Position summary
As Shore Operations Manager, you’ll be the heartbeat of our daily marine tour operations in Victoria’s iconic Inner Harbour! This full-time, permanent, year-round leadership role keeps our fleet moving, our guests smiling, and our incredible coastal operations running seamlessly on site. Reporting directly to the Manager of Operations, you’ll lead, empower, and inspire an awesome team - including captains, deckhands, marine naturalists, and guest services crew. Peak season (approx. April–October) brings high energy, weekend buzz, and dynamic shifts on the waterfront!
About Prince of Whales
Prince of Whales is a family-owned marine eco-tourism company offering whale watching and marine wildlife tours from Victoria, Vancouver, and Telegraph Cove. Our crews connect guests with orcas, humpbacks and coastal wildlife while following responsible wildlife-viewing practices. From Victoria's Inner Harbour, we run year-round Zodiac tours, seasonal half-day tours aboard a custom-built, eco-friendly catamaran, as well as private charters and events. We are Biosphere Certified, a Climate Positive company and a 1% for the Planet partner, and we're proud to be an inclusive, 2SLGBTQIA+-friendly workplace.
The Prince of Whales team works closely with our sister companies: Sea Vancouver, North Island Kayak, and Miniature World.
Key responsibilities
Daily tour and shore operations
- Build the season-long operations and crew schedule with the sales and operations teams
- Ensure the daily success of the sailing schedule, vessel assignments and crew rosters
- Coordinate dock, check-in and boarding so departures leave on time
- Manage cancellations, delays and rebooking with guest services and reservations teams
- Oversee daily retail operations; display and sell retail, overseeing inventory stock, reporting sales to the accounting department
Safety and regulatory compliance
- Uphold and enforce the Safety Management System, including drills, incident reporting and follow-up
- Keep vessels, crew certificates and records compliant with Transport Canada requirements
- Ensure all tours follow DFO Marine Mammal Regulations and approach distances for whales and wildlife
- Lead emergency response planning with confidence and serve as the main on-shore command contact during incidents
People leadership
- Recruit, onboard, and train an enthusiastic seasonal crew of naturalists, mariners, and front-office superstars
- Build schedules that ensure staffing coverage, adhere to labour code regulations, and approve timesheets for payroll
- Coach, evaluate, and retain top talent while fostering a fun, supportive, safe, and inclusive team culture
Fleet and facilities
- Coordinate vessel maintenance with operations team and external maintenance vendors
- Keep dock facilities, offices, and gear in prime condition while managing inventory and vessel supplies
Guest experience
- Set gold-standard customer service to deliver unforgettable guest experiences from check-in to return
- Monitor guest feedback and reviews, turning insights into action and resolving escalated concerns gracefully
- Facilitate custom groups, charters and special events in Victoria with Sales & Marketing team
Budget and reporting
- Oversee daily financial activity at the Victoria location, approve timesheets for payroll, and help manage labour and operating costs
- Track KPIs: on-time departures, seat occupancy per departure, cancellations, incidents, guest satisfaction
- Attend weekly management meetings, help with cross-department and multi-location projects, and report to ownership
Qualifications
Required
- 3+ years (or equivalent experience) in marine, tourism or hospitality operations, including 2+ years managing teams
- Hands-on experience with vessel operations and marine safety systems
- Working knowledge of Transport Canada marine regulations and DFO marine mammal rules
- Strong scheduling, budgeting and problem-solving skills under time pressure
- Outstanding communicator who brings positive energy and stays cool under pressure with crew, guests, and regulators
- No scheduling restrictions during peak season; must be able to work any days and hours of the week, based on the needs of the business
- Valid BC driver's license and ability to drive as needed
- Physically able to work on docks and vessels in all weather: on your feet for long periods, moving on wet or uneven surfaces, handling lines and lifting gear up to [23 kg / 50 lb]
- Comfortable on the water, including time aboard vessels in moving seas
Preferred
- Experience with tour booking and scheduling software (Anchor preferred; FareHarbor, Checkfront or similar also welcome)
- Post-secondary education in business, tourism or marine operations
- Local knowledge of the Salish Sea and Victoria's Inner Harbour
- Marine Emergency Duties (MED-DVS), Marine Basic First Aid, SVOP, ROC-M certifications are assets
Working conditions, compensation and benefits
- Salary: $65,000+ per year, based on experience
- Benefits: Health benefits, cell phone stipend provided
- Environment: Primarily office based, dock and on-water work as needed; exposure to weather and moving vessels
- Hours: 40hrs/week; hours may be longer in peak season, and lighter in the off-season. Two weeks paid vacation and must be taken in the off-season.
