Senior Crane Manager

Judge Direct Placement; Newark (NJ); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Judge Direct Placement seeks a Senior Crane Manager to lead operations for STS and RTG cranes at a busy East Coast container terminal. You will drive safety, reliability, and productivity while coordinating with Vessel Operations, Yard Planning, and Maintenance teams.

The role requires deep heavy equipment expertise, strong leadership of a unionized workforce, and decisive, real-time problem solving in a 24/7 port environment.

Qualifications

• 7-10+ years in port ops or crane management.
• Deep knowledge of STS/RTG cranes and PLC/electrical systems.
• Experience leading unionized teams in a 24/7 operation.
• Proven ability to improve reliability, operational productivity, and safety.
• Strong communication, decision-making and crisis-management skills.
• TWIC eligibility required.
• Familiarity with terminal operating systems (TOS) and real-time equipment monitoring platforms.
• Experience with major crane OEMs (ZPMC, Konecranes, Liebherr).

Responsibilities

• Direct daily operations of STS, RTG, and yard cranes to meet vessel schedules.
• Coordinate with Vessel Ops, Yard Planning, and Maintenance to optimize assignments.
• Monitor real-time crane metrics and resolve bottlenecks.
• Lead shift handovers, briefings, and incident reviews.
• Oversee maintenance programs for cranes and lifting gear.
• Ensure OSHA compliance and safety protocols.
• Partner with engineering to diagnose mechanical and PLC issues.
• Manage major repairs and capital projects.
• Maintain safety culture and perform safety audits.
• Build relationships with labor partners and oversee training.

Skills

Port operations leadership

Crane maintenance expertise

Union workforce leadership

Safety and incident management

Real-time decision making

Budgeting and cost control

KPIs tracking

Job description

The Senior Crane Manager leads all operational, technical, and maintenance activities for ship-to-shore (STS) cranes, rubber-tired gantry (RTG) cranes, and related lifting equipment. This leader ensures maximum crane availability, safe operations, and high productivity to support vessel turnaround times in one of the busiest container terminals on the East Coast. The role requires deep expertise in heavy equipment maintenance, union workforce leadership, and real-time decision-making in a 24/7 port environment.

Responsibilities:

• Direct daily operations of STS, RTG, and yard cranes to meet vessel schedules, berth plans, and productivity targets.
• Coordinate closely with Vessel Operations, Yard Planning, and Maintenance to optimize crane assignments and minimize downtime.
• Monitor real-time crane performance metrics and intervene quickly to resolve operational bottlenecks.
• Lead shift handovers, operational briefings, and incident reviews to maintain consistent performance across all crews.
• Oversee preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance programs for all cranes and lifting equipment.
• Ensure compliance with OEM standards, OSHA regulations, and safety protocols.
• Partner with engineering teams to diagnose complex mechanical, electrical, and PLC control issues.
• Manage major repairs, component replacements, and capital improvement projects, including crane upgrades and modernization initiatives.
• Enforce strict adherence to safety procedures, lockout/tagout, fall protection, and heavy-lift protocols.
• Conduct safety audits, root-cause analyses, and incident investigations; implement corrective actions.
• Maintain compliance with OSHA, MSHA (if applicable), TWIC requirements, and port authority regulations.
• Champion a safety-first culture across all crane operations and maintenance teams.
• Lead and develop a unionized workforce of crane operators, technicians, and supervisors.
• Manage staffing levels, shift scheduling, overtime, and training programs.
• Build strong relationships with labor partners while upholding performance and safety standards.
• Coach supervisors on performance management, skill development, and operational discipline.
• Develop annual budgets for crane operations, maintenance, and capital projects.
• Track and report KPIs including crane availability, MTBF/MTTR, productivity, and cost performance.
• Evaluate new technologies, automation opportunities, and equipment investments to improve terminal efficiency.
• Participate in long-term planning for berth expansion, crane procurement, and infrastructure upgrades.

Qualifications

• 7-10+ years of experience in port operations, heavy equipment maintenance, or crane management within a marine terminal or similar industrial environment.
• Strong technical knowledge of STS and RTG cranes, including mechanical systems, hydraulics, electrical systems, and PLC controls.
• Proven leadership experience managing unionized teams in a 24/7 operation.
• Demonstrated success improving equipment reliability, operational productivity, and safety performance.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, maintenance manuals, and diagnostic data.
• Excellent communication, decision-making, and crisis-management skills.
• TWIC eligibility required.
• Experience with major crane OEMs (ZPMC, Konecranes, Liebherr, etc.).
• Background in reliability engineering, predictive maintenance technologies, or condition monitoring.
• Familiarity with terminal operating systems (TOS) and real-time equipment monitoring platforms.
• Project management experience with crane upgrades, retrofits, or new crane commissioning.