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yacht program coordinator

title: Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Yacht Program Coordinator
salary: $60,000 - $120,000
categories: [Maritime, Yacht Management, Operations, Project Management]
description: A comprehensive overview of the key responsibilities, required technical skills and professional background for the role of a Yacht Program Coordinator.
Recruiter-style summary: The Yacht Program Coordinator is a hands-on program and project professional who drives fleet initiatives, refits, maintenance cycles, vendor procurement, budget control, and technical compliance across private and charter yachts. This role requires maritime technical knowledge, strong project management, and excellent stakeholder communication to deliver safe, on-time and on-budget outcomes across multiple vessels and shipyards.

🎯 Role Definition

The Yacht Program Coordinator is responsible for planning, coordinating and executing all aspects of yacht program delivery — including scheduled maintenance, refit projects, parts procurement, vendor management, quality assurance, and regulatory compliance. The role acts as the operational hub between owners, captains, shipyards, technical teams and third‑party suppliers to ensure fleet readiness, cost control and consistent program governance.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Junior Yacht Manager / Assistant Program Coordinator
  • Deck Officer or Chief Engineer transitioning to shoreside programs
  • Project Coordinator or Logistics Specialist within maritime services

Advancement To:

  • Yacht Program Manager / Senior Program Coordinator
  • Fleet Operations Manager
  • Head of Yacht Projects or Director of Marine Operations

Lateral Moves:

  • Technical Manager / Refits Manager
  • Crewing Manager / HR for Yacht Operations
  • Procurement Manager / Supply Chain Specialist (marine sector)

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Develop, maintain and execute multi-vessel maintenance and refit programs including annual maintenance schedules, inspection plans, and long‑term lifecycle roadmaps to maximize vessel availability and asset value.
  • Coordinate end-to-end refit and repair projects: draft scopes of work, obtain competitive bids, negotiate contracts with shipyards and subcontractors, manage change orders and ensure milestones are met.
  • Manage program budgets and cost controls: prepare estimates, track spend against forecasts, reconcile invoices, approve supplier payments within delegation, and deliver month‑end budget reporting to owners and senior management.
  • Oversee procurement activities for parts, spares and services: generate purchase specifications, source approved vendors, run tender processes, analyze quotes, and direct inventory replenishment to reduce downtime.
  • Act as the primary liaison between owners, captains, chief engineers and shipyards to communicate program status, schedule impacts, technical decisions, and commercial implications.
  • Produce, maintain and present detailed program documentation — work orders, inspection reports, risk registers, scope change logs, warranty records and handover packs — to ensure traceability and audit readiness.
  • Schedule and supervise planned dry‑docks and yard periods: coordinate logistics including berthing reservations, mobilization/demobilization plans, transportation and crew travel arrangements.
  • Implement and enforce quality assurance and acceptance testing protocols for completed works, ensuring technical compliance with contractual standards and manufacturer recommendations.
  • Monitor and ensure compliance with flag state, classification society and international safety regulations (e.g., SOLAS, MARPOL, ISM code) during refit and maintenance activities.
  • Manage vendor and subcontractor performance through KPI tracking, site inspections, defect rectification follow-ups and formal performance reviews.
  • Lead technical reviews for complex system upgrades (HVAC, generators, propulsion, navigation, electrical) including feasibility analysis, scope definition and technical specification writing.
  • Coordinate specialist service providers (riggers, composite specialists, electronics integrators, hydraulics technicians) to deliver bespoke refit and upgrade tasks.
  • Maintain and optimize spare parts inventory and technical stores management: define stocking levels, parts classification, obsolescence mitigation and supplier lead‑time strategies.
  • Drive health, safety and environmental compliance within yards and onboard during works, conduct toolbox talks, ensure PPE and site permits and report incidents through the incident management process.
  • Facilitate warranty claims and manufacturer escalations by compiling failure evidence, coordinating service visits and negotiating repairs or replacements under warranty terms.
  • Support the captain and chief engineer with troubleshooting assistance and remote technical coordination during at‑sea breakdowns or emergency repairs.
  • Implement continuous improvement initiatives across program delivery processes, including post-project reviews, lessons learned workshops and development of standardized work templates.
  • Prepare and present weekly/monthly program dashboards and executive summaries that highlight cost, schedule, risk and critical path items for stakeholders and owners.
  • Coordinate coastline/regulatory paperwork, customs formalities, and import/export documentation for parts and equipment moving between jurisdictions during refits.
  • Manage multiple concurrent projects and prioritize activities based on vessel operational commitments, owner directives and commercial charter schedules.
  • Support sustainability and efficiency projects such as fuel optimization upgrades, emissions reduction retrofits and energy efficiency system installations.
  • Drive digitalization of program records and maintenance management by implementing or optimizing CMMS/ERP solutions and ensuring all technical data is digitally captured.
  • Provide mentoring and oversight to junior coordinators, apprentices and shore‑based technical staff to build team capability and succession bench strength.
  • Maintain up-to-date knowledge of technologies, suppliers and industry best practice by attending trade shows, shipyard visits and technical vendor trainings.

