Port Manager – Port Kembla & Eden

Svitzer; Port Kembla; On-site; AUD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Svitzer is seeking a Port Manager to lead operations in Port Kembla & Eden on a permanent full-time basis. You’ll guide day-to-day port activities, crew coordination, and vessel operations to deliver safe, reliable and commercially successful outcomes.

Reporting to the General Manager, you’ll engage with frontline teams, customers, regulators and partners to drive performance, manage industrial relations, and shape strategic planning for regional growth in Australia.

Qualifications

• Proven leadership in operational environments with continuous improvement.
• Experience managing employee and industrial relations including union negotiations.
• Strong commercial and operational skills with customer engagement.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Safety-first mindset and ability to drive operational readiness.
• Marine industry experience or qualifications highly regarded.

Responsibilities

• Lead and support day-to-day crew operations, fostering high performance and engagement.
• Manage workforce planning, crew rostering, and industrial relations.
• Oversee vessel and port operations, coordinating maintenance and fleet readiness.
• Monitor performance, budgets and financial reporting; identify growth opportunities.
• Support tenders, new projects and regional business development.
• Champion safety standards and return-to-work programs.
• Build relationships with customers, port authorities, regulators and stakeholders.

Skills

Leadership

Crew management

Stakeholder management

Safety leadership

Industrial relations

Contract management

Job description

Svitzer has been part of the maritime industry since 1833. Today, our work across Australia and Papua New Guinea is powered not just by vessels, but by the people who manage operations, safety, logistics, and support on shore. In our shore teams, we focus on getting the details right and backing each other every step of the way. If you’re looking to be part of something that works - we’re ready when you are.

Do you have a passion for Operational Leadership? If so, we’re looking for a Port Manager to join our team in Port Kembla & Eden on a Permanent Full-Time basis.

Why You’ll Want to Join Us

This is a senior operational leadership role at the heart of our Port Kembla & Eden operations, where your ability to lead people, manage complex day-to-day port activities, and drive safe and efficient vessel operations will have a direct impact on business performance.

Working closely with frontline teams and key stakeholders, you’ll provide strategic and operational leadership across crew management, fleet readiness, customer relationships, and commercial outcomes — ensuring our operations remain safe, reliable, and commercially successful.

How You’ll Make a Difference

Reporting to the General Manager, your key responsibilities will include:

• Lead and support day-to-day crew operations, fostering high performance, team engagement, and professional development.
• Manage workforce planning, crew rostering, and industrial relations in line with Enterprise Agreements and operational requirements.
• Oversee vessel and port operations, coordinating maintenance activities, contractors, and ensuring operational readiness of the fleet.
• Monitor operational performance, budgets, and financial reporting while identifying opportunities for business growth and operational improvement.
• Support tenders, new projects, and commercial opportunities, contributing to strategic planning and regional business development.
• Champion safety standards by maintaining safe operations, managing incidents and return-to-work programs, and ensuring compliance with procedures and regulations.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with customers, port authorities, regulators, and internal stakeholders to support operational and business outcomes.

What You’ll Bring

To thrive in this role, you’ll bring:

• Proven leadership in operational environments, driving change, continuous improvement, and team engagement.
• Experience managing employee and industrial relations, including disputes, union negotiations, and Enterprise Agreements.
• Strong commercial and operational skills, including customer engagement, contract management, and business growth.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to build strong working relationships.
• Proactive, adaptable, and organised team player with strong time management and a safety-first mindset.
• Marine industry experience or qualifications, with knowledge of compliance, classification societies, and vessel operations highly regarded.

Building a Diverse Workplace

In Svitzer we value the diversity of our talent and will always strive to recruit the best person for the job – we value diversity in all its forms, including but not limited to gender, age, nationality, race, sexual orientation, disability, or religious beliefs. We are proud of our diversity and see it as a genuine source of strength for building high performing teams.

Don’t meet every single requirement?Studies have shown that members from some under-represented groups are less likelyto apply for jobs if they don’t meet every single qualification. At Svitzer we are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles, and we are excited about hearing from you!