Manager, Maritime HR Operations
Holland America Group · Seattle, Washington, United States · onsite
Holland America Line has been exploring the world since 1873. Our ships offer innovative features and enriching experiences focused on destination exploration and personalized travel, inviting guests to savor the journey.
The Manager, Maritime HR and Operations leads talent management and performance management for all Deck and Technical (D&T) seafarers, Officers, Petty Officers and ratings, serving on Holland America Line and Seabourn vessels. Reporting to the Director, Maritime HR and Operations, the Manager is the consistent point of contact for ship leadership on talent matters and works closely with Marine Operations and Technical Operations to ensure the right people are developed, recognized and promoted at the right time. The role owns promotion eligibility tracking and the 'Ready for Promotion' list, oversees the performance appraisal and Professional Development Record (PDR) cycle, and produces accurate workforce and talent reports for Maritime HR and operational leadership. The Manager is also responsible for the upkeep of D&T job descriptions, career paths and organization charts, ensuring they reflect actual onboard responsibilities, the competency framework, applicable CBAs and flag-state and STCW requirements. The role works collaboratively across the Maritime HR Strategy & Operations team, including Talent Acquisition, Fleet Training & Compliance, Fleet Compensation, the Competency Framework team and Expedition, so that every seafarer experiences one joined-up, transparent career journey. The ideal candidate combines maritime knowledge, strong data and reporting skills, and a practical, service-oriented approach to supporting seafarers and ship leadership.
Here’s a summary of what Holland America Line is looking for. Is this you?
Responsibilities:
Talent Management, Promotion Eligibility & Succession
- The Manager maintains a clear, per-person view of the D&T talent pool across HAL and SBN and turns it into timely promotion and succession decisions. This includes downloading and reviewing promotion recommendations from performance appraisals, verifying eligibility against the Promotion Policy and applicable CBAs (performance history, PDR or position skill set completion, time in rank / sea time, required certificates and training, disciplinary standing and individual ambition), and maintaining an accurate 'Ready for Promotion' list, reviewed at least quarterly. The Manager prepares candidate information for talent reviews and for Senior Officer promotion panels at CSMART, working with Marine and Technical Operations leadership and the Director. The role coordinates temporary promotions (TWC), tracks temporary promotion days against CBA limits, and ensures promotion outcomes are handed over to Fleet Compensation, Crew Planning/Scheduling and FRST for wage, assignment and system updates. The Manager identifies high-potential Officers and ratings, supports succession plans for key ranks (for example Captain, Staff Captain, Chief Engineer, Staff Chief Engineer and Heads of Department) and supports internal-first recruitment by sharing progression timelines and internal candidate pools with Talent Acquisition before external hiring is opened. The Manager also identifies progression bottlenecks (for example Third to Second Officer) and proposes practical solutions.
Performance Management
- The Manager owns the performance management cycle for D&T seafarers across both brands. This includes monitoring completion and quality of performance appraisals and PDRs, following up with ship leadership on overdue or incomplete reviews, and ensuring appraisals are objective, evidence-based and aligned with the competency framework. The Manager supports Heads of Department and ship leadership on performance improvement, development plans and structured corrective actions, working with Employee Relations, Fleet People Partners and Training & Compliance where needed. Performance during temporary promotions and probationary periods is closely monitored and documented. The Manager analyses appraisal and training feedback trends to identify skill gaps and development needs, and feeds these into annual training planning with Fleet Training & Compliance and CSMART. The role also provides performance input to Fleet Compensation for the annual equity analysis and other pay decisions, and ensures that performance processes remain fair, transparent and consistent across vessels, ranks and nationalities.
Workforce Reporting & Talent Analytics
- The Manager creates and maintains the standard talent and performance reporting for D&T. This includes monthly dashboards and status reports on promotion eligibility, 'Ready for Promotion' and succession coverage, appraisal and PDR completion, temporary promotions, time in rank, internal promotion rates, turnover and retention indicators, and establishment alignment with the Focus Report. The Manager reconciles data across the crew management system, MAPS, Mistral and related tools, identifies data-quality gaps and works with the Policy & Data Analyst and system owners to correct them. Reports are tailored for the Director, the VP Maritime HR Strategy & Operations, and Marine and Technical Operations leadership, and support KPIs such as establishment vs. Focus Report alignment, PDR completion and turnover. The Manager uses automation, Microsoft 365 and AI tools where appropriate to reduce manual effort and move towards a reliable per-person overview of each seafarer's status and career progression.
Job Descriptions, Career Paths & Organization Charts
- The Manager is responsible for the upkeep of all D&T shipboard job descriptions, career paths and organization charts for HAL and SBN. Working with the Competency Framework team, Marine and Technical Operations, Fleet Training & Compliance and Fleet Compensation, the Manager ensures job descriptions reflect actual onboard responsibilities, required licenses and STCW certificates, competencies and PDR requirements, and are aligned with rank structures in the CBAs and wage scales. The role maintains clear, published career paths for Officers, Petty Officers and ratings, including new and evolving ranks and pathways (for example Bridge Manager, Engine Watch Manager, AB Security / AB Helmsman, Motorman and technical ratings progression), and keeps shipboard and D&T organization charts current, including Table of Personnel changes and newbuild or fleet changes. The Manager runs a controlled review cycle with version control, approvals and communication of changes to ship leadership, Talent Acquisition and HR teams, and incorporates feedback from ship visits and fleet leadership meetings.
Stakeholder Collaboration, Fleet Engagement & Governance
- The Manager works under the direct leadership of the Director, Maritime HR and Operations and in close partnership with Marine Operations and Technical Operations. The role serves as a consistent shore-side contact for ship leadership on talent and performance matters, supports recurring check-ins with Deck and Technical leadership teams, and takes part in ship visits to engage with Officers and ratings. The Manager collaborates daily with Talent Acquisition, Fleet Training & Compliance, Fleet Compensation, the Competency Framework team, Crew Planning/Scheduling, Onboarding, Expedition Maritime HR, Fleet People Partners and corporate Performance Management, so that handoffs are clean and each seafarer experiences one joined-up process. The Manager ensures talent and performance processes follow company policy, the CBAs, MLC and flag-state requirements, keeps records audit-ready, maintains procedures and SOPs for the function, and recommends process improvements based on data and fleet feedback.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:
- Scope: The role covers talent management and performance management for all Deck and Technical seafarers (Officers, Petty Officers and ratings) serving on Holland America Line and Seab