Manager, Cruise Services

Vancouver Fraser Port Authority; Vancouver; On-site; CAD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Meaningful work

Learning and career growth

Collaborative culture

Competitive compensation

Flexible wellbeing programs

Job summary

Vancouver Fraser Port Authority is seeking a seasoned Manager, Cruise Services to lead the planning, coordination and oversight of cruise operations at the Canada Place Cruise Ship Terminal, on behalf of VFPA.

The role requires ensuring efficient terminal operations, strong stakeholder relationships, and continuous improvement that delivers a safe, high‑quality cruise experience while aligning with strategic objectives.

Qualifications

• University degree in Business Administration, Transportation, Engineering, Supply Chain Management, Logistics or related discipline.
• Minimum five years of progressively responsible leadership experience in transportation, port or terminal operations, logistics, cruise operations or related sectors.
• Experience leading complex operational initiatives with multiple internal and external stakeholders.
• Strong knowledge of multimodal supply chain operations, transportation systems, terminal operations, and performance.
• Experience providing operational advice, recommendations and decision support to senior leadership.
• Experience developing and managing relationships with industry, government, regulatory and operational stakeholders, including in cruise and cargo environments.
• Experience managing employees, providing direction, performance management, coaching and development.

Responsibilities

• Lead the safe, efficient and reliable operation of the Canada Place Cruise Ship Terminal, ensuring high service standards and effective use of capacity.
• Oversee seasonal readiness and day-of-operation planning with cruise lines, government agencies, service providers and stakeholders.
• Lead contingency planning and coordinated responses to disruptions, incidents and emerging issues with clear communication and escalation.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance operational performance and passenger flow.
• Manage cruise ship services and the terminal management contract, monitoring performance and ensuring contractual obligations.
• Establish metrics, reporting and governance to strengthen contractor accountability.
• Oversee service providers and agreements to ensure safe, effective, compliant delivery.
• Build relationships with cruise lines, agencies and partners to support objectives and excellence.
• Represent VFPA in industry forums and negotiations as an ambassador for the port authority.
• Provide operational leadership for infrastructure, capital and technology initiatives.

Skills

Leadership experience

Transportation/port operations

Multimodal supply chain

Stakeholder management

Operational decision support

Contract management

Education

University degree in Business Administration or related

Equivalent combination of education and related experience

Job description

At the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, the work we domatters. Every day, our people help connect Canada to global markets,strengthen supply chains, support sustainable growth, and shape the future ofCanada’s largest port.

If you're looking for purposeful workwhere your contributions make a difference, you'll find it here - supported bya team that is collaborative, innovative, and committed to excellence.

At the port authority, we’recommitted to delivering an employee experience that is as rewarding as the workitself. We offer:

• Meaningful work that contributes to Canada’s trade andeconomic prosperity
• Opportunities for learning, development, and careergrowth
• A collaborative and inclusive workplace culture
• Competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits
• Flexible programs that support employee wellbeing andwork-life integration

Ensure the smooth flow of trade that supports businesses and communitiesacross Canada. Safety, precision, teamwork, and a data-driven approach arecentral – your decisions have immediate, visible impact.

Build a career with purpose

If you’re looking for work that is meaningful,challenging, and connected to something bigger, we’d love to hear from you.Join us and discover how your career can help shape Canada’s future.

The Manager, CruiseServices leads the planning, coordination and oversight of cruiseoperations and service delivery at the Canada Place Cruise Ship Terminal onbehalf of the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority. The role is accountable forensuring efficient terminal operations, effective stakeholder and customerrelationships, sound contractor oversight, and the ongoing development ofprocesses, protocols and infrastructure improvements that support a safe,reliable and high-quality cruise experience.

