Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Yacht Program Manager

🎯 Role Definition

The Yacht Program Manager is the primary program-level leader responsible for planning, executing and delivering one or multiple yacht projects (new builds and/or refits) on time, on budget, and in accordance with the owner's requirements, classification society standards and flag state regulations. This role integrates technical management, commercial control, yard liaison, supplier coordination, quality assurance and owner-facing communications. The ideal candidate brings deep marine engineering or naval architecture knowledge, proven program/project management experience in superyacht programs, strong commercial acumen, and exceptional stakeholder management skills.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Senior Yacht Project Manager or Senior Technical Manager
Marine / Naval Architect with program delivery experience
Shipyard Project Manager or Refits Operations Manager

Advancement To:

Head of Program Delivery / Director of Yacht Programs
VP of Operations (Yachting / Marine Services)
Chief Technical Officer for a yacht owner/operator or shipbuilding group

Lateral Moves:

Fleet Technical Manager / Yacht Technical Manager
Commercial Program Director / Contracts Director

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Lead end-to-end program delivery for one or multiple yacht projects (new build and/or refit), producing and managing the master program plan, integrated schedule, milestones, gating criteria and critical path across engineering, outfitting, commissioning and delivery phases.
Own program financials: develop and control program budgets (CAPEX), forecasts, cashflow plans and cost-to-complete analysis; identify cost drivers, manage change orders and approve/reconcile supplier and yard invoices against contractual milestones.
Serve as the single point of accountability for on-site shipyard/yard relationships: negotiate and manage yard contracts, performance KPIs, resource allocation, subcontractor coordination and escalation of non-conforming work.
Manage commercial contracts and variations: prepare, review and negotiate work scopes, change orders, contractual claims, delivery terms, penalties, warranties and retainage in partnership with legal and commercial teams.
Define, oversee and verify QA/QC processes and material acceptance criteria; run technical inspections, milestone inspections, shop tests and witness critical assembly and system integration activities to ensure compliance with specifications and class rules.
Coordinate technical teams and external specialists (naval architects, systems integrators, MEP engineers, outfitters) to resolve design queries, engineering change requests and constructability issues while maintaining traceability and configuration control.
Plan and manage commissioning, harbor and full-speed sea trials including test plans, acceptance criteria, performance measurements, troubleshooting and defect lists; manage sea trial logistics, third-party witnesses and classification society attendance.
Act as the primary owner liaison: translate owner requirements into program deliverables, provide regular status updates, manage expectations, respond to technical queries and guide decision-making through design reviews and milestone signoffs.
Ensure regulatory and classification compliance: manage interactions with classification societies (ABS, Lloyd's, DNV, RINA, etc.) and flag state authorities, coordinate surveys, certificates and plan approvals to maintain class compliance and statutory certification schedules.
Implement and maintain a robust risk management framework for the program: identify, quantify and mitigate technical, commercial and schedule risks; develop contingency plans and maintain a live risk register and mitigation tracker.
Oversee procurement strategy and supplier management: define procurement schedules, approve long-lead purchases, manage vendor selection, performance and deliveries, and ensure supply chain traceability for critical equipment (engines, generators, stabilization, HVAC, navigation).
Lead warranty and post-delivery support: manage defect lists, warranty claims, corrective action plans and coordination of in-service support; track root cause analysis and continuous improvement actions to minimize repeat issues.
Maintain accurate program documentation and configuration management: manage drawing revisions, IFRs/ICRs, FAT/HAT documentation, commissioning records, technical manuals, spares lists and as-built documentation for handover.
Drive change control and engineering change management: evaluate proposed changes for impact on cost, schedule and performance; facilitate approval workflows and ensure timely implementation with full documentation.
Coordinate interdisciplinary build meetings, weekly steering committee updates and cross-functional workshops to ensure alignment between engineering, procurement, commercial, quality and operations teams.
Monitor and report on program KPIs and performance metrics: schedule adherence, budget variance, open items/defects, supplier performance, and owner satisfaction; prepare executive-level dashboards and board-level briefings.
Ensure health, safety and environmental compliance on-site: enforce yard HSE procedures, participate in safety reviews, incident investigations and contractor safety approvals; promote a safety-first culture across the program.
Lead and mentor program and technical staff: recruit, develop and manage multi-disciplined teams including project engineers, site superintendents and commissioning leads; set objectives, perform performance reviews and build bench strength.
Manage logistics and staging for long-lead and critical equipment, oversized cargoes and spares; coordinate customs, transport, temporary storage and insured shipment to support uninterrupted program progress.
Oversee systems integration and FATs: coordinate FAT/HAT schedules for propulsion, automation, navigation, communication, electrical distribution and HVAC; resolve interface issues and validate integrated system performance.
Prepare and administer program-level proposals, bids, and tender responses; support business development by providing buildability input, cost estimates, delivery timelines and technical due diligence for potential projects.
Drive supplier and subcontractor improvements through performance reviews, corrective action plans and capability assessments; secure warranties, service agreements and spare part commitments that support lifecycle ownership.
Liaise with internal finance and accounting teams to ensure program revenue recognition, invoicing, milestone billing and reconciliations are accurate and aligned with contractual terms.
Maintain continuous improvement mindset: capture lessons learned from each program phase, update processes, templates and playbooks to improve predictability and reduce delivery risk on future yacht programs.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc owner or executive data requests, package executive summaries and ROI analyses related to program decisions.
Contribute to the organization's yacht program delivery strategy and continuous improvement roadmap; propose standardization opportunities and efficiency gains across builds and refits.
Collaborate with business units to translate commercial objectives into program requirements, resource plans and operational readiness activities.
Participate in sprint planning and agile-style ceremonies for multidisciplinary workstreams where applicable; apply agile practices to accelerate decision cycles and issue resolution.
Provide input to marketing and client relations on program capability, timelines and technical differentiators for new business pursuits.
Occasionally represent the company at industry conferences, classification workshops and supplier forums to maintain market presence and technical networks.
Provide mentoring and practical training to junior technical managers, project engineers and site supervisors on best practices for program execution.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Program and Project Management (MS Project, Primavera P6, Smartsheet or equivalent) with experience managing multi-million-dollar, multi-disciplinary yacht programs.
Strong marine engineering and naval architecture knowledge including hull form, stability, structures, propulsion systems, shafting, gearboxes and steering systems.
Deep understanding of MEP systems: electrical distribution, switchboards, generators, switchgear, automation, HVAC, plumbing and fresh water systems.
Experience with classification society requirements and processes (ABS, Lloyd's, DNV, RINA), flag state certification and statutory inspections.
Proven track record managing commissioning, FAT/HAT and sea trials for complex vessels; ability to define and execute test protocols and acceptance criteria.
Contract management and commercial skills: drafting, negotiating and managing contracts, change orders, claims and warranty terms.
Supplier and procurement expertise: long-lead procurement, vendor evaluation, supply chain management and spares provisioning.
Strong QA/QC and inspection skills; familiarity with non-conformance reporting, root cause analysis, corrective actions and supplier audits.
Technical documentation and configuration control experience: drawing management (AutoCAD/ShipConstructor/REVIT), document control systems and as-built compilation.
Financial acumen: budget creation and management, cost control, forecasting, CAPEX/OPEX analysis and milestone billing.
Experience with systems integration and troubleshooting for navigation, communication, stabilization and automation suites.
Familiarity with safety standards, environmental regulations and on-site HSE management practices for shipyards.
Proficiency with ERP systems (SAP preferred) and Microsoft Office suite (Excel modeling, PowerPoint reporting).
Knowledge of spare parts strategies, lifecycle cost planning and warranty logistics.
Experience conducting risk assessments, maintaining risk registers and implementing mitigation action plans.

