Shipyard Contractor & Trade Partner Integration

Saronic Technologies is a leader in revolutionizing autonomy at sea, dedicated to developing state-of-the-art solutions that enhance maritime operations through autonomous and intelligent platforms.

Job Overview

The Director of Contractor & Trade Partner Integration owns the performance, onboarding, safety, and quality execution of all external labor, specialty trades, and subcontractors supporting shipyard operations. This role ensures contract workforce activity is fully aligned with internal production, safety, quality, and schedule expectations.

The Director is accountable for preventing misalignment between internal teams and contract labor by establishing clear standards, disciplined onboarding, and strong field-level integration. Success in this role ensures contractors operate as an extension of the yard, not as parallel or disconnected organizations.

Responsibilities

* Contractor & Trade Partner Integration

* Own integration of all external labor, specialty trades, and subcontractors into shipyard operations

* Establish clear expectations for contractor performance, supervision, and accountability

* Ensure contractors are aligned with yard standards for safety, quality, productivity, and conduct

* Act as the primary escalation point for contractor performance issues impacting production

* Onboarding & Standards Deployment

* Design and enforce standardized onboarding for all contractors, including:

* Safety orientation and site-specific requirements

* Quality expectations and workmanship standards

* Work rules, access controls, and communication protocols

* Ensure contractors understand how work is planned, sequenced, and released in the yard

* Prevent gaps between contract scope language and actual execution requirements

* Safety & Compliance Alignment

* Partner with EHS to ensure contractor compliance with:

* Shipyard safety rules and procedures

* Permit-to-work systems (hot work, confined space, work at height)

* SIMOPS coordination and exclusion zones

* Ensure contractor supervision actively manages safety execution on the deck plates

* Support incident investigations involving contract labor and drive corrective actions

* Quality & Workmanship Control

* Partner with Quality and Production to ensure contractor work meets yard standards

* Ensure contractor crews are qualified for assigned scopes (welding, coatings, electrical, etc.)

* Own prevention of rework caused by poor contractor integration or unclear expectations

* Support inspections, punch list resolution, and acceptance activities

* Performance Management & Accountability

* Establish contractor performance metrics tied to:

* Safety outcomes

* Quality and rework

* Schedule adherence

* Productivity and workforce reliability

* Lead regular contractor performance reviews and improvement plans

* Support decisions related to contractor continuation, expansion, or removal

* Cross-Functional Coordination

* Coordinate closely with Production, Planning, Quality, EHS, and Procurement

* Ensure contractor scopes are sequenced properly with internal work

* Prevent conflict between internal crews and external labor by clarifying ownership and interfaces

* Support rapid resolution of field-level issues impacting schedule

* Team Leadership & Governance

* Lead contractor integration managers, coordinators, or field representatives

* Establish governance models for contractor usage, oversight, and escalation

* Develop internal capability to manage contract labor at scale

Qualifications

* Required Qualifications

* Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Industrial Management, or related discipline

* 10+ years experience in shipyard, heavy industrial, or construction environments

* 5+ years experience managing subcontractors, specialty trades, or contract labor programs

* Demonstrated experience integrating external labor into active production environments

* Strong understanding of:

* Shipyard or industrial safety requirements

* Quality and workmanship standards

* Multi-trade production sequencing and interfaces

* Proven ability to resolve contractor performance issues without disrupting production

* Experience leading cross-functional teams and field-level execution

*…