Ship Production Manager

Production Manager at a fast-growing startup Hybrid; Isle of Wight/ Hampshire and WFH. No recruiters. Previous candidates need not apply.

Overview: Founded in 2020, ACUA Ocean is a fast-growing and dynamic start-up sitting at the intersection of clean tech, ocean autonomy, and maritime security. Our scalable, intelligent USV platform addresses critical needs: climate and environmental monitoring, offshore infrastructure resilience, coastal protection, and marine surveillance with a minimal human or environmental footprint. We are hiring a Production Manager to work within our growing Engineering Team developing cutting-edge technology for our uncrewed surface vessels (USVs). A successful candidate must be a team player with a passion for sharing knowledge and be ready to be at the grassroots of this growing business, supporting the growth of a robust and diverse team delivering results that will revolutionise the way we protect and monitor our oceans.

Who you are:

• Able to work and lead teams of colleagues from diverse backgrounds, skills, knowledge, levels of experience and expertise.
• You build strong working relationships and communicate effectively with your colleagues across various functions.
• Able to work autonomously with a proactive mindset.
• You balance commercial considerations with a drive for quality, evaluating the data to inform your decision making.
• You are confident in your skills and know your area of expertise with an eye for innovation.
• Delivery focussed and work to successful outcomes.
• An innovator and entrepreneurial thinker who solves problems, not just identifies them.

What you’ll do:

• Reporting to the Chief Technology Officer, Principal Robotics Engineer and Senior Naval Architect you will oversee all aspects of the build of ACUA’s uncrewed surface vessels.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for internal and external stakeholders, including clients, classification societies, and shipyard partners, ensuring clear communication and alignment throughout the project lifecycle.
• Manage budgets, schedules and risk, proactively identifying and resolving issues to keep projects on track and within scope.
• Own the Bill of Materials, materials ordering and work with the Site Operations on logistics and inventory management.

What you’ll need:

• UK citizenship; we will not sponsor visas.
• 5+ years of experience in shipbuilding, marine engineering, or a related industry, with at least 2 years in a product management or project leadership role.
• Ability to work remotely for extended periods from our shipyards and suppliers facilities.
• Strong knowledge of ship design, construction processes and lifecycle management, including familiarity with shipyard operations and modular construction methods.
• Excellent leadership, communication and negotiation skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across multidisciplinary teams and manage stakeholder expectations.
• Problem-Solving and Decision-Making: Strong analytical thinking to troubleshoot issues during design and build phases, and make data-driven decisions under pressure.
• In-depth understanding of maritime regulations and classification society standards (e.g., SOLAS, IMO, ABS, DNV), and experience with compliance management.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving and decision-making abilities, with a results-driven mindset and capability to manage complex technical projects under tight deadlines.
• Preferable but not essential: a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Naval Architecture, Marine Engineering or a related field; an advanced degree (MBA or MSc) is a plus.
• Proficiency in product management tools and methodologies, such as Agile, Scrum or Stage-Gate, and use of CAD/PLM systems and ship design software (e.g., AutoCAD, AVEVA, NAPA).

£50-70K salary (depending on experience). 24 days annual leave plus bank holidays plus Christmas closure. Comprehensive benefits package from Vitality – access to full health insurance including dental coverage. Awesome perks such as discounted gym memberships, mental health cover and global health coverage. Life insurance to 4x your annual salary. Payment of professional fees.