Operations Shift Lead in Reading

This is a role within the Castrol organisation and the successful candidate will become part of the Castrol ring-fence.

Role Summary

We are building Castrol's independent marine capability, and this role plays an integral part in that journey. As the Regional Chartering & Voyage Operations Lead for the West region, we rely on you to help us deliver safe, compliant, and efficient marine shipments across sophisticated routes. We work closely with partners across the supply chain, and this role helps us bring clarity, stability, and strong judgement to a fast-moving operational environment.

What You Will Deliver

• We work together to ensure our regional shipping operations run safely, efficiently, and in line with our global standards.
• TSA readiness & transition
• We are preparing for a smooth shift from TSA support to our own internal execution model.
• Build understanding of regional shipping flows, suppliers, and constraints.
• Shadow TSA and provider operations to prepare for transition.
• Shape regional procedures, governance, and escalation pathways.
• Support a flawless move into Castrol's internal operating model.
• Chartering & voyage execution
• We depend on this role to guide day-to-day chartering and voyage execution.
• Manage spot, term, and contract chartering.
• Oversee vessel scheduling, nomination, loading, discharge, and voyage execution.
• Deliver safe, reliable, and efficient operations.
• Fleet utilisation & optimisation
• We aim to use our fleet effectively and responsibly.
• Improve vessel utilisation and turnaround.
• Identify opportunities to reduce avoidable cost.
• Provide insight into routing, freight optimisation, and network planning.
• Supply-demand integration
• We work closely with supply, planning, and commercial teams to keep operations aligned.
• Manage capacity constraints and rescheduling.
• Balance operational trade-offs to protect customer commitments.
• Share regional insights to support network optimisation.
• Demurrage & operational risk
• We rely on this role to help us manage risk and respond quickly when issues arise.
• Oversee demurrage exposure, port delays, claims, and disruptions.
• Resolve exceptions with sound judgement.
• Supervise voyage performance and operational risks.
• Terminal & customer coordination
• We collaborate with a wide network of partners to keep operations moving.
• Coordinate with ports, terminals, barge operators, agents, and suppliers.
• Ensure smooth ship-shore interface.
• Build relationships with brokers, ship operators, and regional partners.
• Align with the Logistics Control Tower for visibility and escalation.
• Governance & compliance
• We hold ourselves to high standards of safety and compliance.
• Ensure adherence to vetting, clearance, HSSE, sanctions, and marine risk controls.
• Operate within global governance frameworks.
• Partner with the Marine Vetting & Clearance Specialist to ensure safe execution.

What You Will Need to Be Successful

We are looking for someone who brings a strong understanding of how marine operations work end-to-end and who can help us run reliable, safe, and efficient regional shipping activity.

• Experience in oil & gas, lubricants, or chemical shipping.
• Familiarity with voyage management or chartering systems.
• Exposure to TSA or transition-related operating models.
• Comfort working across multiple geographies and time zones.

You Will Work With

We work closely with teams across shipping operations, supply chain, procurement, commercial, and planning. You will also partner with terminals, barge operators, ship owners, brokers, agents, and marine service providers. We are a team focused on operational excellence, continuous improvement, and building a resilient marine logistics capability for the future. We believe that our team is strengthened by diversity.

These benefits can include flexible working options, a generous paid parental leave policy, excellent retirement benefits, among others! We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform crucial job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

Reinvent your career as you help our business meet the challenges of the future.

Travel Requirement

Up to 25% travel should be expected with this role.

Relocation Assistance: This role is not eligible for relocation.

Remote Type: This position is a hybrid of office/remote working.

Skills: Analytical Thinking, Ancillary cost management, Bunker buyer, Chartering, Coaching, Commercial Acumen, Communication, Customer service delivery excellence, Demurrage, Developing and implementing strategy, Listening, Marine assurance, Marine Operations, Marine systems and processes, Marine technical, Market Knowledge, Mentoring, Negotiating value, Operational Excellence, Partner relationship management, Problem Solving, Sentiment and Trends, Shipping/transport, Trading and scheduling operations.