Susan Dvonch, maritime headhunter, says U.S. ports facing complex hiring choices

The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) Annual Convention opened in Boston on October 28th to hear a detailed check list of new and more complex hiring criteria port commissioners must face, according to veteran maritime headhunter Susan Dvonch.

Dvonch is the Managing Partner at Shey-Harding Executive Search, which provides executive search services for ports and private sector maritime organizations across the U.S: “We engage with boards and commissions on CEO placements and with executive leadership on other senior levels.”

She said that “Candidates for executive level port jobs have had good leverage over the past 4 years.” The result is: “Employees are moving between jobs for better pay and increased responsibility” because “a strong job market is less risky.”

Dvonch said challenges for ports in finding new talent are becoming tougher as ports grow because so do their needs for qualified executives. As a result, port commissioners and board members need to invest in the resources that help them make the best decision: “The challenge for ports is exemplified by … the pool of local talent that may be really limited, which means you have to go outside and then you do have that challenge of geography. We work with both landlord ports and operating ports (to find candidates for) tough to fill roles.”

New Challenges to Ports

The situation is getting more challenging because of new challenges to ports especially in areas such as cybersecurity where new specializations are required as well in traditional positions where growth creates demands for jobs in: “engineering, cybersecurity, equipment operators, mechanics.”

In the case of larger ports “they've got … potentially a hundred jobs to fill at any given time. So, some of those just tend to be more difficult than others. And then you add that component of geography in a small job market.”

Dvonch said that objective criteria sought by boards of harbor/port commissioners in the hiring of port executives includes: “Experience running a similar size/scope organization” as well as:

• Specific number of years’ experience
• Relevant Port related background, i.e., terminal development, major infrastructure projects, experience with similar cargoes, funding sources, knowledge of the relevant Port industry partners, or general exposure to the goods movement industry.
• Previous experience reporting to a board or commission
• Experience working for a public agency or extensive interface with the public sector (Army Corp, USCG, etc.)

Dvonch said ports are strengthening their efforts to attract new hires in the following ways:

• Modifying compensation structures
• Bonuses
• Relocation packages and other recruitment perks
• Allowing some hybrid flexibility. Commuter arrangements
• Reorganizing their work force. Promoting internally for proactive succession planning and mitigating for difficult to fill jobs.

She said that port executives are not just looking for more money when they look for a new job but also “A role that is a “step up” and offers compelling challenges” as well as:

• Port values well defined
• A well-functioning board
• An opportunity with the right organization
• Interest in Port reputation, strength of the team, their ability to positively contribute
• Appropriate work/life balance and some degree of flexibility