Head of Operations

About the role

Cobelfret is an established dry bulk shipping group with offices in Luxemburg, Singapore, Switzerland, Miami and Antwerp. The company operates a worldwide fleet of around 100 vessels, covering sizes from handysizes to capesizes.

The Singapore operations team is looking for a Head of Operations to lead the department and oversee the operational performance of an assigned fleet. The role centres on safe, compliant and commercially efficient voyage execution, while also contributing to team development, process improvement, voyage profitability and strategic decision-making.

Team leadership and people management

• Guide, oversee and support the Singapore operations team by giving clear direction, practical advice and technical assistance.
• Coach and develop team members so they build stronger technical knowledge, greater independence and better operational judgement.
• Allocate work effectively across the team and maintain continuity of operations across different time zones.
• Create a collaborative, professional and high-performance team culture.

Operational leadership and execution

• Manage post-fixture operations for a globally trading dry bulk fleet across multiple time zones.
• Take charge of voyage execution from fixture through completion, with a focus on efficiency, compliance and cost discipline.
• Serve as the senior point of escalation for difficult operational issues.
• Help Operators prioritise work, manage risk and handle stakeholder expectations.

Voyage performance and optimisation

• Improve routing, speed and bunker strategies while balancing commercial goals with operational realities.
• Review voyage results after completion and identify opportunities to raise performance further.
• Oversee IMOS data accuracy, invoicing, laytime calculations, freight and hire flows, and voyage profit and loss.
• Partner with commercial and finance teams to strengthen voyage profitability and decision-making.

Risk, compliance and situational awareness

• Maintain compliance with international regulations, port requirements and internal procedures.
• Identify operational risks early and put mitigation measures in place proactively.
• Judge situations accurately, assess their seriousness and adapt actions as needed.
• Weigh cost, risk, safety, contractual and reputational factors when making operational calls.
• Advise the team on claims prevention, documentation and escalation practices.

Change management and process improvement

• Track new technologies, tools and software relevant to dry bulk operations.
• Recommend better procedures that improve efficiency and overall operational performance.
• Support the rollout of new systems, workflows and best practices.
• Promote a continuous-improvement mindset within the operations team.

Requirements

• 10 to 12 years of experience in dry bulk vessel operations, including exposure to senior people-management responsibilities.
• Strong ability to set direction, build collaboration and help people develop confidence, ownership and capability.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management and decision-making skills.
• Comfort working under pressure in a fast-moving global environment.
• Good knowledge of charter party execution, laytime, bunker planning and voyage optimisation.
• Ability to coordinate complex operations across multiple vessels, time zones and stakeholders.
• Solid understanding of regulatory frameworks and environmental compliance.
• Strong working knowledge of IMOS; familiarity with NAPA, Shipfix and DA Desk is an added advantage.
• Sharp situational awareness with the ability to assess operational issues quickly and respond appropriately.

What the company offers

You will join a globally active dry bulk shipping company where initiative, teamwork and commercial drive are recognised and valued. The position offers the chance to shape operational excellence, team structure and risk management frameworks, with direct exposure to senior decision-makers and commercial strategy.