Join Australia’s largest land and marine transport service provider and tourism operator in the beautiful, tropical city of Darwin in the Northern Territory.

SeaLink Northern Territory is seeking a highly motivated and experienced Operations Manager to lead our growing team. As Operations Manager, you will be responsible for overseeing and managing the day-to-day activities related to vessel, bus and touring operations, logistics, crew management, and safety compliance.

About Us

Kelsian Group, formerly the SeaLink Travel Group, is Australia’s largest land and marine, tourism, and public transport service provider with established international operations in Singapore and the UK.

As at 31 December 2022, Kelsian directly employs 9,223 people and operates 3,991 buses, 113 vessels and 24 light rail vehicles that delivered more than 257 million customer journeys over the last year.

Based in Darwin and operating across various locations in the Top End, with over 35 staff, as a part of Kelsian Group, SeaLink Northern Territory is a fast-growing business and a prominent ferry and tour operator in the region, operating daily 13 daily ferry services to Mandorah, 3 ferry services weekly to the Tiwi Islands and daily ferry and bus services in the Groote Eylandt region as well as various other tours and charters.

Key Responsibilities of the role:

• Managing and supervising the marine & tourism operations teams, including vessel crews, bus drivers, tour guides, and logistics personnel
• Ensuring that all vessels and vehicles are operated in compliance with company policies and procedures, as well as local, state, and federal laws and regulations
• Communicating with internal staff, vendors, and customers to ensure smooth operations and customer satisfaction
• Developing and implementing strategies to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance safety performance
• Developing and implementing safety training programs and monitoring compliance with safety regulations
• Providing timely and accurate operational reports to senior management
• Monitoring industry trends and recommending changes to policies and procedures to remain competitive and up-to-date

These key requirements will be complimented by experience and skills in the following areas:

• Minimum of 5 years experience in a marine operations management role, preferably in the transport or tourism industries
• Strong leadership and people management skills
• Excellent communication and problem-solving skills
• Comprehensive knowledge of marine regulations and industry standards
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and other relevant software programs

About the role

The Operations Manager reports to the General Manager and is a key leadership position of SeaLink Northern Territory.

The Operations Manager is responsible for operation of daily ferry and bus services and tour operations. This role will ensure that SeaLink maintains excellence in safety, reliability and customer service at all times, whilst controlling costs, increasing profit and developing high team engagement and retention. Management of workforce planning, including roster scheduling and negotiation skills of its change with internal and external stakeholders in a timely and efficient manner, is one of the essential key roles.

This leadership position is responsible for communication, development and performance of operational staff.

The Operations Manager will analyse all aspects of our marine operations to streamline processes, identify business improvements, increase the knowledge and skill base of our team, increase sales via the cafes and improve product delivery and customer engagement.

There is a strong focus on compliance with safety legislation for marine and land based operations.

This is a leadership position and a high level of interpersonal skills, business acumen, financial understanding, customer focus and task orientation is required to ensure success. It is an expectation that this person has a high level of communication skills including coaching and conflict resolution. Effective written and verbal communication skills are essential to this position.

As the business operates 365 days a year, flexibility and availability is essential to ensure operations are performing at a high level outside normal business hours.

If this sounds like your dream job, we encourage you to apply!

How to Apply

Click APPLY and fill in as much information as you can in the track record section of the application, paying close attention to each question.

We request your resume and a cover letter explaining why you are the best person for this position.

Applications close 5 pm on 7 April 2023

Shortlisting for this position will commence immediately and the position may close earlier than stated if we have found a suitable candidate.

Kelsian aims to provide meaningful and sustainable employment opportunities that are free from barriers, support and celebrate the diverse talents of our team members, improve awareness of the value of diversity and inclusion across our organisation, and enable our leaders to champion diversity and inclusion.