Secondary Functions

  • Assist with ad-hoc operational tasks such as crew movement coordination, bunkering arrangements and logistic support during project mobilization.
  • Support procurement and invoice verification in liaison with finance to expedite change order processing and reduce payment cycle times.
  • Contribute to the development of the fleet's risk register and business continuity plans related to major maintenance events.
  • Collaborate with commercial teams to align refit windows with charter schedules and reduce revenue loss during planned yard periods.
  • Participate in pre-purchase technical surveys and condition assessments when reviewing potential vessel acquisitions.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Program and project management for marine/shipyard environments — scheduling, milestone control, MS Project or equivalent.
  • Marine technical literacy across propulsion, electrical, HVAC, plumbing, structural and composite systems.
  • Budgeting, cost forecasting and commercial negotiation — experience with multi‑million dollar refits and vendor contracts.
  • Procurement and tender management — RFP creation, bid evaluation, supplier onboarding and contract administration.
  • Familiarity with maintenance management systems / CMMS (e.g., AMOS, Cetaris, Oracle NetSuite, Maintenance Connection) and ERP integration.
  • Knowledge of classification society, flag state and international maritime regulations (e.g., SOLAS, MARPOL, ISM).
  • Competence in technical documentation: scope writing, work packs, inspection checklists, and warranty files.
  • Experience in dry-docking logistics, berthing coordination and shipyard interface management.
  • Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Excel modelling, PowerPoint reporting) and digital collaboration tools (Teams, Slack, SharePoint).
  • Risk assessment, HSE management and incident investigation in shipyard and on-vessel contexts.
  • Ability to read mechanical and electrical drawings and understand basic engineering calculations.
  • Vendor performance management and KPI development.

Soft Skills

  • Strong stakeholder management with the ability to interface professionally with owners, captains and senior shipyard management.
  • Clear, concise written and verbal communication; skilled at producing executive briefings and technical reports.
  • Excellent organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple concurrent projects under changing priorities.
  • Problem-solving and rapid decision-making under pressure, particularly during at-sea emergencies or critical path delays.
  • Negotiation and commercial acumen to achieve favourable outcomes on budget and time.
  • Attention to detail and process-driven mindset to ensure compliance and quality assurance.
  • Collaborative team player who can mentor junior staff and work cross-functionally with commercial, technical and crewing teams.
  • Cultural sensitivity and diplomacy when coordinating international projects and multicultural crews.
  • Adaptability and resilience to work in fast-paced, operational environments with irregular hours during mobilizations.
  • Continuous learning orientation — keeps up with new maritime technologies, materials and supplier capabilities.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor's degree in Maritime Studies, Marine Engineering, Mechanical/Marine Engineering, Naval Architecture, Project Management, Business or related technical discipline OR equivalent vocational/industry experience.

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor’s or Master's in Maritime Management, Marine Engineering, Naval Architecture or Project Management certifications (PMP, Prince2) and industry-specific training.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Maritime / Marine Engineering
  • Naval Architecture
  • Project Management / Operations Management
  • Mechanical or Electrical Engineering
  • Business Administration / Supply Chain

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 3–8 years in yacht operations, marine project management, shipyard coordination or a related technical role; experience varies by vessel size and program complexity.

Preferred:

  • 5+ years' demonstrable experience managing refits, dry-docks or multi-vessel maintenance programs on superyachts or commercial vessels; proven track record of delivering projects on time and within budget.
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