Hornblower Group is a global leader in experience and transportation. Spanning a 100-year history, Hornblower Group’s portfolio of international offerings includes water- and land-based experiences and ferry and transportation services. City Experiences, Hornblower Group’s premier experience division, offers dining and sightseeing cruises and walking and food tours through the City Cruises, Walks, and Devour brands. City Ferry, part of Hornblower Group’s Ferry and Transportation Division, is the largest private operator of high-speed passenger and vehicle ferries in the United States, carrying more than 10 million passengers annually and operating services including NYC Ferry, Puerto Rico Ferry, and other regional ferry systems. Hornblower Group’s subsidiaries include Hornblower Marine, which provides vessel outhaul and maintenance services at Bridgeport Boatworks in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and Seaward Services, Inc., a full-service shipping, waterfront logistics and management company that specializes in the operation and maintenance of government and commercial vessels. Additionally, Anchor Operating System, LLC, a Hornblower Group subsidiary and independent entity, provides reservation, ticketing and website integration services for clients in the transportation, tourism and entertainment industries. Today, Hornblower Group’s global portfolio covers over 10 countries, over 50 U.S. cities and serves more than 20 million guests annually. Headquartered in Orlando, Florida, Hornblower Group’s additional corporate offices reside in San Francisco, California; Boston, Massachusetts; Chicago, Illinois; London, United Kingdom; New York, New York; Dublin, Ireland; and across Ontario, Canada. For more information, visit hornblowercorp.com.
This is a full time, permanent position paying £35,000 per year - working a 4 on, 4 off shift rotation.
Company Summary:
City Cruises UK is part of the City Experiences division of the Hornblower Group, a global leader in world-class experiences and transportation services. We operate public dining and sightseeing cruises as well as private charters for corporate events, birthday parties, weddings, or other special occasions across London and York.
Position Summary:
The primary responsibility of this role is to ensure the safe and compliant discharge and pumping of black and grey water systems, oversee fuel bunkering operations, and carry out vessel maintenance across the London fleet, including painting, cleanliness, and general interior and exterior upkeep. The role also includes pier upkeep, maintaining cleanliness, and supporting facilities maintenance.
The postholder will ensure that all sewage holding systems are maintained to a high operational standard and that all shore-based discharge operations at Cherry Garden Pier are conducted safely and in full compliance with Port of London Authority (PLA) regulations, environmental legislation, and company procedures.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Key Responsibilities
Environmental & Compliance
- Ensure all black water discharge and fuel bunkering operations comply with company environmental procedures and PLA regulations.
- Maintain accurate records of pump-outs, inspections, maintenance, and incidents.
- Reporting of system failures, overflows, or suspected pollution incidents, as per company and PLA procedures.
- Ensure compliance with company Safety Management System (SMS) and HELM reporting platform.
- Support environmental audits and inspections conducted by the PLA, MCA, Environment Agency, or other relevant authorities.
Vessel Operations & Engineering
- Crew vessels on the River Thames safely, in accordance with Company, Port and Flag State regulations when required.
- Crew company tanker barge during daily operations, when required.
- Complete weekly vessel checks and logs with particular attention to safety equipment and machinery.
- Assist in dry docking works as required.
- Complete Preventive Maintenance Schedules (PMS).
- Carry out Corrective Maintenance (CM) as required.
- Conduct bunkering operations across the fleet.
- Conduct Black Water discharge operations across fleet.
- Manage domestic water systems across the fleet.
- Assist in painting, carpentry, plumbing, and general engineering works on vessels and company assets as required.
- Report maintenance defects or incidents via the company reporting platform (HELM) and Safety Management System (SMS).
- Respond promptly to maintenance requests raised in the HELM system and close tasks upon completion.
- Maintenance, upkeep and cleanliness of vessels, operational base, piers, and off-site locations.
Reporting & Administration
- Maintain accurate logs and statutory records.
- Report maintenance defects and incidents via HELM and SMS.
- Ensure all assigned maintenance tasks are completed and closed appropriately.
Cultural & Company Expectations
- Act as an Ambassador for the RESPECT Service System & Values.
- Undertake additional duties as reasonably required.
Requirements & Qualifications:
Experience & Knowledge
Essential:
- Minimum 5 years’ experience crewing vessels.
- Working knowledge of marine maintenance and engineering.
- Semi-skilled in multiple trades.
- Proficient in Microsoft Excel, Word, and Outlook.
Desirable:
- RYA Power Boat Level 2.
- Full understanding of Health & Safety afloat and ashore.
- Experience operating under Safety Management Systems.
- Self-motivated with a willingness to learn and progress.
Personal Skills
- Professional approach with strong attention to safety.
- Strong team player with a genuine desire to support colleagues.
- Excellent communication and organisational skills.
- Proactive, detail-oriented, and quality-driven.
- Able to work independently and within a team in high-pressure environments.
- Strong prioritisation and problem-solving skills.
- Adaptable and capable of responding quickly to changing operational demands.
- Structured and logical in task execution.
- Collaborative mindset with confidence to challenge and improve processes.
#CityCruisesUK
All employees must commit to upholding our RESPECT values. They are as follows:
- Respect We will value, appreciate and respect each other. We will foster diversity and inclusivity.
- Environment We will Respect our planet. We will conserve, protect, and educate. We will practice environmental stewardship.
- Safety #1 We will think and work safely. We will follow safety standards and instructions. We will create a safe and secure workplace.
- Professionalism We will conduct ourselves professionally. We will take responsibility for our actions. We #will own the problem until it is solved.
- Exceed We will continuously improve. We will exceed standards and expectations.
- Communication We will be open and honest. We will choose a respectful approach. We will share information with others effectively.
- Teamwork We will exist to serve others. We will anticipate the needs of others. We will have fun and practice “enthusiastic friendliness”.
As an equal opportunities’ employer, we are committed to the equal treatment of all current and prospective employees and do not condone discrimination on the basis of age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, gender identity, or marriage and civil partnership.
We aspire to create a diverse and inclusive environment. Candidates for employment or promotion will be assessed objectively against the requirements for the position.
