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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Yacht Program Consultant

💰 $ - $

🎯 Role Definition

The Yacht Program Consultant is a senior, client-facing role acting as the owner's representative and program lead across newbuilds, refits and major upgrades. This role blends project management, marine engineering know-how, vendor and shipyard management, regulatory compliance and commercial control to ensure complex yacht programs are delivered to specification, schedule and budget. Ideal for professionals with proven experience in superyacht programmes, marine systems commissioning, classification society processes and stakeholder-driven communications.

Primary SEO / LLM keywords: yacht program consultant, yacht project manager, newbuild and refit manager, owner’s representative, superyacht program, yacht delivery, classification sign-off, marine systems integration, warranty management.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Yacht Project Coordinator or Assistant Project Manager (newbuild/refit)
  • Yacht Superintendent / Onboard Technical Manager
  • Marine Engineer or Naval Architect with shipyard experience

Advancement To:

  • Senior Yacht Program Manager / Head of Yacht Programs
  • Director of Newbuilds & Refits or Head of Technical Operations
  • Owner’s Representative for multiple superyacht portfolios

Lateral Moves:

  • Yacht Management Director
  • Principal Marine Surveyor or Classification Liaison

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Serve as the single point of accountability and owner’s representative for full lifecycle yacht programs (newbuilds, refits and major overhauls), coordinating shipyards, subcontractors, naval architects and suppliers to deliver projects that meet technical specifications, schedule milestones and budget constraints.
  • Develop and own the program schedule (master programme) including detailed work breakdowns, critical path analysis, milestone tracking, and mitigation plans using MS Project or Primavera; drive weekly progress reviews and escalate deviations early.
  • Establish and manage comprehensive program budgets, produce rolling forecasts, track cost-to-complete, manage contingency funds, approve cost codes and issue monthly finance reports that reconcile shipyard invoices, change orders and supplier claims.
  • Lead technical review sessions and design approvals, scrutinizing general arrangement drawings, engineering packages, systems integration plans and production drawings; ensure alignment with owner requirements and classification society rules.
  • Prepare, evaluate and negotiate tenders and contracts for shipyards, naval architects, engineering consultancies, equipment suppliers and specialist subcontractors; ensure contractual terms protect owner interests and include clear KPIs and acceptance criteria.
  • Oversee change order management (variations), ensuring commercial impact assessments, technical scope definition, schedule implications and formal approvals are documented; control scope creep through rigorous change control procedures.
  • Coordinate site supervision and shipyard interfaces including periodic onsite inspections, witness tests, stage sign-offs, quality audits and workmanship reviews to ensure compliance with specifications and industry best practice.
  • Direct commissioning and systems integration programs (electrical distribution, propulsion systems, generators, automation, HVAC, fresh water, sewage, stabilization, navigation and communication systems), authorizing pre-commissioning and full commissioning checklists and FAT/SAT activities.
  • Manage sea trials and dock trials planning and execution, define test plans and acceptance criteria, coordinate trial logistics (crew, specialists, fuel, ports) and lead debriefs to capture punch lists and performance data for final acceptance and delivery.
  • Liaise with classification societies (Lloyd’s, Bureau Veritas, ABS, RINA etc.) and flag state authorities to secure plan approvals, statutory inspections and certification; prepare dossiers and evidence packages for audits and surveys.
  • Provide technical leadership for warranty management and post-delivery rectifications, logging defects, prioritizing repairs, coordinating warranty claims with suppliers and ensuring timely resolution and sign-off.
  • Implement and enforce quality assurance and quality control frameworks, including inspection and test plans (ITP), non-conformance reporting (NCR) processes, hold point definitions and continuous improvement feedback loops with shipyard teams.
  • Conduct risk assessments and develop risk registers for program-level technical, commercial, HSE and logistics risks; define and track mitigation actions and status updates with clear ownership.
  • Facilitate cross-functional stakeholder communications and governance — prepare executive program reports, steerco materials, owner briefings and weekly dashboards with KPIs (cost to date, forecast, schedule variance, quality status).
  • Manage procurement and logistics for long-lead items and bespoke equipment — develop specs, approve vendor selections, oversee lead times, coordinate customs/imports, and ensure just-in-time delivery aligned to the build/refit schedule.
  • Oversee onboard installation supervision, alignment and finishing trades coordination during refits, ensuring interior fit-out quality, materials traceability, and adherence to owner design intent and brand standards.
  • Supervise specialist third-party inspections and commissioning teams (electrical, HVAC, tank testing, shaft alignment, vibration analysis, stabilizer setup) and integrate their reports into the program acceptance criteria.
  • Coach and manage a project team of superintendents, QA/QC inspectors, procurement coordinators and admin support; define roles, set performance objectives and facilitate development and mentoring.
  • Drive safety, environmental and regulatory compliance at yards and onboard by monitoring HSE plans, contractor permits, risk assessments, and ensuring safe working practices during hazardous activities (hot works, confined spaces).
  • Resolve disputes and technical conflicts between stakeholders (owners, shipyard, suppliers, designers) through negotiation, factual evidence and commercial judgement while safeguarding the owner’s contractual position.
  • Maintain full technical and contractual documentation control — manage project folders, RFIs, transmittals, drawings revisions, test certificates and a searchable delivery record for handover and audit readiness.
  • Prepare handover packages for vessel delivery, including technical manuals, warranties, certification bundles, spares lists, training schedules and operational handover sessions for owner’s crew and technical managers.
  • Identify continuous improvement opportunities across program delivery, adopt best-practice processes, digitization of reporting, and implement lessons learned to reduce cost and schedule overruns on subsequent projects.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis.
  • Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap.
  • Collaborate with business units to translate data needs into engineering requirements.
  • Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the data engineering team.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Proven yacht newbuild and refit program management experience (superyacht 30m+ preferred) with measurable delivery of schedules and budgets.
  • Deep working knowledge of marine systems: propulsion, diesel/electrical generation, switchboards, automation, HVAC, tank systems, stabilizers and navigation suites.
  • Experience with classification society processes and statutory certification (Lloyd’s, ABS, BV, RINA) and familiarity with flag state requirements.
  • Contract negotiation and commercial acumen: drafting/negotiating shipyard contracts, supplier agreements, and managing claims and variations.
  • Budgeting, cost control and financial reporting skills: cost forecasting, variance analysis, and invoice reconciliation with shipyards.
  • Program scheduling and CPM tools proficiency (MS Project, Primavera P6) and ability to produce critical path analyses and resource-loaded schedules.
  • Technical drawing and specification review skills; familiarity with AutoCAD, Rhino, Revit/ShipConstructor or technical drawing workflows.
  • QA/QC and ITP implementation experience, including witness/test plans and non-conformance management processes.
  • Commissioning and sea trials expertise, writing test procedures, defining acceptance criteria and leading FAT/SAT execution.
  • Procurement and supply chain management for marine equipment including RFQs, bid evaluation, and vendor quality assessment.
  • Risk management and mitigation planning with documented risk registers and contingency strategies.
  • Documentation control and systems: experience with project management platforms, transmittal logs and electronic document management systems.
  • Familiarity with warranty processes, logistics for spares provisioning and post-delivery support frameworks.
  • Understanding of marine regulatory frameworks (ISM, MLC, SOLAS where applicable) and HSE best practices onboard and in yards.

