Maritime Developments Limited - Maritime Developments | Tailored consultancy, equipment and personnel packages
Do you want to be a part of a forward thinking team, challenging how things are done today to find improved solutions for tomorrow? Are you energetic and driven, with real hunger to progress?
The MDL brand is centred on a unique personality that shapes us in the development of our team and guides us on how we select who should be part of it. We live Ingenious Instinct by always being open minded to ideas, whatever they are and whomever they come from. We encourage creativity and problem solving, we challenge our team, our processes and our offering to customers, and we celebrate our successes.
About the Role
The Project Manager (America) is MDLs sole project delivery authority in North America. The role leads all regional projects from award to close-out, owns the commercial performance of each project, and is the primary MDL delivery interface with North America clients. The PM establishes and professionalizes localized project delivery in a region currently served from a new US base, reducing reliance on UK-based project management and the time-zone dependency that comes with it.
The Project Manager directs the Operations Coordinator (America), who manages in-country mobilization, equipment logistics and customs clearance, local procurement, the Houma yard interface, and the UK project-controls interface on their behalf. Together, the two roles form the core of MDLs North America delivery capability, scaling with the regional pipeline.
Key Result Areas
1. Project Delivery & Execution
- Lead delivery of all North America projects from award to close-out; maintain a live Project Execution Plan (PEP) for each active project.
- Manage all project personnel in region MDL technicians, subcontractors, and vessel operators ensuring they are correctly briefed, equipped, and supported.
- Direct the Operations Coordinator (America) to maintain accurate project controls data across cost, schedule, procurement, and action tracking; use those outputs to actively manage project performance.
- Own mobilizations and demobilization through the Operations Coordinator, including the Houma yard interface, ensuring equipment and personnel arrive on time, on budget, and correctly cleared through US customs.
- Monitor project progress against PEP commitments; take corrective action promptly when schedule, cost, or quality is at risk do not hold problems.
- Maintain the monthly Project Management Report (PMR) to the standard required for UK Global project delivery (GPD) review and, where applicable, client submission.
2. Commercial Management
- Own margin delivery for all North America projects accountable for project-by-project commercial performance against agreed targets and the FY Americas Plan.
- Apply MDLs change control discipline without exception: identify, document, price, and submit all scope changes; no unpriced scope is accepted.
- Operate within agreed commercial authority limits; escalate decisions above threshold to Head of Global Projects proactively not retrospectively.
- Work with Senior Contracts & Commercial Specialist on contract terms, variations, disputes, and risk items, and on the intercompany flow between MDL US Inc and the UK.
- Review and approve cost reports and forecasts prepared by the Operations Coordinator; challenge cost drift at the earliest opportunity.
- Ensure invoicing is submitted within contractual timeframes on all projects zero late client invoices.
3. Client Relationship Management
- Serve as MDLs primary project delivery interface with all North America clients across active and pipeline projects.
- Maintain strong, credible working relationships with key accounts: C-Innovation (Chouest), DOF Subsea, Oceaneering, TechnipFMC, Saipem, Subsea7, Helix, and others as the pipeline develops.
- Represent MDL in project meetings, client progress reviews, and site visits; ensure MDLs technical and commercial position is clearly and professionally articulated.
- Ensure all client deliverable registers and reporting commitments are met zero late submissions.
- Manage client feedback, concerns, and delivery-level escalations in region; escalate to Head of Global Projects where issues exceed regional authority or require commercial decision.
4. Business Development Support
- Support the Country Manager, America in developing the North America commercial pipeline in line with MDLs Americas strategy and FY revenue and margin targets.
- Provide delivery credibility in client conversations and prospect meetings translate MDLs equipment capability into project-specific terms that clients can act on.
- Contribute to tender and proposal content for North America opportunities in coordination with MDLs Tendering function (UK); review outputs for technical and commercial accuracy.
- Co-own the North America client engagement plan with the Country Manager, including MDLs presence at key account and industry events.
- Identify and report emerging opportunities, competitive intelligence, and market signals from client and operational interactions.
5. Team Leadership & UK Interface
- Set the day-to-day priorities of the Operations Coordinator (America) across project controls interface outputs and operational delivery. The PMs direction drives the role the UK functional lines (Project Cost Team Lead and Supply Chain Team Lead) provide standards and guidance, not prioritization.
