Fleet HR Crewing Manager

Job Introduction

As a Group, Saga is taking to the seas in our brand new, luxury cruise ships, leading the market with innovative insurance products, and creating thousands of unforgettable memories for our loyal holidaymakers who are at the heart of the Saga brand.

As Fleet HR Crewing Manager, you’ll be an integral part of our Saga Cruises HR team.

This is a great opportunity to gain new build experience, and as our ships are of a boutique, luxury size, you'll have the ability to really dedicate more time to the individuals on board. As our Fleet HR team is a newly established team, there is also a need to further streamline processes and procedures. You'll be able to develop your current employee relation knowledge as you'll assist with a wide range of ER issues.   

In this role, you’ll have responsibility to ensure, as the ship owner, that our interests are properly represented, and policies are adhered to by our offshore manning agents and technical partners. This will include responsibility for the life cycle of all Hotel and Entertainment Officers onboard our ships from hiring, rotating and career development whilst monitoring compliance, logistics and payroll.

This diverse role represents a different view of human resources and acts on behalf of the ship owner and the employer and so you will work on a daily basis with a number of stakeholders including offshore employers and their UK representatives to support a great customer experience through customer orientated Officers and Crew. You'll be critical in bringing the 'Saga Way' to life within Saga Cruises onboard the ships.

You’ll bring a passion for the cruising industry and experience of workforce planning including recruitment, rotating/scheduling man power. You'll have a basic understanding of best practice HR and associated HR policies and procedures, and be an experienced influencer who adopts tact and diplomacy.

And in return, you can look forward to all of the responsibility and involvement of an integral role, providing you with a rewarding and fast paced career with an excellent benefits package including life assurance, pension, high street and online discounts, and concessions for holidays and travel.

Role Responsibility

• Managing on board recruitment processes with support from the Fleet HR Administrator, including interviewing prospective candidates for all Officer and Ratings positions; inductions, training and travel logistics of all related teams
• Assisting in collation of annual pay reviews
• Creating and managing officer schedules 18 months in advance for Hotel, Entertainment and Shore Excursions whilst also monitoring our concession partners. This will include monitoring performance, onboard promotions, career progression and succession planning
• Forecasting recruitment requirements in advance and ensuring all compliance of all new hires, ensuring they have appropriate documents and training to join
• Supervise crewing agencies and onboard management to track and minimise turnover and monitor crew welfare
• Liaise with our third parties to create an excellent working relationship and an efficient service to all crew on board who fully understand the Saga Way
• Accountable for the timely delivery of appraisals and improvement notices for on board hotel services personnel, including reviewing and auditing the various onboard appraisal systems and procedures making sure that they are effective and make recommendations for improvements and identify training needs where appropriate
• Manage up/down-manning of vessels including those going into refit or out of service
• Ensure crew travel, logistics and accommodation are organised and purchased efficiently in order to meet budgetary requirements, through oversight of Fleet HR Admin and Logistics activity
• Assist Fleet HR Training and Logistics coordinator in negotiating rates and contracts with travel suppliers to ensure costs are competitive
• Responsibility for auditing all offshore partners and their UK representatives to ensure that they are compliant with the Maritime Labour Regulations and the contractual arrangements in place
• Travel on board and frequently visit our vessels to build relationships, conduct feedback forums with officers and crew
• Travel to our manning partners to conduct service standard checks and recruitment drives
• Manage our Cadet program with third parties, including preparation and implementation of a Cadet Career day (annually)
• Administer the Healthcare scheme and liaise with the provider on behalf of our offshore partners
• Undertake project work for the Senior HR Manager and act as an advisor to other head office teams as necessary
• Leading and promoting the Saga Way on board all vessels and actively encouraging engagement with our brand truths

The Ideal Candidate

Capability, Knowledge and Experience:

• A knowledge of the cruising industry would be ideal, but not essential
• A basic understanding of best practice HR and associated HR policies and procedures
• Experience of workforce planning including recruitment, rotating/scheduling man power
• An experienced influencer who adopts tact and diplomacy
• Some previous experience of working within shipping is desirable
• Comfortable with owning documents and policies, (management and version controlling)
• Demonstrable commercial awareness
• Excellent communicator at all levels
• Excellent PC skills including Excel

Education and Qualifications:

• Educated to degree level would be preferable or relevant business experience
• Good standard of secondary level education
• CIPD qualified is preferred but not essential

Personal Characteristics:

• Customer focussed and driven to deliver
• Good judgement and ability to create strong professional relationships at all levels
• Confident, Loyal & discrete
• A natural ability to influence and engage with people
• Comfortable in a liaison role with a matrix management structure
• Self-motivated with great personal drive
• A naturally resilient character who is pragmatic
• Flexibility to travel

Package Description

The standard benefits when you join Saga include:

• Option to purchase a further 5 days annual leave per year
• Free private medical insurance after 1 years service
• Pension
• AXA Be Supported
• Apples Nursery (Folkestone only and on a waiting list basis)
• Free fruit 
• Give as you earn
• Free eye tests
• Honeymoon benefit
• Sharebuy
• Salary finance
• Discounts on Saga holidays and insurance products
• A range of reductions and offers from leading retailers, travel groups and entertainment companies
• Long service awards

About the Company

When you join Saga you will see that we are committed to treating all employees fairly and to offering equal opportunities in all aspects of employment and advancement. 

We value diversity not just because it is the right thing to do, but because diverse teams perform better. Creating a culture in which everyone feels welcome and offering equal opportunities in all aspects of employment and advancement is incredibly important to us. Fair consideration is given to applications from all applicants, including those with disabilities. If you need support at any point with your application please let us know as we will be happy to help.

Learn more about the Saga business by watching our Saga plc results for the financial year 2018/2019

To all recruitment agencies: Saga does not accept agency CVs unless specifically engaged on the role by the HR Recruitment Team. Please do not forward CVs to our recruiters, employees or any other company location. Saga is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited CVs.

Saga Group