Shipyard Area Manager

Job Description

Job Description

Area Manager – Shipboard Operations & Repair

Location: San Diego, CA (Shipyard)

Position Type: Full-Time / Direct Placement & Extended Contract Options

Pay Range: Competitive Salary (DOE) + Benefits Package

Shift: 1st Shift (Flexibility required for shipboard production schedules)

ABOUT LEAD STAFFING

LEAD Staffing is a national leader in marine, shipyard, and commercial trade staffing. We partner with top-tier shipyards, defense contractors, and industrial operators to place highly skilled craftspeople and operational leaders into critical roles across the country.

POSITION OVERVIEW

We are seeking an experienced  Area Manager to oversee ship construction and repair operations within assigned shipboard areas at a major shipyard facility in San Diego, CA.

In this role, you will be directly accountable for managing production trade execution, subcontractor coordination, safety compliance, quality assurance, schedule adherence, and cost efficiency. As the primary operational lead for your assigned project zone, you will bridge the gap between production trades, ship managers, planning, engineering, and customer representatives (including NAVSEA and Ship’s Force).

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Operational & Production Leadership: Oversee daily trade activities, sequencing, and workflow in assigned shipboard zones; ensure work is completed safely, on schedule, and within budget.
• Safety & Environmental Standards: Manage ship-wide safety, housekeeping, and environmental compliance; ensure strict adherence to OSHA and shipyard safety protocols.
• Trade & Subcontractor Coordination: Resolve conflicting trade priorities, coordinate resource allocation with Trade General Supervisors, and direct subcontractor activities.
• Schedule & Budget Control: Monitor project milestones, anticipate schedule/budget deviations, and implement proactive corrective action plans.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with Quality Assurance, Planning, Contracts, Material Control, Warehousing, Test & Trials, and Engineering to maintain project momentum.
• NAVSEA & Regulatory Compliance: Understand and administer NAVSEA Standard Items (for repair availabilities) and interface directly with customer representatives and regulatory bodies.
• Reporting & Process Improvement: Provide structured progress reports, lessons learned, and Engineering Change Notices (ECNs) to senior leadership to drive productivity improvements on ongoing and follow-on hulls.

QUALIFICATIONS & REQUIREMENTS

• Education: High School Diploma or GED required; formal maritime, trade school, or college education is a plus.
• Experience: Minimum of 2+ years of supervisory or operations experience in a major shipbuilding, ship repair, or heavy industrial manufacturing environment.
• Technical Knowledge: Strong working knowledge of ship systems, trade responsibilities, line management, and shipboard construction/repair practices.
• NAVSEA Knowledge: Practical understanding of NAVSEA Standard Items, Work Authorization Forms (WAFs), and shipboard Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) processes.
• Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills with a proven track record of writing effective progress and status reports.
• Leadership: Strong team-building, problem-solving, and conflict-resolution abilities under fast-paced production deadlines.
• Work Authorization: Must be eligible to work in the U.S. and obtain/maintain required shipyard access credentials (e.g., DBIDS / SECNAV).

PHYSICAL DEMANDS & WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Must be able to spend up to 60% of time in an outdoor shipyard environment across all weather conditions.
• Capable of climbing scaffolding, stairs, and vertical ladders; transiting through manholes () and tight, confined, or congested shipboard spaces.
• Comfortable working at elevated heights (12’+) aboard vessels under construction or repair.
• Physical agility to bend, stoop, crouch, reach, and lift/maneuver on uneven surfaces.
• Ability to work in noisy production environments (requiring standard PPE including steel-toe boots, hard hat, safety glasses, and hearing protection).

Benefits:  

• Health insurance
• 6 Paid holidays
• 40 Hours of Paid sick leave

 

*The benefits listed above are subject to eligibility requirements*

To see a list of more available jobs, please visit

HOW TO APPLY

Ready to lead major shipboard operations in San Diego?

• Call/Text: (619) 468-2372
• Email Resume: [View email address on us.fitly.work]
• Apply Online: [

About LEAD Staffing