Soft Skills

  • Outstanding stakeholder management and client-facing communication — confident in briefings to owners, captains and executive steering committees.
  • Strong negotiation, conflict resolution and commercial judgement under pressure.
  • Leadership and team management with ability to mentor technical staff and enforce accountability.
  • Excellent written skills for producing executive reports, technical summaries and contract documentation.
  • Problem-solving mindset with analytical skills to identify root causes and implement corrective action.
  • Cultural sensitivity and diplomacy when working with international shipyards, subcontractors and diverse crews.
  • Time management and prioritization to manage multiple simultaneous programs and competing demands.
  • Attention to detail with a quality-first mentality and strong follow-through to closure.
  • Adaptability in fast-changing field environments and ability to travel and work on-site for extended periods.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Naval Architecture, Marine Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Project Management, or related technical discipline.

Preferred Education:

  • Master’s degree or postgraduate qualification in Naval Architecture, Marine Systems, Business Administration (MBA) or Project/Program Management certifications (PMP, Prince2).
  • Additional professional certifications in marine surveying, welding inspection (CWI) or classification-specific training advantageous.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Naval Architecture
  • Marine / Mechanical Engineering
  • Maritime Operations or Marine Systems Engineering
  • Project Management / Construction Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 6–12+ years of progressive experience in yacht newbuilds and refits, shipyard supervision or owner’s representation roles. Experience should include at least one full newbuild or major refit delivery from contract to handover.

Preferred: 8+ years with demonstrable track record in superyacht deliveries (30m–100m+), experience working with international shipyards and proven success in cost control, commissioning, and delivery under classification sign-off.

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