Senior Project Manager

Hornblower Group is a global leader in experience and transportation, spanning a 100-year history with a portfolio of international offerings including water- and land-based experiences, ferry and transportation services, vessel maintenance, and logistics. The company operates in over 10 countries, 50 U.S. cities, and serves more than 20 million guests annually.

About the role

The Senior Project Manager leads complex new construction, vessel renovation, ship repair, and development projects from planning through final closeout. This role provides senior-level project leadership, customer representation, commercial and financial oversight, risk management, cross-functional coordination, on-site inspections, and project control. The Senior Project Manager independently manages multiple projects, mentors Project Managers and Coordinators, and ensures projects are delivered safely, on schedule, within budget, and in accordance with contractual and regulatory requirements.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary point of accountability for assigned complex vessel construction, repair, refit, and development projects from initiation through closeout.
• Manage new construction, repair, refit, and renovation projects for yachts, commercial vessels, government vessels, and other marine or special projects.
• Lead multiple projects concurrently, establishing project execution plans, priorities, schedules, budgets, staffing requirements, milestones, and deliverables.
• Create, maintain, and actively manage detailed project schedules using Microsoft Project or other approved software; identify critical-path activities and implement recovery plans when required.
• Own project financial performance, including labor costs, material and subcontractor expenses, committed costs, forecasts, cash flow, margin performance, and final project profitability.
• Provide regular executive-level project reporting, including schedule status, cost performance, risks, opportunities, change orders, customer issues, and recommended corrective actions.
• Lead project risk management by identifying technical, commercial, schedule, regulatory, and execution risks and developing mitigation plans.
• Lead customer communication and maintain strong professional relationships with vessel owners, operators, brokers, consultants, regulatory agencies, subcontractors, and key vendors.
• Maintain a customer-service-oriented approach throughout the project lifecycle, addressing concerns in a timely manner while balancing schedule, cost, quality, safety, and contractual requirements.
• Organize and lead internal, customer, on-site, and virtual project meetings; establish action items, assign ownership, and ensure timely follow-through.
• Coordinate engineering, production, procurement, finance, contracts, quality, safety, and regulatory activities to ensure alignment with project requirements.
• Review contract requirements, specifications, drawings, work packages, inspection reports, and technical documentation to confirm scope, schedule, quality, and compliance requirements.
• Lead the development and review of project proposals, RFP responses, tenders, budgets, estimates, cash flows, preliminary schedules, and execution strategies for new business opportunities.
• Manage contract administration, including Letters of Intent, Purchase Orders, subcontract agreements, contract execution logs, notices, change orders, claims documentation, and commercial correspondence.
• Proactively identify out-of-scope work and commercial changes; develop pricing and supporting documentation and drive timely customer approval of change orders.
• Lead negotiations with vendors, suppliers, subcontractors, and customers to protect project schedule, cost, quality, and company commercial interests.
• Plan and procure Owner Furnished Equipment and major project materials, monitor long-lead items, and coordinate delivery requirements with engineering, production, and customers.
• Evaluate progress and quality of work performed by designers, contractors, subcontractors, and internal production teams; escalate performance concerns and implement corrective actions.
• Conduct vessel arrival and condition inspections and work with the project team to identify additional work, repair needs, and potential customer work-list opportunities.
• Ensure project documentation, cost records, schedules, correspondence, technical submittals, inspection records, and project data are controlled throughout the project lifecycle.
• Coordinate with regulatory bodies and classification societies, including USCG and ABS, to support inspections, testing, approvals, trials, and project completion requirements.
• Lead commissioning, testing, sea trials, delivery, substantial completion, punch-list resolution, warranty transition, and final project closeout activities.
• Prepare substantial completion certificates and ensure all final documentation, as-built information, warranties, manuals, regulatory approvals, and closeout records are obtained and properly filed.
• Mentor and provide guidance to Project Managers and project support personnel; promote consistent project management processes, accountability, communication, and best practices.
• Support department leadership with resource planning, workload prioritization, project assignment recommendations, process improvement, and development of project management standards.
• Act as a senior representative of Hornblower Marine in customer and project matters and exercise sound independent judgment when resolving project issues and making time-sensitive decisions.
• Travel to project sites within the U.S. and internationally as needed.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• BS in a technical discipline or equivalent work experience is required; an advanced degree in a technical discipline associated with vessel construction or ship repair (e.g., marine engineering) is preferred.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive shipyard, vessel construction, vessel repair, or marine project management experience, including experience leading complex projects.
• Demonstrated experience independently managing complex marine projects, including detailed schedules, budgets, forecasts, change orders, subcontractors, regulatory requirements, and project closeout.
• PMP certification or equivalent project management credential is strongly preferred.
• Understanding of aluminum, steel, wood, and fiberglass vessel design and construction.
• Familiarity with classification society rules (e.g., ABS, USCG).
• Familiarity with current passenger vessel regulations (e.g., USCG T & K boat regulations).
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Demonstrated leadership experience working in a cross-functional operational environment and mentoring project team members.
• Experience with Word, Excel, and organizational documentation/file management systems.
• Proven ability to communicate with senior leadership, customers, regulatory representatives, technical teams, and production personnel.
• Strong knowledge of project financial management, contract administration, change-order management, forecasting, and commercial negotiations.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment.
• Valid driver’s license.
• Ability to board vessels, enter confined spaces with limited visibility, and climb stairs and/or ladders of varying heights to complete inspections.
• Must submit to and pass alcohol and drug tests as mandated by the USCG, including pre-employment, random, reasonable suspicion, and post-accident/incident testing.