Marina Manager
A marina manager runs the business that sits between the land and the yachts. You decide who gets which berth, keep the pontoons, fuel dock and security working, and answer to an owner or port authority for the revenue. Many of the best come from yachts themselves, because they know what a captain needs when coming alongside at 18:00 on a Friday in August.
The jobWhat fills the day
The core of the job is berth management. You take bookings, plan the berth layout around length, beam and draught, and juggle annual contracts against high-value transient visitors. On top of that sit the dock team, the fuel station, security, waste and water, utilities metering and the shore power that a 70m yacht needs. You set prices, chase unpaid invoices and write the annual budget. When something breaks at 02:00, such as a power pedestal or a mooring line, the call comes to you.
Scale changes everything. At a 300-berth leisure marina on the English south coast you may handle bookings yourself and drive the workboat. At Port Vauban, Port Vell or Porto Montenegro the clients are captains and management companies, berths cost five figures a night in season, and the work is mostly people, contracts and events. Boat shows such as Monaco and Cannes bring weeks of planning with organisers, police and harbour pilots. Winter brings maintenance, dredging, pontoon repairs and renewal of long-term contracts.
Employers hire two kinds of people. One is the former captain or chief officer who knows berthing, ISPS security and how yachts operate. The other comes from hospitality or facilities management and brings commercial and staff skills. Either way you need the local language, a solid grasp of health and safety law, and the calm to tell an impatient captain that the berth he wants is taken. French, Spanish or Italian alongside English opens most Mediterranean roles.
Most people start as dockmaster or assistant marina manager and step up after three to five years. From a single marina you can move to a group role running several sites, as Camper and Nicholsons, IGY or MDL do, or into port development, marina consultancy or the commercial side of a yacht agency. Ex-crew often find the job gives them a home port and regular hours, though July and August will never be quiet.
Skills employers look for
- Berth planning and allocation
- Commercial and budget management
- Leading dock and security teams
- Health, safety and ISPS
- Client handling with captains
- Local language fluency
- Boat handling and mooring
A working dayMidsummer Tuesday at a superyacht marina, Barcelona
Walk the superyacht pontoons with the duty dockmaster. Check overnight arrivals, shore power connections and a reported leak at a water pedestal.
Morning briefing with the berthing, fuel and security leads. Four arrivals and three departures today, including a 78m motor yacht that needs a pilot.
Rework the berth plan after a captain extends his stay by five days. Offer the incoming yacht an alternative berth and confirm it with her agent.
Meeting with finance on July revenue against budget and two management companies with overdue invoices.
Lunch at the marina restaurant, which in practice means a quick chat with two captains about the noise from a nearby event.
Contractor meeting on the winter pontoon replacement programme and the quote for a new 400A shore power supply.
Call with the port authority and police about security for a visiting head of state's yacht at the weekend.
On the pontoon for the 78m arrival. Watch the stern-to berthing, greet the captain and hand over the welcome pack.
Hand over to the night security supervisor and head home with the phone switched on.
Pay by experienceAnnual salary. Estimates. Bars share one scale.
Unlike crew pay, this salary is taxed in the country you work in. Senior roles often add a performance bonus tied to occupancy and revenue, and some include a car or housing allowance. See the Yacht & Crew Management salary guide for figures from live adverts.
Qualifications
Must have
- RYA Powerboat Level 2 or local equivalent
- First Aid at Work
- VHF SRC radio licence
Gets you hired
- Certified Marina Manager (CMM) or TYHA Marina Manager qualification
- IOSH Managing Safely or NEBOSH General Certificate
- ISPS Port Facility Security Officer
- RYA Yachtmaster Offshore or OOW 3000gt background
- Degree or diploma in business or hospitality management
Where it leadsA typical career path
Marina Manager jobsOpen now on SuperyachtRoles.com
Questions crew ask
Do I need to have worked on yachts to become a marina manager?
No, but it helps a lot at superyacht marinas, where your clients are captains and management companies. People from hotel, resort or facilities management also get hired, usually starting in an assistant role. Either way, you need to learn boat handling and mooring.
Which languages matter?
English is used across the industry, but in the Mediterranean you also need the local language to deal with staff, contractors and the port authority. French for the Riviera, Spanish for Palma and Barcelona, and Italian for Sardinia and Liguria are the most useful.
Is it a nine-to-five job?
In winter it comes close. From May to September, and during boat shows, expect long days, weekend work and calls at night about arrivals, weather and security. Most managers take their leave between November and March.
How much will I earn compared with sea time?
A mid-level marina manager in France or Spain earns about EUR 55,000 to 85,000 a year before tax, which is less than a chief officer takes home tax-free. The trade-off is a fixed home, regular leave and a career that keeps going after you leave sea.