Assistant Head Of Port Operations Job Vacancy At ESL, Dar es salaam August 2026

We have an excellent and exciting opportunity for a Assistant Head Of Port Operations to be based in Dar Es’ Salaam (With travel within Tanzania & Eastern Africa).

The Assistant Head of Port Operations will support the Head of Port Operations in overseeing the efficient, safe, and cost-effective running of all port activities. The role ensures smooth coordination of vessel operations, cargo handling, terminal productivity, and compliance with regulatory requirements. The Assistant Head of Port Operations shall directly supervise Key Account Champions, Operations Officers, Operations Supervisors, Transport Officer & CSE.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBLITIES

Operations Management.

• Assist in planning, coordinating, and supervising daily port operations including vessel berth, cargo loading/unloading and storage.
• Monitor terminal productivity, vessel turnaround time and equipment utilization to meet KPIs.
• Ensure compliance with port procedures, safety standards and statutory regulations.
• Coordinate pre-arrival planning at least 72 hours before vessel arrival, including PDA follow-up, port dues, stevedoring arrangements, interim bills, vessel budgets, and stakeholder readiness.
• Support timely inward clearance, berthing formalities, draft surveys, berth waiting time monitoring, outward clearance, and delivery of port clearance documents onboard.
• Supervise discharge operations to ensure timely commencement, maximum six-day vessel turnaround, accurate Statement of Facts preparation, minimal cargo disputes, minimal stevedore damages, and proper collection of cargo spillages at the quayside.
• Oversee crew changes, immigration documentation, ship spares, emergency response, weapons handling where applicable, quotations, funds collection, and timely service delivery with zero crew or management-company complaints.
• Coordinate postmortem meetings within 72 hours after vessel sailing, ensure accurate operations reports, draft survey reports, berth waiting reports, SOFs, and support project close-out within seven working days.

Business Development.

• Drive sales of ancillary services: Ship Chandelling, Ship Husbandry, Bunkering, Waste Management and other port-related services.
• Support cross-selling and up-selling of ESL services to principals, agents and vessel owners.
• Build client relationships and support achievement of commercial targets.

Team Leadership & Administration.

• Supervise and schedule port operations staff, stevedores, and contractors.
• Schedule shifts, allocate duties and ensure team adherence to SOPs.
• Conduct briefings, performance reviews and training to improve team efficiency.
• Prepare operational reports, presentations and data for management review.

Stakeholder & Client Relations.

• Liaise with shipping lines, agents, customs, government authorities and other port users for compliance, efficiency and client satisfaction.
• Ensure prompt communication with masters, owners, principals, terminals, authorities, and internal teams, including holding responses within set timelines, full responses within 30 minutes where applicable, and 24-hour operational updates through approved communication channels.
• Address client queries and complaints and ensure high service delivery standards.
• Coordinate with other departments: Finance, Corporate and Commercial.

Safety, Compliance & Process Improvement.

• Enforce HSSE policies and ensure a safe working environment in all operations.
• Identify operational inefficiencies and recommend improvements.
• Assist in monitoring budget utilization and resource planning and provide inputs to Head of department.

Ships Agency, QMS & Business Compliance.

• Ensure compliance with Ships Agency QMS, ISO standards and corporate procedures in all operational activities.
• Monitor supplier performance and report on service quality and costs
• Support initiatives to align operations with business objectives and customer satisfaction targets.

Others.

• Assist in preparing vessel budgets at least 72 hours before arrival, following up PDA.
• prefunding, coordinating interim and final disbursement accounts, and supporting timely financial reporting.
• Perform any other duties assigned by Supervisor.

Key Performance Indicators.

• Vessel Turnaround Time.
• Berth productivity.
• Cargo Throughput.
• HSSE incidents & lost time injuries.
• 100% Regulatory compliance.
• Client satisfaction.
• Complaint resolution time.
• Budget variance.
• Staff productivity.
• Timely submission of reports.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Logistics, Maritime, Business Administration or related field.
• Experience: 5+ years’ experience in port/terminal operations, with 2+ years in a supervisory role.
• Proven leadership experience managing supervisors and operations teams.
• Strong knowledge of port operations, cargo handling, and maritime regulations.

COMPETENCIES AND SKILLS:

• Excellent communication, problem-solving and stakeholder management skills.
• Commercial Acumen.
• Business Development.
• Cross-selling & Up-selling.
• QMS/ISO Compliance.
• Supplier Management.
• Customer Focus.
• Proficiency in MS Office and port management systems.

Application procedure:

All interested candidates to fill in the online application form for further considerations. Click here to view the application form.

Deadline: 29^th August 2026.