Chief Purser position manages the company safe, ship clearance and the handling of all the ships documents. The position supervises the front desk team, coordinates onboard special requests from Expedition team, Charterer and Passengers. Chief Purser processes payroll for crew, coordinates all crew matters with Human resources, controls onboard point of sale systems, prepares financial reporting and manages efficiently all details for passengers and crew financial issues.
Reporting
- The Chief Purser reports to the Hotel Manager
Responsibilities
- Reception Desk
- Supervising the Receptionists.
- Ensuring that all passenger requests, inquiries and concerns are responded to promptly.
- Ensuring all passenger paperwork is in order.
- Ensuring all passenger information materials are printed on time (daily program, menus, etc.)
- Recordkeeping of AVOs and maintenance requests.
- Recordkeeping of lost and found items.
- Improving service by training staff in proper guest relation techniques and methods.
- Port Clearances
- Preparing documentation required to ensure ship’s clearances in ports.
- Liaising with ship’s agents in preparation of ship’s clearances.
- Developing and maintaining good working relationships with local port authorities.
- Administration
- Managing the ship’s accounting and financial functions.
- Providing accounting, financial, sales and revenue statements to the shore side office.
- Maintain accurate passenger and crew manifests.
- Preparing preliminary and final statements for passengers and crew, and collecting funds thereof.
- Auditing and supplying cash floats for the Reception Desk.
- Ordering cash, maintaining the contents of the safe and ensuring an adequate supply of cash is onboard.
- Mailing or emailing reports and documents from ship to the Company
- Coordinating the crew payroll, preparing cash advances for crew.
- Coordinating crew sign offs and crew sign ons.
- Assisting crew regarding the Payroll card system.
- Coordinating passenger embarkation and debarkation procedures with shore side agents for ship’s clearance purposes.
- Safekeeping passports of passengers and crew, seaman’s books, contracts.
- POS (point of sales) System
- Updating pricing and article information in the POS system
- Importing and exporting financial and passenger information into/out of the POS system.
- Training onboard personnel in the POS system.
- Inventories
- Supervising the inventories of the Gift Shop (where applicable), Salon/Spa (where applicable) and Office Supplies.
- Providing monthly inventory counts thereof.
- Working with the Hotel Controller to ensure proper financial documentation of all orders put into the MXP purchasing system.
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Individual must have excellent communication and organizational skills and ability to lead and manage people.
Skills, Experience & Qualification
- Bachelor’s degree in hospitality management, business administration or related field from an accredited college or university or an international equivalent preferred
- Several years of experience on medium sized ships working as Chief Purser
- Understanding of the highest level of service; ideally worked in the premium or luxury market
- Experience in front office, revenue operations and crew operations required; ideally additional past experience of crew payroll which was generated onboard
- Covered an international Itinerary and been the main person responsible for clearance of the ship for guests and crew
- Well organized; ability to multi-task
- Good accounting and administrative experience, Cost control and budget control experience;
- Computer literate with excellent efficiency in word, excel, MXP, Fidelio or similar application
- Strong management skills and ability to work in a multicultural environment
- Strong leadership skills and practice ‘leadership by example’
- Excellent communication skills; good written and spoken English
- Outgoing personality, open minded and flexible; able to Host tables and socialize at required level for this position
- Ability to work in an international environment;
- Ability to perform well under pressure;
