Shipping Digital Lead

Role Overview

The Shipping Digital Lead (Commercial) is an individual contributor within the Shipping Technical team collaborating with the Shipping Digital & Technology Manager. The role acts as the digital and technology partner for Shippings commercial activities ensuring that systems data and digital capabilities effectively support Chartering and Optimisation including voyage management freight economics emissions and performance reporting.

The role provides senior expertise to support broader Shipping digital priorities including digital transformation business process modernization data quality improvement AI-enabled capability development and value realization.

As the domain authority for commercial systems and tools (including IMOS and a suite of other commercial platforms) the role combines deep functional expertise with hands-on experience in configuration and development. The position is responsible for shaping commercial digital priorities and delivering business value through effective technology enablement including supporting the ambition to apply AI where it enhances decision quality efficiency and performance.

Key Responsibilities

Business Partnering & Domain Leadership

• Act as the primary digital interface for Chartering Optimisation and related commercial teams.
• Develop a deep understanding of chartering workflows voyage optimization voyage economics and performance management.
• Translate business needs into clear value-driven digital requirements.

Product Ownership & Delivery Leadership

• Serve as product owner and functional authority for key commercial shipping systems including IMOS ZeroNorth Stormgeo and other chartering tools.
• Lead data structures to optimize systems reduce workarounds and improve usability.
• Work with vendors to influence system enhancements that add new value to chartering and optimisation workflows.
• Maintain prioritized backlogs shape delivery scope and oversee implementation to ensure solutions are fit-for-purpose adopted and deliver measurable value.

Commercial Process & Systems Expertise

• Apply strong knowledge of commercial shipping processes to guide system configuration and technology decisions.
• Find opportunities to:
  • Reduce manual effort
  • Improve data quality through consistent collection and validation
  • Strengthen reporting
  • Accelerate commercial decision-making across the voyage lifecycle

Stakeholder Engagement & Influence

• Build trusted relationships with stakeholders across commercial teams at all levels.
• Communicate digital strategy priorities and progress in clear business terms.
• Influence decisions and secure alignment without formal authority.

Governance & Value Realization

• Define success measures for digital initiatives and ensure benefits are tracked evidenced and reported.
• Contribute to Shipping Technology governance by providing visibility of progress risks and value realization within the commercial domain.

Compliance

• Champion compliance through auditability and self-verification.
• Promote safe digital working practices and end-user awareness.
• Support cyber security resilience across commercial systems.

Digital Transformation & Innovation

• Drive digital transformation across the commercial shipping domain.
• Assess external markets vendors and competitors to identify high-value opportunities.
• Introduce and scale advanced analytics automation and AI-enabled capabilities within commercial systems where they improve efficiency optimisation outcomes emissions insight or performance transparency.

Digital Product Vision & Roadmaps

• Shape the digital roadmap for Chartering and Optimisation.
• Evolve systems from transactional record-keeping to effective commercial decision support tools.
• Identify prioritize and deliver digital initiatives aligned to broader Supply Trading & Shipping strategy.

Education

• Degree or equivalent professional experience in a relevant field (e.g. Technology Maritime Engineering or Business).
• Professional training in Agile delivery product ownership or business change is desirable.

Essential Experience & Skills

• Demonstrable deep expertise in system design and configuration of commercial shipping systems particularly IMOS (and platforms such as ZeroNorth and Stormgeo).
• Experience working with vendors (e.g. Veson) to enhance system functionality and optimize configuration.
• Solid understanding of commercial shipping processes including chartering optimisation voyage economics emissions and performance reporting.
• Experience in digital product management technology delivery or business change within shipping trading or logistics environments.
• Validated ability to operate at senior stakeholder level and influence outcomes without formal authority.
• Experience working in Agile delivery environments with ownership of scope priorities and outcomes.
• Strong analytical problem-solving and communication skills.

Desirable Experience

• Experience supporting emissions efficiency or decarbonisation initiatives in shipping.
• Background in process modernization analytics or AI-enabled decision support.
• Previous experience as a Product Owner Digital Lead or Business Technology Partner within Trading & Shipping or adjacent domains.
• Relevant professional certifications (e.g. Agile Product Ownership Business Analysis Project Management).

Why join us

At bp we support our people to grow in a diverse and exciting environment. We believe that our team is strengthened by diversity.

There are many aspects of our employees lives that are meaningful so we offer benefits to enable your work to fit with your life. These benefits can include flexible working options a generous paid parental leave policy excellent retirement benefits among others!

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process to perform essential job functions and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation!