[Hiring] Principal Consultant @American Bureau of Shipping

Role Description

The principal consultant serves as a technical consultant and project lead for maritime client engagements involving risk management, safety, and regulatory compliance. Supports project planning, execution, quality assurance, client communication, and preparation of technical reports and presentations to ensure timely, within-budget delivery. Provides guidance on maritime regulations, industry standards, hazard and risk assessments, compliance reviews, audits, and corrective actions for shipowners, operators, ports, offshore organizations, and related stakeholders. Also supports business development, proposal efforts, client relationship management, and promotion of ABS Group’s maritime consulting services.

What You Will Do:

• Lead and manage complex consulting engagements for maritime clients involving risk management, safety, and regulatory compliance.
• Provide technical and strategic advice to shipowners, operators, ports, offshore organizations, and government-related stakeholders on maritime operational and regulatory matters.
• Plan, direct, and oversee project execution, ensuring quality, timeliness, budget control, and client satisfaction across multiple programs and assignments.
• Conduct and supervise risk assessments, hazard analyses, compliance reviews, regulatory gap assessments, and safety management system evaluations.
• Support clients in interpreting and applying applicable maritime regulations, industry standards, classification requirements, and best practices.
• Develop practical recommendations and risk mitigation strategies to address operational, safety, and compliance challenges.
• Lead or support audits, inspections, incident investigations, corrective action planning, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Serve as a senior subject matter expert and trusted advisor on maritime risk, governance, and regulatory compliance issues.
• Build and maintain strong client relationships, identify emerging needs, and contribute to business development and proposal support activities.
• Prepare, review, and present high-quality technical reports, findings, and executive-level briefings to clients and internal leadership.
• Mentor and guide junior consultants and project team members, supporting technical development and effective project delivery.
• Coordinate cross-functional resources and collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to achieve program objectives.
• Serve as technical expert on project tasks to ensure quality services are delivered on schedule and within available budget to meet customer requirements.
• Provide frequent updates to the project manager.
• Assist project manager with defining and sequencing project tasks, estimating task duration and developing a project schedule as part of developing a project plan.
• Review project plans to understand the scope, schedule and assigned work.
• Participate in client and project team meetings.
• Assist with research and data analysis, including assisting with conducting customer or stakeholder analyses.
• Prepare written documents, reports, and presentations, and assist with giving presentations to clients.
• Track and accurately report hours spent on projects.
• Work with individuals at all levels, provide input to reports and other deliverables, execute multiple assignments, meet agreed deadlines, and adjust to changing client demands.
• Perform quality assurance on project deliverables.
• Demonstrate a firm understanding of business and implement opportunities for enhancing effectiveness and efficiencies across the business unit.
• Develop relationships with existing customers to facilitate development of new business opportunities for current and/or additional services.
• Understand and be conversant in ABS Group products and services.
• Meet with new and existing clients and actively listen to their needs.
• Communicate client needs to project managers.
• Review published reports and news articles about existing and potential new clients to identify customer intelligence.
• Participate in proposal development.
• Represent ABS Group and participate in promoting our products and services.
• Participate in marketing activities, conference presentations, technical whitepapers.
• Networking to meet new potential clients.
• While the position is remote, regular travel (50%+) to client sites and project locations is a core part of the role.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of relevant professional experience.
• Must have an advanced degree or bachelor’s degree and equivalent experience.
• Professional certifications required.

Requirements

• Strong knowledge of maritime regulatory frameworks, compliance requirements, and applicable industry standards.
• Knowledge of safety management systems, audit protocols, and incident investigation methods.
• Ability to evaluate operational and regulatory risk and develop effective mitigation strategies.
• Ability to interpret complex technical and regulatory requirements and apply them to maritime programs.
• Strong analytical skills in compliance review, gap assessment, and root cause evaluation.
• Ability to prepare clear technical findings, recommendations, and compliance documentation.
• Ability to advise clients on maritime safety, risk management, and regulatory compliance matters.
• Ability to gain, retain, illustrate comprehension of learned technical knowledge, and transfer knowledge to other members of the team.
• Ability to mentor/coach mid-level consultants and hone technical skills in others.
• Ability to actively listen to the needs of our clients by receiving shared information, determining context of the information provided and generating probing questions to better understand, retaining the information for future access, engaging and collaborating with sales team on potential opportunities, and responding with solutions.
• Openly accepts change as part of business evolution to meet the needs of our clients, provides recommendations to enhance business, and drives change across the business unit.
• Possess a firm understanding of key performance indicators and their significance to the business and take action to drive results amongst the business unit.
• Ability to utilize established rapport and role as a subject matter expert with existing clients to facilitate development of new business through identifying and consistently generating new business opportunities.
• Ability to coach others on development of customer intimacy and new opportunities.
• Demonstrated ability to plan and deliver successful outcomes.
• Must take responsibility for their actions, behaviors, decisions, and results and those of the team they lead.
• Must seek feedback and utilize root cause analysis to improve performance.
• Must understand business goals and hold self and team members accountable for keeping commitments and high standards.
• Must be dependable and consistent.
• Ability to demonstrate independent, objective, open-minded thinking with strong attention to detail and sound judgment.
• Demonstrate a proficient level of time management skill.
• Working knowledge of the ABS Health, Safety, Quality and Environmental Management System.

Benefits

• Medical insurance (PPO and HD).
• Dental and vision insurance.
• Health Savings account (HSA).
• Flexible Savings Account (FSA).
• Life insurance.
• Accidental death and dismemberment insurance.
• Disability leave programs.
• Parental leave program.
• Paid holidays.
• Paid vacation time.
• Employee Assistance Plan (EAP) for personal wellness support.
• 401K plan with a generous company match, subject to plan requirements.

Company Description

We set out more than 160 years ago to promote the security of life and property at sea and preserve the natural environment. Today, we remain true to our mission and continue to support organizations facing a rapidly evolving seascape of challenging regulations and new technologies. Through it all, we are anchored by a vision and mission that help our clients find clarity in uncertain times.

ABS is a global leader in marine and offshore classification and other innovative safety, quality, and environmental services. We’re at the forefront of supporting the global energy transition at sea, the application of remote and autonomous marine systems, cutting-edge technical solutions, and many more exciting advancements. Our commitment to safety, reliability, and efficiency is ever-present, guiding our clients to safer and more efficient operations.