Director, Commercial Port Services

Where passion meets opportunity

The best of your adventures is the one you have yet to sail!


Your Purpose

The Director, Commercial Port Services supports the SVP Global PortRelations & Commercial Services with the negotiations of all port services costs with the ports' local stakeholders for the geographical areas assigned whilst working closely with the VP Itinerary Planning, Port Operations & Commercial Services from a day-to-day standpoint. . The main goal of this role is to reduce as much as possible the operating port costs, without impacting the quality of the service. The synergy with all internal departments is paramount for the best result, therefore excellent communication skills are a must, coupled with strong organizational, analytics and reporting skills.

This role requires 4 days / week in office in Miami, FL

Your Impact

Supporting SVP Global Port Relations & Commercial Services with negotiating all port services costs with the ports' local stakeholders for the geographical areas assigned, for both MSC Cruises and Explora Journeys
Performing the needed cost/saving impact analysis for rebates, discounts or even increasing tariffs
Gathering all data needed to support negotiations, such as the traffic volumes of MSC Cruises and Explora Journeys in the concerned port (including, if applicable, the MSC cargo or ferries business), the number of passengers in transit/embarkation/disembarkation, the benchmarking with other cruise lines to be aware of how big MSC is for the concerned destination, history of tariffs increase per category, synergy with all internal stakeholders as applicable (port operations, ground operations, environmental, supply chain, security, etc.), benchmarking with other vendors/ports
Managing the Port Agency bids in the assigned ports. Appointment is to be agreed with Port Operations and has to involve also ancillary activities such as crew changes, cherry pickers, cranes, environmental services, etc.
Identifying SWOT elements, threats and trends, possible strategies to set in place (an alignment with the SVP will be needed) including forging Long-Term Agreements
Tracking all saving initiatives in an organized way, reporting bi-weekly to the SVP and mapping all actions (including the initiatives that failed in bringing a saving). Demonstrating control of workload through structured organization, clear prioritization and transparent tracking
Providing to Cost Control (UK), Group Control (Switzerland) and Disbursement Account teams (Italy) the changed conditions resulting from negotiations or tariff increases, for both budgeting and invoice control purposes
Tracking and reporting key functional metrics to reduce expenses without impacting the quality of the service, documenting meeting outcomes and agreed action plans to ensure alignment and timely delivery
Leading the reviews of the eventual agreements with the Legal Team. SVP and COO will, respectively, validate and sign
Attending trade events or negotiations related trips on the field, as agreed by the SVP Port Relations & Commercial Services

Your Journey so far

At least 5 years' experience working in a similar role for a major cruise line or port agency
Knowledge of the port operations and port services cost structure
Experience negotiating services and operations contracts
Leverages a data-driven approach to contract negotiation, with proven experience analyzing large datasets to assess needs and determine optimal scale
Excel and financial modeling skills
Able to travel regularly to multiple ports and terminals throughout the US
Hands-on experience in conducting cost/savings impact analysis
Experience reviewing contractual documents and coordinating with legal teams
Flexibility and team working
Good organization and time management skills
Accuracy and attention to detail
Curiosity to learn new things and new approaches
Good English, spoken and written
Accuracy and attention to detail
Curiosity to learn new things and new approaches
Good English, spoken and written

Your Essentials

US passport or green card


Our commitment

We are committed to building a future that values diverse perspectives, embraces the world beyond borders, and fosters an inclusive environment where every individual feels valued, respected and empowered to be their authentic selves. Our commitment extends to taking meaningful, measurable actions that have a long-term positive impact on our guests, our employees and our planet.


Ready to turn your passion into something extraordinary? Join us at MSC Cruises, where new opportunities await. Apply today to be part of a global team that is pushing boundaries and achieving something remarkable. Your journey starts here!