System Owner – Shipbuilding

Join Our Family: An Ocean of Possibilities at Damen Workboats

About us:

The Workboats Division is one of the four ship-newbuild domains of Damen Shipyards, alongside Offshore & Specialized Vessels, Yachting, and Naval. Workboats focuses on designing, engineering, building, and commissioning workboats, such as High-Speed Craft, Fast Ferries, Stationary Dredgers, and Tugs.

The development of technology within the shipbuilding industry is increasing rapidly. Damen Workboats aims to be at the forefront of these developments and is continually seeking new ways to develop, design, standardize, and optimize innovative systems. The Technology Management department of the Workboats division is responsible for technology development and standardization of the ship’s systems portfolio based on modular and scalable solutions.

To achieve our goals, we are looking for a System Owner for the system platform team "Shipbuilding" in the Technology Management department. A system platform team is a multi-disciplinary team responsible for a system platform. The team handles development, standardization, and maintenance of the entire (standard) system throughout its lifecycle, covering technical content, supply chain, production and quality control, knowledge management, and documentation for in-service support.

The Role

Based on the Workboats' ambitions regarding strategic themes, sustainability, digitalization, and operational excellence, the System Owner sets a clear vision for the system platform(s), taking into account business requirements, the future Damen Workboats ship portfolio, cooperation with suppliers, technology, market needs, and opportunities. The System Owner ensures that the right systems are available on time, enabling their successful integration into our ships, with technology developed, the supply chain efficiently organized, knowledge embedded within the organization, and the Damen Services organization ready to assist a happy customer in successful operations.

Moreover, the System Owner gathers feedback from our customers' experiences as important input for new system developments. Generally, the System Owner is responsible for "the system" through all phases of its lifecycle in this ambitious, innovative journey.

The System Owner will report to the manager of the Technology Management department.

Key Accountabilities

• Focal point for the development, implementation, and support of the system platform throughout the organization.
• Defining a vision and strategy for technology considering the business objectives and market opportunities.
• Setting up and managing short-, mid- and long-term Technology Development roadmap aligning with the ship type development agenda.
• Managing the development and standardization of modular and scalable system families, variants, and options covering the needs of the complete Damen Workboats portfolio.
• Approving the supplier/partner strategy in close cooperation with Damen Category Management and Product groups.
• Heading the multi-disciplinary system platform team, setting clear goals and priorities for system development, implementation, and support.
• Initiating and organizing collaboration with internal and external key partners, setting responsibilities, and building an organization enabling the systems platforms throughout the lifecycle.
• Ensuring technology is developed according to systems engineering principles and the Verification and Validation model.
• Embedding knowledge within the organization, setting up training and instructions.
• Defining a vision and strategy for new technology considering business objectives and market opportunities.

Skills & Experience

• Enthusiastic, open, communicative, and a real team player.
• Proactive, result-oriented, with initiative-taking ownership.
• A strong leader, able to coach, guide and influence others to achieve results or goals.
• People-oriented and energetic, with management skills.
• Decisive and at the same time flexible in your approach while working methodically.
• Able to influence, putting things into a bigger picture perspective.
• Well able to manage expectations.
• Willing to travel (based in The Netherlands).

• An academic level with a bachelor's and/or master’s degree in a technical direction (e.g., Naval Architecture, Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, Process Automation, Electrical Engineer) or another technical study involving complex systems integration.
• Demonstrable knowledge in this specific technical domain in a relevant industry.
• The ability to translate high-level market and business requirements & opportunities into technology and system development needs.
• Project management qualities, capable of maintaining a clear overview and effectively prioritizing.
• Experience with the application of Systems Engineering principles.
• Experience with the development and integration of (marine) installations, including cooperation with third parties.
• Experience with (marine) industry standards and regulations.
• A high-quality consciousness and accuracy.
• Good communication skills in English, Dutch is a plus.

What We Offer

We want to ensure you are happy in your role at Damen Workboats, so we offer great opportunities to develop yourself in this position. We are a growing organization where innovation is the driving force. Entrepreneurship is in our DNA, and that's why we continue to grow and innovate, offering plenty of opportunities.

We offer you:

• Personal guidance, freedom, varied work, and a work environment where your opinion counts.
• A work-from-home policy.
• An excellent benefits package tailored to your experience and education level.
• An international work environment.
• An open, informal, no-nonsense culture with short communication lines.

We are looking forward to meeting you! For more information, please get in touch with Eric Atuahene (Recruiter):

Eric Atuahene
Email: eric.atuahene@damen.com