All roles/Shoreside/Owner's Representative
Shoreside
Owner's Representative
An Owner's Representative protects the owner's money, time and vision on a new build or major refit, checking the yard's work, approving changes and making sure the yacht delivered is the yacht that was paid for.
- Department
- Shoreside
- Reports to
- The owner or the owner's family office
- Yacht size
- 40m to 150m+
- Contract
- Project contract or permanent, shipyard and shore based
- Starting pay
- €100,000 a year
What the job is
You are the owner's eyes and voice at the shipyard. On a new build that can mean three or four years living near a yard in the Netherlands, Germany, Italy or Turkey. On a refit it may be six to eighteen months. The yard has its own project manager whose job is to deliver on budget for the yard. Yours is to make sure the owner gets what the contract and specification promise, built properly and on time.
Most of the work is checking, questioning and recording. You review drawings from the naval architect and designer, attend class surveys, walk the hull with the yard's foremen and log defects. You assess change orders, push back on inflated pricing and approve stage payments only when milestones are truly met. You also keep the owner and family office informed in plain language, because they want decisions, not engineering detail.
Most people in this role are former captains or chief engineers with at least one build behind them, sometimes naval architects or marine engineers from yard or class backgrounds. You need the technical depth to argue about insulation, piping or paint thickness, and the commercial sense to read a contract. You often lead a small owner's team, including the build captain, chief engineer and specialist consultants for paint, interior and AV/IT.
What makes a good one
- Reading specifications and contracts
- Shipyard and class survey knowledge
- Cost and change order control
- Clear reporting to owners
- Firm but fair negotiation
A day in the life
- 07:30Walk the hull before the morning meeting. Note new work in the engine room and the state of the cabling on the lower deck.
- 08:30Weekly progress meeting with the yard project manager, build captain and chief engineer. Go through the schedule and the open items list line by line.
- 10:00Attend the class surveyor's inspection of the fuel tank pressure tests. Photograph results and file them against the specification.
- 11:30Review three change orders from the yard. Accept one, query the hours on another and reject a third as already covered by the contract.
- 13:00Lunch in the yard canteen with the paint consultant to discuss fairing on the superstructure before the next coat goes on.
- 14:00Video call with the interior designer and outfitter about late stone deliveries for the owner's suite and the knock on effect on the schedule.
- 15:30Inspect the mock up guest cabin with the build captain. Log defects in joinery alignment and lighting colour temperature.
- 17:00Check the yard's latest invoice against the payment schedule and milestone evidence before recommending payment.
- 18:30Write the weekly report for the family office: progress, budget position, decisions needed and risks, kept to two pages.
Pay by country
Annual salary for a full time, project based Owner's Representative on a 40m to 100m+ build or refit. Many work freelance on day rates of roughly €900 – 1,600. Accommodation and travel near the yard are often paid on top. No charter tips.
- France and Monaco
- €120,000 – 200,000
- Spain
- €95,000 – 160,000
- Italy
- €100,000 – 170,000
- United Kingdom
- £90,000 – 150,000
- USA (Florida)
- US$140,000 – 230,000
- Caribbean
- US$120,000 – 190,000
- UAE
- AED 450,000 – 750,000
- Australia
- A$160,000 – 250,000
- New Zealand
- NZ$140,000 – 220,000
Required
- Master (Yacht) 3000gt, Y1 Chief Engineer or marine engineering degree
- Proven new build or major refit experience
- STCW Basic Safety Training
- ENG1 medical
Recommended
- Naval architecture or marine engineering degree
- PRINCE2 or APM project management
- ISM and ISPS auditor training
- Second language: Dutch, German, Italian or Turkish
- IMarEST or RINA membership
Visas
- Right to work in the shipyard country
- Schengen for EU yard projects
- Turkish work or residence permit for Turkish yards
- US B1/B2 for Florida refits and shows
Where it leads
Owner's Representative jobs open now
Questions crew ask
Can I become an Owner's Representative without being a captain or chief engineer?
Yes, but you need equivalent technical depth. Naval architects, class surveyors and senior yard project managers do move into the role, though owners usually want someone who has also operated a yacht.
Is it a permanent job or contract work?
Usually contract, tied to one build or refit. Some owners with several yachts or a planned next build keep a representative on permanently.
Do I have to live at the shipyard?
For most of the project, yes. Expect to be on site most weeks, with travel to suppliers, designers and the owner's office.