Assistant Shipping Operations Manager

Job Purpose:Assistant Vessel Operations Manager is accountable for the end-to-end operational performance of the owned tanker fleet. The role owns the Operations function, its strategy, team, budget, governance, and external relationships and serves as the primary bridge between daily voyage execution and the company's commercial and financial objectives. The Vessel Operations Manager ensures the fleet's operational execution is efficiently handled, charter party obligations and entitlements are actively managed, the Operations team is developed and high performing, and the function operates as a reliable, commercially intelligent partner to Chartering, Technical, and senior management. This role involves coordinating with all relevant stakeholders to ensure timely and efficient operation management of the fleet.Key Responsibilities:Define, own, and continuously improve the fleet operations strategy. Supporting Vessel deployment frameworks, off-hire minimization policy, commercial response protocols, and CP management standards.Govern fleet-wide voyage performance: monitor KPIs across all vessels (availability, off-hire, demurrage accruals, bunker variance, laytime status) and instruct corrective action.Act as the commercial authority layer above Shipping Operators — review and approve LOIs, per threshold PDAs/FDAs, non-standard CP deviations, and settlement proposals within the company's delegation of authority matrix.Ensure charter party obligations are met and commercial entitlements are actively protected across all active fixtures; maintain fleet-level CP governance discipline.Implement, maintain, and enforce operational procedures and policies fleet-wide; ensure consistency of practice across the Operations team.Ensure timely and accurate handling of BL/LOI/NOR/SOF/logs/notes of protest and other voyage documents, maintaining complete operational records to support invoicing, claims and compliance.Monitor vessel positions, ETAs, and live operational situations daily; ensure the team has clear priorities and direction at all times.Commercial Management & Dispute ResolutionOversee demurrage claims fleet-wide: monitor aging, approve settlements per threshold, and personally lead negotiations on high-value disputes.Provide the Chartering team with structured, pre & post-fixture feedback on charter party clause language; attend pre-fixture discussions where operational constraints are material to fixture strategy.Govern bunker procurement strategy for the fleet, ensure cost, timing, and sustainability targets are met in coordination with Freight Traders.Oversee freight invoicing accuracy and timely cost recovery; identify and address systemic billing or recovery gaps.Handle escalated commercial situations from Shipping Operator — cargo contamination, vessel detention, charterer off-hire threats, contested NORs — with speed and sound commercial judgment.Monitor sanctions, regulatory, and trade compliance exposure; ensure all fleet operations remain within applicable legal and policy boundariesQualifications & ExperienceBachelor's degree in Maritime Studies, Supply Chain, Business, or a related field (required).MBA or postgraduate qualification in maritime management or business administration (Plus).Minimum 7–8 years in tanker shipping operations or post-fixture roles.Minimum 2–3 years as Senior Shipping Operator or equivalent senior operations capacity.Demonstrated experience managing a team of Operators and holding them accountable for commercial outcomes.Experience owning or co-owning an operations budget in a tanker trading environment.Seagoing experience on tanker vessels is a significant advantage. Sailing Experience is a PLUS.