All roles/Shoreside/Yacht Operations Manager
Shoreside
Yacht Operations Manager
A Yacht Operations Manager organises the practical running of managed yachts from shore, handling logistics, compliance and port arrangements so captains can deliver the owner's programme without disruption.
- Department
- Shoreside
- Reports to
- Fleet Manager
- Yacht size
- Shore based
- Contract
- Permanent, shore based
- Starting pay
- €55,000 a year
What the job is
A Yacht Operations Manager runs the day to day practical side of a fleet of managed yachts from shore. You are the captain's first call when something needs arranging: berths, fuel, agents, customs clearance, spare parts flown to a remote anchorage, crew flights and cruising permits. Where the yacht manager looks after budgets and owner relations, you make sure the programme actually happens on the ground. Most work for management companies in Monaco, Antibes, Palma, Fort Lauderdale or Southampton, looking after four to twenty yachts.
The job is part logistics, part compliance. You track certificates, class and flag surveys, ISM and ISPS audits and MLC paperwork so nothing lapses mid season. You plan repositioning between the Mediterranean and the Caribbean, book yard slots and coordinate shipyard work with the technical team. When a yacht arrives in a new country you have already lined up the agent, checked visa rules for the crew and confirmed the berth. Charter weeks add their own layer: preference sheets, APA handling and tight turnarounds.
Most people come to it from the bridge. Former captains and chief officers bring the credibility to talk to a master as an equal and the judgement to know what matters at 02:00 when a generator fails off Corsica. Some come from purser, interior or charter coordination roles with strong admin skills. The pay is below a captain's, but you sleep at home, keep a regular working week and build a shoreside career. Expect to carry the out of hours phone on a rotation.
What makes a good one
- Calm decision making under pressure
- Port, agent and customs logistics
- ISM, ISPS and MLC compliance knowledge
- Clear communication with captains and owners
- Juggling several yachts at once
A day in the life
- 08:00Check overnight emails and the duty phone log. A 60m yacht in Sardinia reports a stabiliser fault and needs a technician before guests board on Saturday.
- 08:45Call the stabiliser manufacturer's service desk and the local agent in Olbia. Book an engineer for tomorrow morning and arrange a berth so he can work alongside.
- 09:30Weekly operations meeting with the yacht managers and technical team. Run through each yacht's itinerary, upcoming surveys and any crew changes.
- 11:00Chase a flag state renewal for a 45m yacht whose safe manning document expires next month. Send the updated crew list and certificates to the registry.
- 12:30Lunch at the desk while you confirm transit logs and cruising permits for a yacht heading from Croatia to Montenegro next week.
- 14:00Video call with a captain planning the autumn crossing to Antigua. Agree the yard slot in La Ciotat, the weather window and the delivery crew budget.
- 15:30Review an internal ISM audit report and log the non conformities. Send corrective action deadlines to the captain and chief engineer.
- 17:00Arrange a customs agent and duty free fuel for a charter yacht arriving in Monaco on Friday. Brief the charter coordinator on the guest arrival plan.
- 18:30Update the fleet tracker and hand the duty phone to a colleague for the night. The Olbia technician confirms he is on the morning ferry.
Pay by country
Annual gross salary for a shore based role at a yacht management company, typically with a performance bonus and paid on call allowance. No charter tips. Former captains with large yacht experience sit at the top of each range.
- France and Monaco
- €55,000 – 85,000
- Spain
- €42,000 – 65,000
- Italy
- €45,000 – 70,000
- United Kingdom
- £50,000 – 75,000
- USA (Florida)
- US$75,000 – 115,000
- Caribbean
- US$60,000 – 90,000
- UAE
- AED 300,000 – 450,000
- Australia
- A$95,000 – 140,000
- New Zealand
- NZ$85,000 – 120,000
Required
- Senior crew or officer experience on superyachts
- Working knowledge of ISM, ISPS and MLC 2006
- Strong written English
- Full driving licence
- Right to work in the office country
Recommended
- MCA Master (Yacht) 500gt or 3000gt
- Chief Mate (Yacht) 3000gt
- Designated Person Ashore training
- ISM internal auditor course
- Ship Security Officer
- French, Spanish or Italian language skills
Visas
- Right to work in the office country (EU citizenship or permit for France, Spain, Italy; work permit for Monaco)
- UK right to work for UK offices
- US work authorisation for Florida offices
- Schengen visa for business travel to yachts
- US B1/B2 for visiting yachts in US ports
Where it leads
- Chief Officer / First Mate
- Yacht Captain
- Yacht Operations Manager
- Yacht Manager
- Fleet Manager
Yacht Operations Manager jobs open now
Questions crew ask
Do I need to have been a captain to get this job?
Not always, but most operations managers have served as captain or chief officer because it gives them credibility with masters. Strong pursers and charter coordinators can also move in if they know compliance and port logistics well.
Will I still travel to the yachts?
Yes, occasionally. Expect visits for audits, yard periods, handovers and crossings planning, usually a few trips a year rather than weeks at a time.
How much out of hours work is there?
Yachts operate around the clock, so most companies run a duty phone rotation, often one week in three or four. Summer evenings and weekends get calls about breakdowns, berths and crew emergencies.