Port Operations Manager - USA & Caribbean

MSC Cruises•Miami, FL

6d•Hybrid

About The Position

MSC Cruises, the world’s third largest cruise line brand, is expanding its Port Operations organization in the United States. Reporting to the Director of Itinerary Planning & Port Operations, the Port Operations Manager – USA & Caribbean is responsible for the planning, coordination, governance, and execution of port operations services across assigned ports in the United States and Caribbean. The role ensures that all port services supporting vessel calls are operationally feasible, aligned with a high-quality guest experience, and cost-efficient, contributing to both long-term operations planning and seamless day-of-operation execution. Acting as the primary port operational integrator for the USA & Caribbean, the position works in close coordination with the UK management and operations center while leading local execution. This position collaborates with shipboard teams, U.S. shoreside functions, global Fleet Operations, ship agents, port stakeholders, and other internal and external partners in the planning and execution of each port call, while overseeing local vendors delivering port services. The role also supports the operational budgeting cycle by ensuring that port cost assumptions and operational requirements are properly reflected in annual planning. This includes maintaining awareness of port tariff updates, contractual rate escalations, and other operational cost drivers, while ensuring that both routine port calls and special operational scenarios are identified and collectively planned during the budget build-up process. This is a hybrid role requiring four days per week in the Miami office. (+ travel) The role oversees the operational execution of turnaround and transit port calls across assigned ports on areas related to ship agent, stevedoring, security screening, and overall port logistics ensuring terminal readiness, labor coordination, regulatory clearance and alignment with sailing schedules. The position works closely with shipboard command and UK opeations teams to support complex or high-visibility operations including inaugural calls, inspections, charters and extended port stays. The Port Operations Manager supports operational feasibility analysis for port itinerary planning and vessel deployment by evaluating berth availability, operational requirements such as loading/unloading of ship stores, terminal capacity and regulatory requirements. The role supports the UK Port Operations team with any request for gangways and pier assessments and follows up on any port infrastructure issues on their request. The Port Operations Manager supports the development of operational budgets by maintaining up-to-date knowledge of port tariffs, published rate adjustments, contractual escalations, and other port service cost drivers across assigned ports. The role ensures that operational planning assumptions used during the budgeting cycle reflect current port conditions and operational requirements. A key responsibility of the role is ensuring that special operational days are proactively identified and planned well in advance during the budget cycle. These scenarios often carry different operational and cost implications compared to standard port calls and therefore require coordinated planning across relevant teams. Examples include repositioning cruises, pre- and post-dry dock sailings, charter operations, terminal changes within the same homeport, tender operations, additional tug requirements, and other operational variations. By coordinating these scenarios early with operations, marine, commercial and finance stakeholders, the role ensures operational feasibility, cost efficiency and alignment with approved budget assumptions. The role maintains operational relationships with harbor pilots, port authorities, terminal operators, tug operators, ship agents and local vendors to ensure that port services are delivered in accordance with company standards and ready to support UK operations team with any request. The position coordinates closely with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, port security authorities and immigration agencies across the Caribbean to ensure regulatory compliance and support resolution of guest, crew or vessel related matters in conjunction with the relevant operations team. The Port Operations Manager also coordinates stevedoring services, security services , provisions logistics, baggage handling, and ship stores. The role contributes to irregular operations and crisis response planning by providing operational expertise to manage all unplanned port services related to weather disruptions, port closures, schedule changes or infrastructure constraints. The position partners with Commercial and Port Contracting teams by providing operational requirements and performance insights supporting negotiations and long-term port relationships. The Port Operations Manager collaborates with cross-functional departments including Marine Operations, Guest Operations, Human Resources, Medical, Supply Chain, Security, Crew Movements, Finance, and Deployment Planning to plan and execute the port services required by these teams, ensuring all needs are effectively coordinated and delivered, particularly those facilitated through ship agents. The role may represent MSC Cruises at port meetings, industry events and relevant operational forums as required.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Maritime Studies, Logistics, Transportation, Business Administration or related field preferred.
Minimum 5–8 years of experience in cruise operations, port operations, maritime logistics or related maritime environment.
Strong understanding of cruise port operations, vessel turnaround logistics and marine service coordination.
Experience coordinating with port authorities, ship agents and maritime service providers.
Ability to work effectively in a global matrix organization and coordinate across shipboard and shoreside teams.
Strong analytical, organizational and stakeholder management skills.
Ability to manage multiple operational priorities and respond effectively in dynamic operational environments.
Willingness to travel domestically and internationally as operational needs require.
US Passport or US Permanent Resident

Responsibilities

planning, coordination, governance, and execution of port operations services across assigned ports in the United States and Caribbean
ensuring that all port services supporting vessel calls are operationally feasible, aligned with a high-quality guest experience, and cost-efficient
acting as the primary port operational integrator for the USA & Caribbean
supporting the operational budgeting cycle by ensuring that port cost assumptions and operational requirements are properly reflected in annual planning
overseeing the operational execution of turnaround and transit port calls across assigned ports
supporting operational feasibility analysis for port itinerary planning and vessel deployment
supporting the development of operational budgets by maintaining up-to-date knowledge of port tariffs, published rate adjustments, contractual escalations, and other port service cost drivers across assigned ports
ensuring that special operational days are proactively identified and planned well in advance during the budget cycle
maintaining operational relationships with harbor pilots, port authorities, terminal operators, tug operators, ship agents and local vendors
coordinating closely with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, port security authorities and immigration agencies across the Caribbean
coordinating stevedoring services, security services , provisions logistics, baggage handling, and ship stores
contributing to irregular operations and crisis response planning
partnering with Commercial and Port Contracting teams
collaborating with cross-functional departments
representing MSC Cruises at port meetings, industry events and relevant operational forums as required