Business Development Chartering Manager

Patriot Contract Services•Houston, TX

12d•Hybrid

About The Position

Patriot Maritime is seeking a Business Development & Chartering Manager to drive company growth in both government and commercial sectors. This role involves identifying and pursuing new business opportunities, managing the bid/proposal process for government and commercial contracts, and serving as the lead for chartering the company's owned vessels. Additionally, the position oversees the booking and chartering of third-party commercial vessels for U.S. government cargo. The ideal candidate will be comfortable leveraging AI tools to enhance efficiency in research, analysis, and reporting. This is an on-site position with the possibility of a hybrid work schedule.

Requirements

BS in Business Management, Maritime Business/Transportation, or similar field.
Strong financial planning & Excel background; comfort building voyage estimates and P&L models.
Strong analytical background with strict attention to detail.
Comfortable using AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Claude) as part of everyday work; curiosity to learn new tools and apply them to research, analysis, and reporting.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to make effective presentations and convey reporting to stakeholders.
Ability to read, analyze, and interpret complex documents, including charter parties and government contracts.
Proficient using Microsoft Office applications.
Ability to prioritize tasks, perform detailed execution of tasks, and adapt to a changing environment.
Strong business acumen and comfort operating across both government contracting and commercial chartering environments.

Nice To Haves

MBA preferred.
Prior experience in vessel chartering, shipbroking, or commercial vessel operations strongly preferred.
Tanker/shallow draft experience a plus.
Familiarity with U.S. government maritime contracting (MSC, MARAD, USTRANSCOM) strongly preferred.
Familiarity with maritime market data platforms (e.g., Kpler, Clarksons) a plus.

Responsibilities

Assist with strategic planning, goal setting, and forecasting of sales targets and growth projections.
Prospect and research target markets, identify leads, and pursue new business opportunities in government (MSC, MARAD, USTRANSCOM) and commercial maritime segments.
Take ownership of the bid/proposal process from opportunity identification through submission, including drafting proposals, preparing presentations, and leading sales meetings.
Support the Finance team in annual operating budget and forecast processes.
Evaluate strategic options and advise leadership on new business and bid structuring.
Analyze and interpret data to provide accurate reports, utilizing AI tools for faster data processing.
Act as a liaison between the business and the accounting shared services group.
Identify business process improvement opportunities and develop solutions.
Proactively introduce AI tools and applications to improve market research, proposal drafting, and reporting.
Perform ad hoc reporting and analysis.
Maintain a strong working knowledge of U.S. government contracting frameworks (MSC, MARAD, USTRANSCOM).
Stay updated on industry developments and competitors.
Serve as the commercial chartering lead for Patriot's owned vessels, managing voyage and time charter fixtures.
Negotiate charter party terms, freight/hire rates, laytime, demurrage, and off-hire matters.
Build and maintain relationships with brokers, charterers, and commercial counterparties.
Monitor freight markets, bunker prices, vessel positions, and competing tonnage to inform fixture strategy, using AI and market data tools.
Coordinate with vessel operations, technical, and legal teams for smooth voyage execution and contract compliance.
Track and resolve commercial disputes in coordination with legal counsel and operations.
Prepare voyage estimates, P&L analysis, and post-fixture reviews.
Oversee the booking and chartering of third-party commercial vessels for U.S. government cargo, including rate iterations, CARE submissions, and coordination with intermediaries.