Soft Skills

Exceptional stakeholder management and client-facing communication; skilled at translating technical complexity into clear owner-level updates.
Strong leadership and team management; ability to inspire multidisciplinary teams in high-pressure delivery environments.
Excellent negotiation and influencing skills with yards, suppliers and subcontractors to achieve favorable terms and timely deliverables.
Decisive problem-solving and crisis management capability; calm under pressure and able to prioritize competing demands.
High attention to detail with systematic approach to quality and compliance.
Project-oriented planner with strong organizational skills and bias for measurable outcomes.
Cultural sensitivity and diplomacy; experience working across international teams and multicultural yards.
Continuous improvement mindset with an ability to capture lessons learned and institutionalize best practices.
Strong written communication skills for producing technical reports, status memoranda, and handover documentation.
Ability to travel extensively and operate effectively on-site for extended periods across different geographies and time zones.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's degree in Naval Architecture, Marine Engineering, Mechanical Engineering or closely related technical field.

Preferred Education:

Master's degree in Naval Architecture, Marine Engineering, Project Management, or MBA.
Professional certifications such as PMP, Prince2 Practitioner, or equivalent project management certification.
Additional marine qualifications (Yachtmaster Offshore, STCW awareness, classification-specific training) are advantageous.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Naval Architecture
Marine / Mechanical Engineering
Electrical or Systems Engineering
Project Management / Business Administration
Marine Operations / Maritime Studies

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

8–15+ years of progressive experience in marine project/program management, with at least 5 years leading superyacht new-builds or major refits.

Preferred:

10+ years managing complex yacht programs with demonstrable on-site shipyard leadership, direct experience with classification societies, commissioning and sea trials, and a track record of delivering high-value projects on time and on budget.