Environmental Operations Manager

The primary mission of the Environmental Operations Manager is to ensure that MSC Cruises' active fleet consistently meets or exceeds international, national, and internal environmental regulations. You will oversee daily operational environmental activities across assigned cruise vessels, maintaining close communication with ship commands, Environmental Officers, and onboard engineering teams. Core responsibilities include coordinating waste disposal logistics, reviewing environmental record books and manuals, and monitoring vessel operations for compliance with strict marine frameworks. Beyond day-to-day fleet oversight, the role coordinates port-level logistics, vendor contracts, and agency partnerships related to environmental services. You will administer key maritime reporting mechanisms such as IMO DCS, EU MRV, the Environmental Ship Index (ESI), and Environmental Port Index (EPI). Additionally, the role involves supporting ISO 14001 and ISO 21070 certification audits, contributing to environmental initiatives at private destinations like Ocean Cay, and assessing waste optimization opportunities for new vessel builds.

This position offers significant exposure to the technical and operational complexities of maritime sustainability at a massive commercial scale. You will deepen your understanding of international maritime legislation (such as MARPOL and IMO regulations) and gain direct operational experience managing ISO standards (14001 and 21070) within dynamic global supply chains. Furthermore, you will gain hands-on expertise in environmental data administration and emissions accounting systems, working directly with reporting schemes like MRV and IMO DCS. Navigating vendor negotiations, port authority requirements, and cross-functional fleet projects will also strengthen your operational management, budgeting, and environmental logistics leadership skills.

The ideal candidate brings a strong background in environmental science, maritime operations, or engineering, complemented by direct experience within the cruise or commercial maritime industry. Prior experience working shipside (such as an Environmental Officer, Deck Officer, or Engineer Officer) is particularly advantageous as it provides direct operational empathy with onboard teams. Key qualifications include fluency in English, a proven ability to interpret intricate environmental regulations, and competence in handling departmental budgets and reporting platforms. Knowledge of additional European languages, particularly Italian, is beneficial in MSC's multicultural work environment, as is the resilience required to manage operational pressures and time-sensitive fleet demands.

To stand out, highlight specific operational maritime experience rather than broad, theoretical corporate sustainability knowledge. Emphasize your direct familiarity with shipboard operations, MARPOL conventions, ISO standards, and technical environmental monitoring systems like IMO DCS or MRV. If you have served onboard vessels or closely managed port operations and waste logistics, clearly articulate this in your CV and cover letter. Showing your ability to bridge communication between shoreside technical teams, port agents, and shipboard commands under high operational standards will demonstrate immediate readiness for the role.

The role centers primarily on the environmental operational integrity of marine transit and tourism. It focuses on waste management hierarchies, wastewater processing, circular resource management, and port disposal logistics to prevent marine pollution. It also supports the operational tracking necessary for decarbonization pathways, overseeing mandatory energy and emissions reporting schemes that benchmark vessel efficiency. Through environmental audits, procedural reviews, and destination stewardship at Ocean Cay, the role ensures that corporate sustainability strategies translate into measurable day-to-day marine practices.

A major challenge is balancing stringent environmental regulations across dozens of jurisdictions with the fast-paced operational realities of commercial fleet turnaround times. Cruise ships operate under varied local, regional, and international rules, requiring constant vigilance to avoid compliance infractions. Managing communications and logistics remotely across diverse time zones, onboard hierarchies, and third-party port vendors can also test operational agility. Resolving unexpected vendor issues, waste discharge constraints, or administrative discrepancies under tight sailing schedules requires rapid problem-solving and decisive judgment.

A typical day begins by reviewing operational fleet logs, environmental monitoring alerts, and communications from onboard Environmental Officers regarding vessel activities, waste handling, and port calls. You might analyze incoming performance metrics and cross-reference records against compliance benchmarks. Later, you may liaise with port agencies to approve waste disposal agreements, evaluate vendor invoices against budget forecasts, and update regulatory reporting data. The afternoon could involve participating in cross-departmental alignment meetings with port operations, reviewing audit action items for an upcoming ISO inspection, or collaborating on fleet-wide training materials.

Within a rapidly expanding fleet of over 20 ships and multiple new builds underway, success in this role can open pathways to more senior leadership positions within fleet operations and corporate sustainability. Potential advancements include moving into Head of Fleet Environmental Operations, senior audit roles, or director-level environmental positions. Additionally, as maritime decarbonization frameworks become more rigorous, the operational and technical expertise gained in this role creates lateral opportunities across global fleet performance, maritime compliance, and sustainable marine procurement.

On a daily basis, you will collaborate closely with onboard personnel, including ship commands, Chief Engineers, and onboard Environmental Officers. Shoreside, you will report to the Head of Fleet Environmental Operations and collaborate with departments such as Port Operations, Technical, Procurement, and Maritime Training. Externally, you will frequently interface with port authorities, environmental service vendors, maritime agencies, port agents, and regulatory or industry bodies such as CLIA and classification societies.