Operations Representative (Boarding Agent)

Who we are?

At Inchcape, our vision is to have a connected world, in which our customers trade successfully and make better decisions in every port, everywhere. We use technology and our global network to help our partners connect to a smoother, smarter ocean. Inchcape combines its worldwide infrastructure with local expertise through our global network of over 240 proprietary offices, across 60 countries and a team of more than 2,500 committed professionals. Our diverse global customer base includes owners and charterers in the oil, cruise, container and bulk commodity sectors as well as naval, government and intergovernmental organizations.

We have an ambitious growth model and a career here is certainly going to be a rewarding one that will allow you to bring your skills & experience. We embrace change and are open to new thinking and pushing for positive change in our industry.

Job Description

Operations Representative (Boarding Agent)

The Operations Representative is responsible for providing logistics service to our Principals to ensure the safe and smooth turnaround of all appointed vessels within the jurisdiction of the port office, managing vessel requirements, procurement of relevant vendor services, and undertaking vessel boarding as required. The Operations Representative performs office and non-manual work assisting Inchcape in the running and servicing Inchcape’s 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week on-call services commitments to its Principals.

Key Accountabilities:

Customer Service & Operations

Responsible for determining berth availability, local port conditions prevailing at the time of estimated arrival of vessels, and particular terminal orders and requirements, for communicating these issues to ship captains and other representatives of the Principals, and for assisting ship captains with advice on how the vessels and Principals can meet those varying conditions and satisfy varying requirements.
Responsible for determining any and all applicable U.S. Coast Guard regulations, U.S. Customs regulations, U.S. immigration regulations, and any rules or regulations of terminals and Principals, as well as any varying interpretations of government regulations as applied by terminals, for communicating with ships captains and other representatives of the Principals regarding applicable regulations and interpretations, and assisting ships captains and Principals with for accounting for any variables in particular port calls when advising and recommending courses of action to ships captains to comply with the various applicable regulations and interpretations.
Responsible for providing ships captains and Principals pre-arrival lists of what is needed or required for port entry depending on the individualized circumstances of each port and prevailing conditions, for reviewing the Principal’s responses concerning the particular required items and for deciding whether the ships’ qualifications and conditions match up to the particular requirements, for communicating to terminals whether the ships meet requirements, or for advising ships captains or Principals on potential options or actions which could be taken to meet requirements.
Responsible for contacting local river pilots or bar pilots associations to obtain pilots for assigned vessels and for gathering information relating to pilots’ activities to assist Principals with monitoring services provided.
Responsible for assisting with ships’ crew lodgings, travel and transportation, and activities while in port as requested by the Principals, for receiving reports of any crew change issues, for reporting to the Principals any delays or unexpected circumstances which might call for varying crew lodging or transportation arrangements, for developing and evaluating potential solutions for crew lodging or transportation arrangements in response to changing circumstances or delays, for making and delivering recommendations on alternative accommodations to the ships captains and other Principals’ representatives, and for implementing any decisions by the Principals based on the range of options and recommendations.
Responsible for assisting Principals with obtaining the various services needed by vessels while in port, such as medical services or food deliveries for crew, by contacting vendors and arranging for service deliveries, and for reporting back to the ships captains and other Principals representatives concerning provision of vendor services.
Responsible for ship boarding duties upon arrival and at departure of assigned vessels including meeting with captains to assist with communicating with government officials (such as Customs and INS) concerning both crew and cargo, for collecting all legally required documentation, such as cargo manifests and bills of lading, and for gathering information on the times of service of tugs and bar pilots / river pilots, and the particular details concerning loading and unloading processes.
Responsible for assisting Principals with monitoring and servicing the Principals’ business operations by gathering details concerning the entry and loading or unloading process for each vessel and for drafting the Statement of Facts (SoF) for each port call, and responsible for obtaining and providing to the Principals the respective SoFs for the port call prepared by ships captains and terminals.
Responsible for assisting Principals with monitoring and servicing the Principals’ business operations by preparing and ensuring the accuracy of pre-arrival documentation and visitor/vendor list for vessels and terminals, for coordinating sailing arrangements, for updating arrival details and for sending arrival messages, for gathering information and ensuring the accuracy updated daily cargo details, for communicating daily updates to Principals (cargo & husbandry), for gathering and updating departure details and for sending departure messages and documents.
Responsible for continually seeking new methods to reduce operational costs and find efficiencies for the port office.
External Providers

Responsible for maintaining relationships with and liaising with clients, vendors, terminals, government officials, and port services on a daily basis and attend regular meetings with ports, terminals and others.
Responsible for ensuring all shipping documentation is issued on time and accurately.
Responsible for suggesting improvements to existing processes to enhance service delivery.
Operating System and Data Integrity

Responsible for utilization of POPDA (the Company’s Operating System) as per company operating procedures.
Responsible for performing accurate and timely updates of systems in order to have fresh data and present the best information to clients.
Responsible for using Company timekeeping systems by maintaining accurate records of all time worked for management review for performance evaluation and operational efficiency purposes.
Responsible for following internal and external procedures ensuring compliance with ISS standards, customer standards and legal requirements
Responsible for ensuring all procedural Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) are met.
Essential:

0-4 years’ experience in general maritime industry with exposure to various commodities and vessel types utilized in the port of employment.
Must posses a valid drivers license and have dependable transportation to support in and around Port.
Ability to obtain Transportation Workers Identification Card (TWIC)
Competent user of the Microsoft Office suite including Outlook, Excel and Word.
Being able to communicate in writing clearly and concisely.
Balance multiple tasks, changing priorities & operate within a deadline-oriented environment.
Eligibility to work in Canada.
Desirable:

Experience in Port agency, chartering, logistics, seagoing experience (general maritime industry) or related field preferred.
A foundational knowledge of Port Operations.
Bachelor Degree – Maritime Institutions or Academies degrees is preferred

Why Inchcape Shipping Services?

We believe in building a diverse and high performing workforce, that works together to provide our customers with the exceptional service they deserve. To reach the highest standards we depend on our people, their welfare, training and expertise. We realize the value of our staff and know that your unique experiences, skills and passions will help you to build a rich and rewarding career in our dynamic industry.

Our values are at the center of everything we do, and the successful candidate will be expected to demonstrate and fully adopt these:

Global Perspective – we connect the world and see the bigger picture.

The Power of People – we rely on the strength of local agent knowledge and relationships.

Progress – we adopt new thinking and push for positive change in our industry.

In return, we will offer you:

· Healthcare

· Life & Disability Insurance

· Competitive salary

· Employee Assistance Program

· Career development and progression opportunities

· Values Award celebration events

Plus, much more!

If you think that you have the right skills, knowledge, and attitude to join our team, then we invite you to apply by simply clicking at the top of this advert!

#ISSthebiggerpicture