Seasonal Berthing Officer

Weymouth Harbour is looking for an enthusiastic individual to join our professional team for the summer season (April–September). Based on the harbourside, this is an excellent opportunity for someone with maritime experience and strong customer‑facing skills.

The role is busy, varied and rewarding—supporting day‑to‑day harbour operations, assisting with maintenance activities, and providing a first‑class service to our customers. Experience of sailing or boating is essential for the specialist elements of the job.

What you will be doing

Working in a vibrant operational environment, you will undertake a wide range of duties, including:

• Supporting the safe operation of the harbour, including health and safety inspections, pollution control measures and safety management systems.
• Providing a professional front‑of‑house service on the main reception desk—meeting and greeting customers, responding to enquiries, and ensuring all visitors receive excellent customer care.
• Responding quickly and effectively to customer requests, communicate well, allocating berths efficiently and helping to maximise harbour income
• Booking in and allocating berths for visiting vessels, overseeing slipway operations, processing online bookings, taking fees and maintaining accurate records.
• Assist with Weymouth Town Bridge lifting operations
• Working under pressure during peak season to manage high customer volumes while maintaining service standards.
• Planning and organising workload with the wider team, prioritising tasks and meeting deadlines.
• Carrying out administrative duties, including updating databases and records.

You will be required to work outdoors as regular site visits and inspections are required either on foot or by boat.

Support wider harbour office functions as required

You will be required to work weekends, evenings and bank holidays.

About you

A strong candidate will have practical knowledge of harbour or marine operations, with the ability to assess vessel size, type and prevailing weather conditions to allocate berths safely and efficiently. They should be confident working in a fast‑paced customer‑facing environment, able to communicate clearly with visiting skippers and harbour users both in person and over the phone. Good judgement, attention to detail and the ability to stay calm under pressure, particularly during peak season are essential to maintaining high service standards and ensuring accurate processing of bookings, permits and financial transactions.

The role also requires good administrative and IT skills, including experience maintaining databases, spreadsheets and electronic records, as well as producing clear and professional correspondence. Familiarity with cash handling, taking payments and managing online booking systems would be advantageous. A flexible and team‑focused approach is important, as you will support a wide range of harbour office functions and contribute to the smooth running of daily operations.

Maritime qualifications or relevant experience are essential for the operational aspects of the role.

For an informal discussion about the post please contact Dave Brown, Assistant Harbour Master, on 01305 838423 or email [email protected]. Or contact Liam Rowland, Assistant Harbour Master, on 013035 838423 or email [email protected]

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At Dorset Council, we are working together to create a fairer, more prosperous, and more sustainable Dorset for everyone, now and in the future.

We:

• provide essential services that support over 300,000 residents
• work in partnership to make a real difference
• value every role and the impact it has on our communities
• support our employees to grow, develop, and thrive

You will:

• be part of a team that works together for a better Dorset
• have access to a range of benefits and support
• receive training and development opportunities to help your career progress

We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation where different skills, perspectives, and backgrounds strengthen both our council and the communities we serve.

We welcome applications from everyone and are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. If you declare a disability and meet the essential criteria for the role, we will offer you an interview. We also want our recruitment process to be accessible, if you need any reasonable adjustments, just let us know on your application.

This role is UK-based, and we will need to confirm your Right to Work as part of the appointment process. We use generic job descriptions and person specifications, so the job title in any attachments may differ from the advert. If needed, we will provide additional details in a context statement.

If you’re passionate about making a difference, we’d love you to join us.

Find out more about how to apply.