Manager - VTS

JobsCloseBy Editorial Insights

AD Ports Group is looking for a WMCC-VTS Manager to lead the 24/7 Waterways Management Center in Abu Dhabi, ensuring regulatory compliance, safety culture, and continuous operational improvement across procedures, software, and incident response. The role requires a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, at least four years as a VTS Supervisor, and C0103-1 and C0103-2 qualifications, with strong Arabic and English communication and proven leadership of cross-functional teams. Applicants should demonstrate experience in risk assessment, SLA management, rosters, audits, and automation projects for VTS processes, plus familiarity with maritime regulations, radar, and navigational aids. In your application, include measurable outcomes, how you’ve trained operators, and a plan for business continuity and drills.

The WMCC-VTS Manager is responsible for managing and co-ordinating the activates of the WMCC-VTS centre. This includes managing the WMCC-VTS operations to ensure that current rules, regulations and legislation are followed, developing, maintaining and reviewing the management standards, ensuring all WMCC-VTS Operators are trained and qualified in compliance with Abu Dhabi Ports Safety and Quality Management Systems. The WMCC-VTS Manager will plan, maintain and develop emergency procedures and will record and prepare evidence in response to an incident or accident within the waterways area of responsibility. 

Core Responsibilities:

• WMCC-VTS Manager will be responsible for maintaining and developing the safety culture
• Ensuring an effective public relations and information service
• Managing financial, technical and Human Resources issues such as maintenance of shift rotes
• Managing the maintenance of the WMCC-VTS software systems, equipment and hardware
• Management and review of Standard of procedures manuals, Safety Maps, Risk Assessment and equipment to ensure efficient operations.
• To ensure that the Service Level Agreement (SLA) established between Waterways and its internal or external partners is effectively implemented and monitored, specifically with regard to the operational, safety, and performance requirements of the WMCC- (VTS)

People Management Responsibilities:

• Managing a team of WMCC Vessel Traffic Service Operators (VTSOs / Supervisor) employed on a continual shift roster. 
• Ensuring availability of qualified WMCC-VTS operators always. Conducting appraisals and undertaking annual assessments
• Actively lead the WMCC-VTS team ensuring that the center delivers a consistent high-quality service

Strategic Responsibilities:

• Assessing the risks of vessel movements and establishing cost effective processes and procedures to ensure that risk management is optimized.
• Establishing methods, procedures and technological solutions to gather the information necessary to report on and manage vessel movement.

• Managing operations and traffic in the Abu Dhabi waterways

• Cover WMCC-VTS in operations preparation meetings for abnormal operations

• Continues enhancement of the internal process

• Interview and selection of the new WMCC-VTS candidates

• Follow, assess, and enhance the WMCC-VTS team knowledge and performance.

• Incident notification: Ensure timely and accurate reporting of incidents by the team, in accordance with established protocols."

• Place plan to ensure business continuity 

• Cover the WMCC with the internal and external Delegates 

• Part of the internal/external Drills

• Automation: lead, enhance and progress automation of the VTS processes (Management system)

• Prepare monthly VTS employees rosters

• VTS system upgrade: build the SOW, raise the request, do the technical evaluation, and follow the implementation 

• Reports and statistics: review the Monthly report and send it to Director, Waterways, AD Maritime. Any other reports required by AD Maritime/ITC.

• Action against the Non-Compliance 

• Make sure that the VTS employees implement the roles and make sure that there is no breach to rules and regulations during the maneuvering

• Ensure timely response of the WMCC-VTS team

• Provide Data to the AD Maritime management 

• Lead the department internal/external audits

• Do benchmarking

• In some cases, if the waterways director doesn’t reply, WMCC-VTS Manager needs to take the decision.

• Traffic Management planning in conflict scenarios