety culture, full regulatory compliance, and operational excellence. The postholder will play a critical role in positioning the organisation as an employer of choice within the maritime labour market, while driving performance, innovation, and continuous improvement in crewing practices to support long-term business sustainability.
Working closely with senior internal leaders and a wide range of external stakeholders, the role has a strong strategic and people-focused remit with global reach.
Key Responsibilities
- Define, implement, and maintain group-wide standards for the recruitment, employment, training, qualification, certification, and career development of seafarers
- Establish competitive and compliant employment conditions to attract, retain, and develop high‑quality maritime talent
- Develop strategies to ensure access to sufficient numbers of suitably qualified seafarers across key labour markets
- Oversee the effectiveness and compliance of crewing and training operations, whether delivered internally or via third‑party providers
- Drive the development and maintenance of policies, systems, and processes that support a proactive safety culture and reduce human‑related risk
- Review and continuously improve HR‑marine standards, processes, and systems to ensure alignment with market trends, regulatory change, and future workforce needs
- Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, labour unions, professional bodies, and regulatory stakeholders across Europe and internationally
- Provide regular analysis, reporting, and insight on seafarer employment data to identify trends, risks, and improvement opportunities
- Develop and manage departmental budgets, ensuring cost control, efficiency, and alignment with agreed targets
- Lead, coach, and develop senior and mid‑level managers to ensure high levels of engagement, accountability, and performance
- Drive the evolution of marine HR digital systems, leveraging automation, data analytics, and AI to improve productivity and decision‑making
- Bachelor’s degree or higher in a maritime or related discipline
- Advanced qualification such as an MSc in Human Resources, MBA, or senior maritime certification strongly preferred
- Extensive hands‑on experience in maritime human resources within an operational environment
- Practical knowledge of maritime operations and the realities of vessel-based labour management
- Strong understanding of vessel crewing requirements and seafarer competency frameworks
- In‑depth knowledge of global maritime labour markets and workforce demographics
- Proven experience with collective agreements, employment contracts, and labour negotiations
- Expertise in recruitment, training, and career development methodologies
- Solid understanding of compensation and benefits structures in a maritime context
- Strong knowledge of maritime labour legislation and seafarers’ rights
- Excellent people leadership and stakeholder management skills
- High‑level communication, organisational, and analytical capabilities