Head of Safety and Compliance – Passenger Vessel Operations

Job Description

Location: London
Salary: Competitive –  depending on experience
Contract: Permanent
Working arrangements: Primarily on-site, with the opportunity to work from home one day per week
Eligibility: Applicants must have the right to live and work in the UK.

Jobs in Maritime is recruiting a Head of Safety and Compliance on behalf of an established passenger vessel operator in London.

This is a senior leadership opportunity for an experienced maritime safety professional to lead marine and shore-side safety, oversee regulatory compliance and act as the company’s Designated Person (DP).

The Role

Reporting to the Operations Director, you will take ownership of the Safety Management System and lead relationships with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), Port of London Authority (PLA), Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) and other relevant authorities.

You will manage the safety and compliance team, including the Safety and Compliance Manager, who acts as Deputy DP, and the Marine Training Manager. Working closely with Operations and Engineering, you will promote an open, fair safety culture where colleagues feel confident raising concerns and learning from incidents.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as Designated Person, maintaining the link between vessels and shore management, with direct access to the Managing Director.
• Maintain and continually improve the Safety Management System in accordance with the MCA’s Domestic Safety Management (DSM) Code.
• Lead regulatory engagement, inspections, surveys and audits.
• Work with Operations and Engineering to support safe, compliant and reliable vessel operations.
• Set standards for marine crew competence, training and fitness for duty.
• Oversee health and safety across piers, offices and contractor activities.
• Lead incident and near-miss investigations, ensuring effective reporting, corrective action and shared learning.
• Manage the safety and compliance team and associated budget.

Essential Experience and Skills

• Significant senior experience in passenger vessel operations or marine safety management.
• Practical experience working under the DSM or ISM Code, including MCA surveys and audits.
• DP or DPA training, or willingness to complete this within six months.
• Experience managing health and safety within shore-side or multi-site operations.
• Experience leading investigations, including incidents reportable to the MAIB.
• Proven people management and budget management experience.
• The credibility to work effectively with Masters, crew and regulators, and the confidence to challenge at senior management level.

Desirable Qualifications and Experience

• Master’s Certificate of Competency or Boatmaster’s Licence.
• Previous experience as a DP or DPA.
• NEBOSH General Certificate or equivalent.
• Lead auditor qualification.
• River Thames, inland waterways or coastal passenger vessel experience.
• Experience using Helm CONNECT or similar marine management software.

Apply

To apply or arrange a confidential discussion, please send your CV to sezen@jobsinmaritime.com.

Applicants must have the right to live and work in the UK.

We welcome applications from all backgrounds. Candidates will be assessed fairly against the skills, qualifications and experience required for the role.