The Director of Business Development & Operations is a strategic leader within our ship repair business, responsible for driving commercial growth, elevating customer relationships, and enhancing operational execution through effective people leadership and process alignment. This role complements the General Manager, who focuses on project bidding, budgeting, and technical oversight, by concentrating on external growth and internal cohesion.

Extensive experience within the industrial marine industry is a core requirement for this role. The ideal candidate brings a deep understanding of the operational, regulatory, and commercial realities of ship repair, vessel operations, and marine service deliveryenabling them to align business strategy with client expectations and industry standards.

The Director plays a vital role in shaping the future of the business-developing client partnerships, optimizing operational delivery, and fostering a strong, high-performance workplace culture.

Job Duties and Responsibilities:

Business Development & Commercial Growth

• Identify and secure new business opportunities in commercial, and industrial marine sectors.
• Lead customer outreach, proposal development, and negotiation strategies to win high-value contracts.
• Collaborate with the GM and project teams to align customer needs with technical capabilities and capacity.
• Develop and maintain a pipeline of growth opportunities aligned with strategic priorities.

Customer Relationship Management

• Build and sustain strong client relationships, ensuring high satisfaction and long-term loyalty.
• Manage client communications throughout the project lifecycle and oversee post-project follow-ups and service recovery as needed.
• Champion customer-centric practices across all touchpoints.
• Represent Mersey Marine at industry events and forums to build business opportunities.

Operational Leadership & Team Development

• Support operational excellence by working cross-functionally with project teams to improve coordination, communication, and on-time delivery.
• Lead or contribute to continuous improvement initiatives, workflows, and systems across departments.
• Promote a culture of accountability, innovation, safety, and employee engagement.
• Develop and mentor team members, fostering leadership and succession within the organization.

Strategic Collaboration

• Partner with the General Manager to ensure business development efforts are grounded in operational realities and technical capacity.
• Contribute to long-term strategic planning, performance metrics, and organizational growth objectives.
• Serve as a unifying leader across business functions, integrating commercial, customer, and team priorities.

Qualifications & Experience

• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in business development, operations, or general management, ideally within marine, industrial, or infrastructure sectors.
• Strong commercial acumen and proven success in driving top-line revenue through strategic client partnerships.
• Experience leading teams, managing change, and building strong organizational culture.
• Experience in performance management, including conducting evaluations and mentoring employees.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and relationship management skills.
• Knowledge of ship repair, marine services, or industrial contracting environments is a strong asset.
• Post-secondary education in business, engineering, or a related field preferred.
• Confidentiality and discretion as required.

Hours of work:

Monday to Friday, 40 hours per week.

This position may involve occasional travel to various sites across Nova Scotia depending on operational needs.