Manager - Marine Vessel Maintenance Trades

MANAGER - MARINE VESSEL MAINTENANCE TRADES

Location:

Cape May-Lewes Ferry, Cape May, NJ

Salary: $86,900 to $106,500 (Grade 109) (Commensurate with Skills)

Opening Date:
June 4, 2026 Closing Date:
July 4, 2026

This position reports to and assists the Assistant Port Engineer in overseeing and providing leadership for the marine vessel maintenance trades in the Vessel Maintenance Department. The individual in this position is highly skilled and capable of assisting in performing hands‑on repairs to all machinery or mechanical equipment on board all Authority vessels. Determines the priorities for the department and develops a clear action plan to deliver on those priorities.

The manager oversees several key essential trades to include welders, vessel mechanics, electrician/electronics technicians, and HVAC personnel who perform complex troubleshooting and corrective measures to ensure that overall standards of quality and timeliness are maintained often within a tight timeframe to keep the vessels in safe operation for the transporting of customers. This position has considerable discretion to determine and direct preventive and corrective maintenance work with both subordinate employees and external subcontractors.

Responsible for project planning, personnel assignments, and budgetary control and monitoring. May be called on to contribute on key Authority‑wide teams to help determine the future needs and direction of the organization.

• Sets overall priorities and performance standards for assigned areas and assigned vessel maintenance trades personnel.
• Supervises the day‑to‑day maintenance and repair of the vessels and participates and directs engine overhauls.
• Assigns personnel with proper skills to various repairs or tasks, delivering the highest quality maintenance while also providing value and good stewardship of Authority resources. Manages personnel across multiple trades to include diesel and electromechanical engine mechanics, electrician and electronics technicians, welders, and marine HVAC.
• Able to troubleshoot and propose courses of action to be performed for emergency repair of a variety of shipboard systems including diesel engines, generators, hydraulics, electrical, pneumatic, and plumbing.
• Manages resources across all assigned areas and oversees the supervision of personnel in assigned area, which includes work allocation, training, and problem resolution; evaluates performance and makes recommendations for personnel actions; motivates employees to achieve peak productivity and performance.
• Seeks to balance quality and cost in all purchases required by the department; follows all Authority guidelines for purchase approvals, as well as scope development and solicitation of bids, and manages vendor relationships according to Authority guidelines, often involving acquisition of industry limited supplies for aging equipment.
• Oversees and executes annual and monthly preventative maintenance plans; directs seasonal servicing of equipment, systems, and infrastructure. Develops and implements systems to maintain records on equipment, inventories, and preventative maintenance activities. Responsible for coordinating maintenance with other departments, and overseeing work on vessels for quality, efficiency, and safety.
• Interfaces with regulatory and government agencies, vendors, contractors, and customers on matters related to maintenance.
• Oversees training and ensures compliance with established policies, procedures, and regulations.
• May attend inter‑departmental staff meetings.
• Participates in development, implementation and maintenance of policies, objectives, short‑and long‑range planning; develops and implements projects and programs to assist in accomplishment of established goals.
• Participates in environmental and safety planning and compliance within policies and regulations to include the execution of mandated inspection processes.
• Provides the highest level of customer service and professionalism to all internal and external customers.

• Knowledge of management principles and maintenance practices,…