What success looks like

• Lead the safe, efficient and reliable operation of theCanada Place Cruise Ship Terminal, ensuring high service standards andeffective use of terminal capacity and infrastructure.
• Oversee seasonal readiness and day-of-operationplanning with cruise lines, government agencies, service providers andstakeholders to ensure seamless passenger and terminal operations.
• Lead contingency planning and coordinated responses tooperational disruptions, incidents and emerging issues, ensuring effectivecommunication, escalation and resolution.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives that enhanceoperational performance, passenger flow, terminal capacity, service deliveryand the overall cruise experience.
• Manage the cruise ship services and terminalmanagement contract, monitoring operational, service and financial performancewhile ensuring contractual obligations and service standards are achieved.
• Establish performance metrics, reporting frameworksand governance processes to strengthen contractor accountability and supportcontinuous improvement.
• Oversee cruise-related service providers andoperational agreements, ensuring safe, effective and compliant servicedelivery.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with cruiselines, government agencies, terminal partners, transportation providers andother stakeholders to support operational excellence and business objectives.
• Represent cruise operations in industry forums,stakeholder committees, customer engagements and operational negotiations,serving as a key ambassador for VFPA.
• Provide operational leadership and subject matterexpertise for infrastructure, capital and technology initiatives, ensuringeffective planning, implementation, operational readiness and integration ofnew assets and systems.

Qualifications

• Must have auniversity degree in Business Administration,Transportation, Engineering, Supply Chain Management, Logistics oranother appropriate related discipline. An equivalentcombination of education and directly related experience may be considered.
• Musthave a minimum of five (5)years of progressively responsible leadershipexperience in transportation, port or terminaloperations, logistics, cruise operations orrelated transportation sectors.
• Demonstratedexperience leading complex operational initiatives, projects or programsinvolving multiple internal and external stakeholders.
• Strongknowledge and experience in multimodal supply chain operations, transportationsystems, terminal operations, infrastructureinterfaces and operational performance.
• Experienceproviding operational advice, recommendations and decision support tomanagement or senior leadership.
• Experiencedeveloping and managing relationships with a broad range ofindustry, government, regulatory and operational stakeholders, an asset.
• Experiencein both tourism/cruise and cargo supply chain environments is considered anasset.
• Demonstratedexperience managing employees and providing direction, performance management,coaching and development, an asset.

Job type:

Exempt, Full-Time, Permanent, Hybrid

Working environment:

Normaloffice environment with requirement for occasional work off-site, in theevenings, on weekends, and/or some travel.

Marine Transportation Security Clearance:

The incumbent must obtain and maintain a valid Marine TransportationSecurity Clearance as this position is required to access restrictedareas/information as defined by the Marine Transportation Security Regulations.

ThisisCanadian-based employment, and allemployees are expected tomaintain legal eligibility to work in Canada. Applicants advancing in thehiring process may be subject totechnical assignments, psychometricassessments, and/or background checks, including but not limited to criminalrecord, credit, and/or reference checks.

At theVancouverFraser Port Authority, we are dedicated to employment equity and a workplacereflective of the diversity of our port community. Webelieve our strength comes from the diverse perspectives, experiences, andbackgrounds of our people. We welcomeapplications from all qualified candidates, including Indigenous Peoples,women, persons with disabilities, racialized individuals, members of the2SLGBTQIA+ community, and other equity-deserving groups.

Reasonable accommodationcan be provided in the selection process and while working with the portauthority. If you require assistance with applying to our openings or areseeking accommodations to apply in an alternative format, please contact usthrough a confidential, secure inbox [e-mail] are committed to supporting your needs and will do our best to provide thenecessary assistance.

We recognize andacknowledge that weare located on the traditional, ancestral, and uncededterritories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ(Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. To learn more about our First Nationrelationsand commitment to reconciliation,please visit our website.

About Us

• Contributes to the competitiveness, growth, and prosperity of the Canadian economy.
• Organizes marine transportation services that meet port users’ needs at a reasonable cost.
• Provides a high level of safety and environmental protection.
• Responds to local needs and priorities.
• Encourages and considers input from port users and local communities.
• Re-invests around 90% of our revenues back into trade enabling infrastructure.

The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority:

• Contributes to the competitiveness, growth, and prosperity of the Canadian economy.
• Organizes marine transportation services that meet port users’ needs at a reasonable cost.
• Provides a high level of safety and environmental protection.
• Responds to local needs and priorities.
• Encourages and considers input from port users and local communities.
• Re-invests around 90% of our revenues back into trade enabling infrastructure.

Our purpose statement

Enabling Canada's trade by being reliable and innovative, while protecting the environment.

Our values

• We drive efficiency to optimize performance.
• We build strong relationships to succeed together.
• We are customer-focused to deliver on our commitments.
• We are accountable to find solutions and take the right action.
• We are one team to achieve our purpose.