- Ensure the Operations Coordinator produces accurate weekly project cost status and that operational data inputs reach the UK on time. Intervene promptly where the direct report is blocked or producing outputs below the required standard.
- Monitor mobilization, logistics, customs, and yard status through the Operations Coordinator; flag project delivery risk to Head of Global Projects promptly.
- Maintain MDLs UK GPD governance framework: attend GPD reviews, provide accurate and complete project status, and surface escalation items proactively with context not symptoms.
- Interface with UK functions as required: Head of Global Projects, Head of Project Controls, Project Cost Team Lead, Supply Chain Team Lead, Senior Contracts & Commercial Specialist.
- Support onboarding and integration of future America-based MDL staff into MDLs project delivery ways of working building one team across the UK, Brazil, and US bases.
Key Performance Indicators
Quantitative
- North America revenue and margin targets achieved per the FY Americas Plan
- Project cost at completion vs. approved budget all active projects.
- Client invoicing submitted within agreed contractual timeframes zero late submissions.
- PMR issued on time monthly 100% compliance.
- Change control: 100% of scope changes documented and priced before execution.
Qualitative
- Client satisfaction with MDLs project delivery performance in North America.
- Head of Global Projects assessment of commercial control, escalation discipline, and GPD reporting quality.
- Effectiveness of the North America delivery team evidence that the PM is enabling the Operations Coordinator to perform, not compensating for the role. The PM sets the priorities; the team executes.
- Quality and completeness of PEPs, PMRs, and change control documentation.
- MDL brand strength in North America pipeline quality and client engagement at key account and industry events.
Accountabilities & Limits of Authority
- Deliver all North America projects to MDLs commercial, schedule, and quality commitments.
- Own change control no unpriced scope is accepted under any circumstances.
- Operate within commercial authority limits; escalate appropriately, proactively, and with sufficient lead time for decisions to be made.
- Ensure the safety and wellbeing of all personnel under direction in North America zero harm; report all incidents, near misses, and HSEQ concerns immediately per MDL procedures.
- Maintain MDLs governance framework including GPD reporting cadence and UK sign-off thresholds.
- Represent MDL professionally in all client, supplier, and stakeholder interactions.
- Financial authority limits are as detailed in MDL company financial documents. Local commitment limits to be agreed with Senior Contracts & Commercial Specialist during onboarding and maintained thereafter.
- MDL reserves the right to amend activities listed, subject to the postholders qualifications and experience.
Skills and Experience
Experience & Qualifications
- 5+ years in project management within offshore services, subsea construction, or a related oil and gas sector - required.
- Proven delivery track record: multiple projects managed concurrently from award to close-out, with demonstrable margin accountability.
- Commercial competence: hands-on change control management, contract administration, and cost-to-complete forecasting.
- Strong client relationship management experience in the US Gulf / North America offshore market required.
- Familiarity with the US offshore regulatory and operational environment (BSEE / USCG requirements, Jones Act considerations, and offshore operational standards) required.
- Experience with rental or integrated services delivery models (as distinct from EPCI or long-term charter operations) - strongly preferred.
- Bachelors degree in engineering, project management, or a related field desirable.
Language
- English fluent written and spoken essential. All UK GPD reporting, governance, and commercial approvals are conducted in English.
- Spanish or Portuguese useful for cross-Americas working with the Brazil base and Gulf of Mexico clients desirable.
Systems
- Microsoft 365 suite: Outlook, Teams, Excel, Word, Project, SharePoint required.
- Focal Point ERP required for project management and cost reporting; training provided if not already familiar.
Personal Attributes
- Commercially sharp: identifies scope growth early and acts on it does not let variations drift unpriced.
- Self-directed: operates at full capacity in region without daily oversight from UK; escalates decisions, not problems.
- Technically credible: conversant enough with MDL equipment and operations to have substantive delivery and client conversations.
- Team enabler: creates the conditions for the Operations Coordinator to do their job effectively does not bypass or duplicate their function.
- Resilient and adaptable: operates in a complex, multi-stakeholder environment where priorities can shift rapidly, and helps build a new regional capability from the ground up.
At Maritime Developments, we believe that diversity drives innovation and success. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment where all employees feel valued and supported. We are an equal opportunity employer and encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, experiences, and abilities.
For more information on Maritime Developments please visit our Website Maritime Developments | Tailored consultancy, equipment and personnel packages and LinkedIn page (7) Maritime Developments Limited: Posts | LinkedIn.
