Yacht Maintenance & Refit Manager

Location: Berthon Boat Company, Lymington, UK
Position: Full-time (site-based)

About the Role

Berthon Boat Company is a well-established and busy boatyard in Lymington providing maintenance, refit, and technical services to a wide range of sailing and motor yachts.

We are seeking an experienced Project Manager to join our service team, with a particular focus on supporting our brokerage department and owners of blue water cruising yachts.

This role involves managing maintenance, refit, and upgrade projects from initial enquiry through to completion, ensuring a high level of organisation, and customer communication throughout the process. The successful candidate will work closely with our brokerage team, yacht owners and skippers, helping prepare yachts for sale, supporting new owners following purchase.

This position would suit someone with marine project management experience, excellent organisational skills, and a solid understanding of yacht systems and maintenance requirements.

Sailing experience, particularly with blue water cruising yachts, would be highly beneficial.

This is a full-time, site-based role at our Lymington shipyard and is not a hybrid or work-from-home position.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Project & Customer Management

• Act as the primary point of contact for owners, captains, and brokerage clients
• Manage maintenance, refit, and upgrade projects from enquiry through to completion
• Inspect vessels and define technical scopes of work
• Prepare labour and material estimates
• Liaise with manufacturers and suppliers on technical specifications
• Maintain strong relationships with Berthon’s brokerage and marina customers
• Support the brokerage department with pre-sale preparation and post-sale refit projects

Project Planning & Delivery

• Develop project plans, schedules, and work scopes
• Coordinate yard labour, subcontractors, and suppliers
• Source and procure materials and equipment required for projects
• Monitor project progress, timelines, and budgets
• Maintain accurate job records and project documentation
• Ensure projects are delivered safely, efficiently, and to a high standard

Technical Oversight

• Oversee installation, commissioning, and testing of yacht systems
• Participate in sea trials where required
• Assist with commissioning and final project sign-off

General Responsibilities

• Work closely with Berthon’s service, marina, and brokerage teams
• Contribute to maintaining Berthon’s high standards of technical service and customer care
• Support the wider team in ensuring the efficient operation of the yard and service department

Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate will have:

• Experience managing marine refit, maintenance, or yacht service projects
• Strong organisational and project management skills
• Good technical understanding of yacht systems and equipment
• Excellent communication and customer relationship skills
• The ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously

What Berthon Offers

• Competitive salary plus annual notional dividend based on company profitability
• 33 days holiday (25 days annual leave + 8 bank holidays)
• Flexible working arrangements where possible
• A collaborative and supportive working environment
• Opportunity to work on a wide variety of high-quality sailing and cruising yachts
• A stable long-term employer with strong financial foundations

Berthon Boat Company is a financially independent company with no debt and a strong balance sheet. We own our shipyard and, with our long-term customer base, are able to make decisions with a long-term perspective.