Commercial Project Manager

Location: Bedford & Dartmouth, Nova Scotia (Hybrid)

Compensation: Competitive compensation, RRSP matching, health and dental benefits

About Leeway Marine

Leeway Marine is a fast-growing Canadian marine company specializing in vessel management, global vessel charter, and the development of autonomous surface systems. We deliver work using both our own fleet and third-party tonnage sourced through charter, and subcharter, allowing us to match the right vessel to the mission anywhere in the world. Our fleet and technology support clients across scientific research, offshore energy, defense, and environmental monitoring.

As we continue to scale, we are evolving how we deliver work, building stronger client relationships, improving commercial performance, and creating more structured, repeatable ways of executing projects.

The Opportunity

We are seeking a Commercial Project Manager to lead the execution of vessel charter projects from bid support through to demobilization and close-out.

This role sits within our Commercial Team and is the central point of accountability for charter projects. You will own the commercial and delivery relationship with the client while coordinating internally across engineering, logistics, operations, vessel crews, procurement, and finance to get the job done. Where a project requires vessels beyond our own fleet, you will also manage subcharter and third-party owner/broker relationships end to end.

In addition to delivery, you will play an important role in strengthening our bid process by providing real-world input on risk, pricing, and execution based on past performance.

This is a dynamic, high-responsibility role suited to someone who is comfortable operating in real-time environments with competing priorities and evolving conditions.

What You’ll Do

- Support the Bid Process
- Contribute to proposal development by providing input on:
- Feasibility of scope, schedule, and vessel suitability
- Operational risks and constraints
- Pricing assumptions based on past project performance
- Vessel selection and availability across the owned fleet, and where required, sourcing suitable third-party tonnage through charter or subcharter
- Engineering feasibility (with support from our Engineering Team): deck space and layout, lifting and handling gear, power, endurance, and any vessel modifications or equipment integration required for the scope
- Mobilization and demobilization logistics (with support from our Operations and Logistics Team): including port selection, freight, customs and import requirements, and crew travel
- Charter structure and terms: day rates, mob/demob fees, fuel and consumables, weather and standby provisions, and off-hire exposure
- Help ensure proposals are realistic, well-defined, and positioned for successful execution

Own Project Execution (Post-Award)

- Take ownership of charter projects following contract award




- Develop and manage execution plans aligned with client objectives
- Ensure alignment between what was sold and what is delivered
- Manage the full project lifecycle: mobilization, on-hire survey, offshore or on-water execution, demobilization, and close-out

Manage Charter and Subcharter Arrangements

- Source, evaluate, and negotiate charter and subcharter agreements with vessel owners, operators, and brokers
- Work with the Chief Commercial Officer and legal support on charter party terms (e.g. BIMCO SUPPLYTIME, BARECON) and ensure back-to-back alignment between the head contract and any subcharter
- Track charter commercials day to day for reporting: day rates, on-hire/off-hire, standby and weather downtime, fuel and consumables, overtime, and additional services
- Verify vessel compliance requirements for charters: flag, class, certification, insurance and P&I; coverage, and client-specific vetting or audit requirements
- Coordinate port agency, berthing, permits, clearances, and local representation in the operating region with the Logistics and Operations Team
- Manage the interface between the client, Leeway, and third-party owners so the client experiences a single, seamless point of accountability

Lead the Client Experience

- Serve as the primary point of contact for clients during project execution
- Provide clear, proactive communication on progress, risks, and changes
- Manage expectations and guide clients through evolving conditions

Coordinate Across Teams

- Work in a matrix environment with operations, engineering and vessel crews
- Act as the internal hub for the project, driving the schedule, actions, and decisions required across departments to deliver for the client
- Engineering and technical: vessel suitability, modifications, equipment integration and installation, deck plans, drawings, and technical approvals
- Logistics and procurement: mobilization and demobilization planning, freight and shipping, customs and import/export, equipment and spares, vendor and subcontractor management, crew travel and accommodation
- Operations, marine and HSE: crewing, voyage planning, permits, risk assessments, and safety and compliance requirements
- Finance: invoicing milestones, charter payments to owners, currency and fuel exposure, and cost tracking against budget
- Align priorities and support problem-solving during execution
- Escalate issues appropriately to the Chief Commercial Officer

Maintain Commercial Oversight

- Track project performance against commercial assumptions
- Identify and support change orders and scope adjustments




- Monitor risks to revenue, schedule, and client satisfaction
- Manage margin on subchartered work, including the spread between head charter revenue and third-party vessel cost
- Document and recover downtime, delay, standby, and out-of-scope events under the applicable charter terms

Improve Future Performance

- Capture lessons learned and performance insights after each project
- Provide feedback into pricing, scope definition, and bid strategy
- Contribute to building a more data-driven and repeatable commercial process

What Success Looks Like

- Projects are delivered smoothly with strong client satisfaction
- Commercial outcomes (revenue and margin) are achieved or improved
- Internal teams are aligned and able to focus on execution
- Bid accuracy improves over time through your feedback and insight
- Charter and subcharter arrangements are well-structured, back-to-back, and protect Leeway's commercial position

What We’re Looking For

Experience

- 5–10+ years of experience in:
- Marine operations, vessel chartering, offshore logistics, or similar industries
- Direct exposure to charter parties, subcharter or brokered tonnage, and vessel mobilization is a strong asset
- Coordinating technical, engineering, or logistics workstreams as part of project delivery
- OR complex service/project delivery environments with real-time coordination
- Use of a CRM or Project Management system for sales process tracking and project delivery

Skills

- Solid client and stakeholder management
- Ability to make decisions in dynamic, time-sensitive environments
- Commercial awareness (pricing, scope, risk)
- Working knowledge of charter commercial terms: day rates, on-hire/off-hire, mob/demob, and downtime provisions (or the ability to learn them quickly)
- Comfort translating between technical/engineering language and client-facing commercial language
- Structured thinking and problem-solving
- Clear and confident communication
- Experience with a CRM system (preferred), Office 365 and other planning tools

Attributes

- Comfortable working without direct authority in a matrix organization
- Calm under pressure and able to navigate ambiguity
- Strong sense of ownership and accountability
- Motivated to improve processes and outcomes over time

Reporting Structure

- Reports to Chief Commercial Officer
- Works closely with Commercial Team, Engineering Team, Operations/Logistics Team and vessel crews
- Coordinates with Engineering, Logistics and Procurement, Marine/HSE, and Finance, and with external vessel owners, brokers, and port agents

Why Join Leeway Marine? You’ll be joining a company at an inflection point, where we are building the systems, roles, and processes that will define how we scale. This role offers the opportunity to shape how we deliver work, improve commercial performance, and build strong client relationships in a growing and innovative marine business.

📌 Commercial Project Manager (Bedford)
🏢 LeeWay Marine
📍 Bedford