Permanent Recruitment Case Study: Senior Manager Marine Personnel
Job title of Permanent Recruitment: Senior Manager, Marine Personnel
Recruitment Type: Exclusive to Faststream Recruitment
Business Type: Government Ship Manager
Location: Florida (Remote), United States (US)
Key Stakeholders: Human Resources Director
Faststream Recruitment Representative: Matthew Barwell, Executive Consultant, Faststream Recruitment Americas
A government ship management organisation partnered with Faststream to appoint a Senior Manager Marine Personnel in the United States. This was an exclusive search led by Matthew Barwell, leveraging an existing client relationship to deliver a high-impact hire within a tight timeframe.
The Challenge
The client required a highly specialised candidate with a rare combination of skills and qualifications, including:
Previous crewing and union experience
Eligibility for security clearance
US citizenship
Proven experience managing vessel crew operations
The search was further complicated by:
A limited talent pool for this niche role
Low salary expectations relative to market conditions
Lack of internal network and sourcing capability
The need to replace an existing position quickly
This created a challenging brief requiring both speed and precision.
The Solution
Faststream delivered a tailored recruitment solution built on deep market insight and a proactive search strategy. Key elements included:
A detailed consultation to fully understand the technical, cultural, and compliance requirements
A targeted search and market mapping exercise to identify and engage qualified candidates
Direct outreach to passive talent not actively on the market
Rigorous screening and assessment to ensure alignment with both role and organisation
A structured shortlisting and interview process
Offer management and negotiation support, particularly important given salary constraints
Preboarding support to ensure a smooth transition
Throughout the process, we maintained close collaboration with the Human Resources Director, ensuring alignment and transparency at every stage.
The Approach
This assignment was managed as an exclusive search, enabling a focused and efficient delivery.
Our approach centred on:
Leveraging existing relationships and sector knowledge
Providing regular updates and market feedback, including insights on salary positioning
Adapting the search strategy in real time based on candidate engagement and response
Acting as a trusted advisor, not just a supplier, particularly in managing expectations around compensation and availability
The Results
Time to shortlist: 4 weeks
Successful placement: Within 6 weeks (including candidate notice period)
High-quality hire: Candidate met all technical, compliance, and cultural requirements
Client impact: Enabled continuity in a critical operational role with minimal disruption
This assignment demonstrated Faststream’s ability to deliver specialist talent in challenging market conditions, combining speed, precision, and partnership.
What next?
Find out more about our permanent recruitment services in maritime and shipping.
