Company Description
Neptune Pacific Direct Line (NPDL) is experiencing a period of significant transformation. Formed in 2020, Neptune Pacific Line acquired Pacific Direct Line, bringing together two of the South Pacific’s top shipping and logistics companies to support the full supply chain of our customers in the region. NPDL is part of The Wonderful Company headquartered in the USA (including Fiji Water).
NPDL operates 9 containerships, moving +240k TEU between AU, NZ and the Pacific Islands, as well as the USA. We have strong partnerships with other shipping line, moving cargo across 25 customer destinations in 16 countries.

Job Description
As the Line Operations Manager, you'll be the driving force behind NPDL's shipping success, leading both strategic and day-to-day operations with precision and passion. Your mission? To deliver exceptional service, uphold schedule integrity, and masterfully manage voyages, vessel capacity, and utilization—all while keeping a sharp eye on cost efficiency. You'll champion NPDL's "A Safer Pacific" safety culture, ensuring our policies and principles are not just met but exceeded. As a key player, you'll contribute to the development and implementation of innovative safety strategies across the South Pacific, making a real impact on the future of maritime operations.
What you will be doing:
Voyage Management and Scheduling

• Command the Seas: Take charge of the NPDL fleet with expert voyage management, ensuring every voyage plan is executed to perfection. Make daily tactical decisions to guarantee on-time performance and surpass schedule reliability targets.
• Master the Schedule: Oversee day-to-day schedule management, including contingencies, recovery actions, and the execution of ad-hoc port calls. Manage vessel speed, routing, phase-ins, phase-outs, and dry-docking programs with precision.
• Design the Future: Collaborate with commercial and group managers to co-create and refine the service framework, delivering on business plan objectives with excellence.
• Own the Schedule: Maintain NPDL’s live vessel schedules, ensuring they meet both commercial demands and customer expectations through top-tier scheduling practices.
• Drive Performance: Partner with port operations and vessel planning teams to achieve rapid port turnaround times, supporting schedule reliability at the lowest cost while meeting performance targets.
• Expert Guidance: Provide vital expertise to vessel planning, port operations, and commercial teams in assessing and handling breakbulk and project cargo operations. Be ready to travel to ports as needed to oversee cargo operations firsthand.
• Deliver Excellence: Ensure that all cargo aboard your vessels is transported safely, delivered on time, and arrives in perfect condition, fulfilling NPDL’s promises to customers.

Vessel Utilization and Capacity Management

• Maximize Potential: Collaborate closely with vessel planning and commercial teams to optimize ship capacity and cargo space allocation, aligning with commercial goals and meeting empty container repositioning needs.
• Continuous Improvement: Take ownership of end-to-end vessel utilization and capacity processes, driving regular reviews and developing innovative tracking and reporting methods to enhance performance.

Voyage Cost Management

• Control Costs: Take full ownership of operational voyage costs, crafting strategies to continuously reduce expenses—focusing on voyage operating costs, bunker costs, and port variable costs. Eliminate avoidable costs wherever possible.
• Enhance Transparency: Develop and implement reporting processes that provide clear visibility into voyage costs, highlighting variances between actual and planned expenditures.

Performance & Reporting

• Lead with Insight: Play a pivotal role in performance meetings, reporting on voyage results, performance targets, and key KPIs .
• Effective Communication: Establish robust communication and escalation protocols to manage exceptions and swiftly mitigate delays, ensuring all stakeholders are informed and aligned.
• Embrace Innovation: Champion the use of digital tools and systems in the operational workspace, driving the digital transformation of our processes.

Qualifications
What you will bring to the table:

• Preferred, Not Required: A degree in supply chain or business is a plus, but we value experience and drive above all.
• Proven Experience: Bring your hands-on expertise from a shipping operations role, combined with at least 5 years of shore-based management in international trade, and make an impact.
• Operations and Scheduling Savvy: Experience in scheduling, port operations, or vessel stow planning? That's a strong advantage.
• Analytical Mastery: Leverage your sharp analytical skills to develop and implement KPIs that drive performance.
• Influential Communicator: Your exceptional communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills will be key in both internal and external interactions.
• Tech-Savvy: Proficiency in systems and reporting tools is essential, with advanced Excel skills and experience in Power BI.
• Continuous Improvement Champion: Demonstrate your ability to lead continuous improvement initiatives that push the boundaries of what's possible.
• Adaptable & Ready: Willing to go beyond the 9-5 when needed? Your proactive, self-starting attitude will shine here.
• Quick Thinker: Your ability to think on your feet and devise contingencies in real-time is crucial.
• Commercially Astute: Understand the commercial impact of voyage schedules, aligning customer and business objectives seamlessly.
• Master Multitasker: Juggle multiple priorities with ease, always staying a step ahead to manage emerging challenges.
• Innovative Mind: Bring fresh ideas and best practices to the table, helping us stay ahead in a fast-paced industry.

This is a full-time permanent role based in Auckland. As you have worked in shipping in the past, you will know a level of flexibility is required at times to work extended hours including weekends, public holidays, etc. In return we offer a challenging and stimulating environment. You will have the right to live and work in New Zealand at the time of applying. The successful candidate may be subject to undergo a Police Check and/or Pre-Employment Drug Test.

Additional Information
Our NPDL Contribution:

• Competitive benefits package (salary and annual bonus)
• Hybrid Working model
• Opportunity for development and internal mobility
• Wonderful Giving - allows you to donate company money to causes of your choice.
• Wonderful Neighbour - spend a day in the community helping with various service projects.
• Company focused on wellness and health

If you're a strategic thinker with a passion for maritime operations, ready to navigate complex challenges and drive results, we want to hear from you!
#LI-LM1 #LI-Hybrid
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