All roles/Shoreside/Yacht Manager
Shoreside
Yacht Manager
A yacht manager runs the business side of superyachts from ashore, handling budgets, crew employment, insurance and compliance so the captain can run the boat and the owner never has to chase paperwork.
- Department
- Shoreside
- Reports to
- Head of Yacht Management or Managing Director
- Yacht size
- Shore based
- Contract
- Permanent, shore based
- Starting pay
- €65,000 a year
What the job is
A yacht manager runs the business side of one or several superyachts from an office ashore. You hold the budget, the crew contracts, the insurance and the compliance files so the captain can run the boat and the owner never has to think about any of it. Most yacht managers work for a management company in Monaco, Antibes, Palma, Fort Lauderdale or London and look after a portfolio of three to eight yachts, usually between 40m and 100m.
The work splits into finance, crew, compliance and technical support. You set the annual operating budget with each captain, approve invoices and produce monthly accounts for the owner or their family office. You handle crew employment through the employing entity, payroll, MLC 2006 seafarer employment agreements, and hull, machinery and P&I insurance. Under the ISM Code you work alongside the DPA, keeping the safety management system, flag inspections and class surveys on schedule.
Almost everyone in the role has spent years at sea first, usually as a captain, chief officer or chief engineer, because captains trust a manager who has done their job. Others come from commercial shipping, maritime law or accountancy. Expect to be reachable around the clock in season. A crew injury in Sardinia or a tender incident in the Bahamas lands on your phone at any hour, and owners judge you on how quietly problems are solved.
What makes a good one
- Budgeting and yacht accounts
- Crew employment and MLC 2006
- ISM and flag state compliance
- Calm handling of owners and captains
- Insurance claims and contract negotiation
A day in the life
- 08:00Work through overnight emails and messages from captains in three time zones. One flags a deckhand's ENG1 expiring before the next charter, so you start the renewal.
- 09:00Approve and code invoices against each yacht's budget in the accounting system. You query a fuel delivery that does not match the engineer's sounding log.
- 10:30Video call with the captain of a 62m motor yacht to review mid-season spend against budget. You agree a first draft of the winter yard period and which shipyards to ask for quotes.
- 12:00Call the insurance broker about a tender damaged on a swim platform last week. You send photos, the captain's report and the repair estimate to open the claim.
- 13:00Walk down to Port Hercule to see a managed 48m between charters. You meet the captain on board, check the crew mess and sign off a small repair.
- 14:30Sit with the DPA to plan the next ISM internal audit and gather documents for a flag state inspection due next month.
- 16:00Crew admin: issue a new chief stewardess's employment agreement, fix a payroll query and book a flight home for a crew member leaving at the end of the month.
- 17:30Finish the monthly report for an owner's family office, covering spend, charter income, crew changes and upcoming survey dates.
- 19:30Home, phone on. A captain calls from Corsica about a port agent dispute over berthing fees, and you settle it with two emails.
Pay by country
Annual gross salary for a permanent shore based yacht manager at a management company, 2026 market. Pay rises with portfolio size and seagoing background. Many packages add a performance bonus; there are no charter tips in this role.
- France and Monaco
- €65,000 – 110,000
- Spain
- €50,000 – 85,000
- Italy
- €45,000 – 80,000
- United Kingdom
- £50,000 – 85,000
- USA (Florida)
- US$80,000 – 140,000
- Caribbean
- US$60,000 – 100,000
- UAE
- AED 300,000 – 500,000
- Australia
- A$100,000 – 160,000
- New Zealand
- NZ$90,000 – 140,000
Required
- Senior seagoing experience or equivalent maritime background
- Working knowledge of ISM, ISPS and MLC 2006
- Right to work in the office location
- Strong Excel and accounting software skills
Recommended
- Master (Yacht) 3000gt
- MCA Yacht engineering ticket Y1 or Y2
- ISM Internal Auditor course
- Designated Person Ashore (DPA) training
- Ship Security Officer
- Maritime business or finance degree
Visas
- Right to work in France or Monaco (EU citizenship or work permit)
- Right to work in Spain, Italy or the UK for offices there
- US work authorisation for Florida offices
- US B1/B2 for business visits to US yards and yachts
- Schengen visa for site visits if not an EU citizen
Where it leads
Yacht Manager jobs open now
Questions crew ask
Do I need to have been a captain to become a yacht manager?
Not always, but most managers have been captains, chief officers or chief engineers. People from commercial shipping, maritime law or finance do get in, usually starting as a Crew Coordinator or assistant manager.
Does a yacht manager earn more than a captain?
Usually not. A captain on a large yacht earns more than most managers, so the trade is a settled life ashore, regular hours outside emergencies and a longer career.
How many yachts will I manage?
Typically three to eight, depending on their size and how much the owners delegate. One very large yacht can be a full portfolio on its own.