Head of Marina Operations
Job Posted: 6 May 2026
- Contract Term: Permanent
- Location: Cowes, Isle of Wight
- Contract Type: Full time
- Salary: Circa £60,000 plus bonus and benefits
- Industries: Management & Executive Marine Travel & Tourism
Are you a commercially minded leader with a passion for delivering exceptional customer experiences in a marine or operational environment?
This is a rare opportunity to lead the development of a new premium marina facility—maximising capacity and utilisation, shaping its strategic direction, and driving its success at a pivotal stage in its evolution.
Join us in a high-profile harbour organisation at the heart of the Isle of Wight’s maritime community.
We are seeking a Head of Marina Operations to lead, develop and grow marina and visitor services, ensuring they are safe, efficient, customer-focused and commercially successful.
About the Role
Reporting to the Chief Executive, you will take full responsibility for the leadership, performance and strategic direction of marina and visitor operations. This is a senior leadership role combining long-term strategic planning with hands-on operational delivery.
You will be a key in developing and delivering the new premium visitor experience at Cowes Harbour Marina—optimising capacity and utilisation, driving commercial growth and ensuring the highest standards across safety, compliance and service delivery across all aspects of the operation.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead marina and visitor operations, ensuring safe, efficient and high-quality service delivery
- Develop and implement strategy for marina and visitor operations, aligned with wider organisational goals
- Drive commercial growth, identifying new revenue opportunities and enhancing occupancy
- Hold full ownership of budgets, financial performance, and business planning
- Oversee marina infrastructure, maintenance and capital projects
- Champion a strong health & safety and environmental culture
- Build and maintain relationships with stakeholders, customers and partners
- Lead, develop and inspire a high-performing team
About You
You’ll be an experienced senior leader with a strong commercial mindset and a track record of delivering results in operational environments such as marinas, ports, marine services or similar.
You will bring:
- Proven leadership experience in a complex operational setting
- An inspirational and motivated leader
- Strong strategic thinking and commercial acumen
- Experience managing budgets and driving revenue growth
- Excellent stakeholder engagement and relationship-building skills
- A commitment to delivering outstanding customer service
- Solid understanding of health & safety and compliance
Experience in the marine or leisure marine sector is highly desirable.
Cowes Harbour Commission is the statutory harbour authority for Cowes Harbour and operates as an independent trust port for the benefit of all harbour users and the wider community. Established under the Cowes Harbour Acts and Orders 1897–2012, its primary role is to ensure the safe, efficient and sustainable management of one of the UK’s busiest leisure harbours, while supporting commercial activity, marine services and access to the Isle of Wight.
As a trust port, Cowes Harbour Commission has no shareholders and receives no funding from central or local government. All surpluses generated through harbour operations are reinvested directly into the maintenance, improvement and long-term development of the harbour, ensuring it continues to serve as a vital gateway to the Island and a key asset for the local economy.
Why Apply?
- Opportunity to shape and influence a key maritime operation
- Strategic leadership role with real impact
- Stunning Isle of Wight location
- Competitive salary and benefits package
Additional Information
This role may require occasional evening and weekend working to support operational and event needs.
Please visit: cowes.co.uk/about-us/jobs/ to view a full copy of the job description.
To apply
Please submit a CV and covering letter to:
Name: Gary Hall
Email: [email protected]
Closing date: 05 June 2026
Cowes Harbour Commission
Cowes is one of the most visited ports on the south coast of England and provides excellent boating facilities and services in the harbour and on the River Medina through the many boatyards, marinas, and marine services operators. Home to Red Funnel's regular vehicle ferry and freight ferry services operating between East Cowes and Southampton, as well as their high-speed passenger ferries. It is also the major port of entry for commercial shipping trading to the Isle of Wight and one of the busiest leisure ports in the UK -a foremost centre for yacht racing, a popular cruising destination, easily accessible for all types of vessel, and therefore a magnet for visiting tall ships and private yachts. Cowes Harbour is a Trust Port, which means it has no shareholders or other owners, but is managed for the benefit of its users, or ‘stakeholders’ and is run by a Commission of 10 Harbour Commissioners who give their time on a voluntary basis. Cowes Harbour Commission’s main function is to be the Statutory Harbour Authority for Cowes and to undertake commercial activities, so that it can be self-financing. A publicly accountable body, the Commission strives to ensure that it maintains proper standards of safety, transparency, accountability, integrity and honesty and to support and encourage the local economy.
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