Marine Systems Operations Manager

Core Group; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Core Group Resources is seeking an Operations Manager to lead the day-to-day of its marine systems group. You will own the full operational picture: project delivery, staffing, sourcing, quality control, and P&L performance to ensure on-time, on-budget delivery for shipowners and operators.

The role requires a strong maritime background, leadership across engineering and field teams, and a proven ability to set KPIs, manage budgets, and uphold HSE and compliance while driving continuous

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or master's in marine, electrical, automation or related field.
• Substantial hands-on maritime operations experience acceptable in lieu of degree.
• Proven track record leading multi-disciplinary teams and projects.

Responsibilities

• Run the operational side of a marine systems business unit covering project delivery, engineering support, and customer service work.
• Translate company goals into an operating plan with clear targets for growth, margin, and client commitments, then execute against it.
• Manage and grow a mixed team of engineers, project managers, and field service technicians, including hiring, coaching, and performance management.
• Own scheduling, resource allocation, purchasing, shipping and logistics, quality control, and the metrics that show whether the operation is performing.
• Build and manage the annual operating budget; track results monthly and act quickly when numbers drift.
• Define KPIs for cost, on-time delivery, quality, productivity, billable utilisation, and customer satisfaction, and report on them regularly.
• Spot trouble early and get projects back on track; lead improvement efforts for speed, leaner processes, and profitability.
• Keep working capital and headcount deployed efficiently across concurrent projects.
• Make sure delivered work meets technical, schedule, and responsiveness standards clients expect.
• Serve as a senior point of contact for shipowners, fleet operators, shipyards, subcontractors, and vendors.
• Join client conversations on technical scope, execution approach, service planning, and problem resolution.
• Uphold HSE, quality, ethics, and compliance requirements across all activities.

Skills

Operations management

Project delivery

Budgeting

Resource planning

HSE compliance

Client relations

Leadership

Supply chain

Education

Engineering degree

Tools

ERP systems

MS Excel

Project controls

Job description

Operations Manager - Marine Electrical & Automation

Core Group Resources is looking for an Operations Manager to run the day-to-day business of its marine systems group. You'll own the full operational picture: how projects get executed, how engineering and field teams are staffed and scheduled, how materials get sourced, how quality is upheld, and how the P&L performs. This is a hands-on leadership seat for someone who has grown up in the maritime world, understands what happens on a vessel and in a shipyard, and can hold a team accountable to safe, on-time, on-budget delivery while keeping shipowners and operators happy.

What You'll Do

• Run the operational side of a marine systems business unit covering project delivery, engineering support, and customer service work.
• Translate company goals into an operating plan with clear targets for growth, margin, and client commitments, then execute against it.
• Manage and grow a mixed team of engineers, project managers, and field service technicians, including hiring, coaching, and performance management.
• Own scheduling, resource allocation, purchasing, shipping and logistics, quality control, and the metrics that show whether the operation is performing.
• Build and manage the annual operating budget; track results monthly and act quickly when numbers drift.
• Define KPIs for cost, on-time delivery, quality, productivity, billable utilisation, and customer satisfaction, and report on them regularly.
• Spot trouble early (schedule slips, scope creep, staffing gaps, cost overruns) and get projects back on track.
• Lead improvement efforts that make the business faster, leaner, and more profitable.
• Keep working capital and headcount deployed efficiently across concurrent projects.
• Make sure delivered work meets the technical, schedule, and responsiveness standards clients expect.
• Serve as a senior point of contact for shipowners, fleet operators, shipyards, subcontractors, and vendors.
• Join client conversations on technical scope, execution approach, service planning, and problem resolution.
• Uphold HSE, quality, ethics, and compliance requirements across all activities.
• Set the tone for a culture built on ownership, teamwork, safety, and doing right by the customer.

What We're Looking For

• Engineering degree (marine, electrical, automation, or similar) preferred at the bachelor's or master's level; substantial hands-on maritime operations experience can substitute.
• Solid background in ship systems, vessel services, shipboard equipment, or adjacent maritime work.
• History of leading engineering, project, operations, or field service teams, ideally multidisciplinary and spread across locations or countries.
• Working knowledge of vessel electrical distribution, automation and control systems, propulsion, or integrated bridge/vessel systems strongly preferred.
• Fluent in project execution fundamentals: budgeting, cost tracking, resource planning, and performance reporting.
• Comfortable juggling several active projects, priorities, and teams at once.
• Direct client-facing experience with shipowners or operators and a service-first mindset.
• Strong communicator, organiser, and problem solver who can make sound operational and commercial calls independently.
• U.S. work authorization required.

Nice to Have

• Background in vessel power and propulsion, lifecycle/aftermarket service, newbuild commissioning, retrofit programmes, or ship repair.
• Prior ownership of a P&L, including forecasting and cost management for an engineering or field service group.
• Experience standing up KPI frameworks and continuous improvement programmes in a client-facing environment with shipyards and marine contractors.