Loading Master

About the role

At Grain LNG, we play a critical part in the UK’s energy infrastructure by giving the UK access to more diverse supplies of natural gas from around the world.

As a Loading Master, you'll ensure the safe and reliable operation of the Grain LNG terminal marine and unloading assets, while ensuring the terminal provides an excellent level of customer service and continues to innovate to enhance the business in the technical specialist area of marine services.

This role is based onsite from our world-class facility in Grain, Kent.

Please be advised – due to the location of this role you must be able to drive and have a full UK driving licence.

What you'll do

• Assist the Marine Superintendent in ensuring the compatibility, safety and operability of all LNG ships, prior to their arrival at the terminal, and leading the interaction between the terminal and the LNG ship from arrival to departure from the terminal to ensure all operational and commercial metrics are met and that the service is delivered safely, efficiently and that delay and demurrage charges are avoided.
• Assist the Marine Superintendent in ensuring the safe and time bound delivery of a range of duties relating to the terminal marine assets, including maintenance, delivery of project, commissioning, complex fault investigation and repair, ensuring optimum efficiency, availability, cost effectiveness and safety, as appropriate.
• Be responsible for leading the vessel loading/unloading operation as marine and operations interface. Including connection and disconnection of LNG Ships, selection of LNG and vapour line out, filling of LNG tanks both in person and via DCS. Taking part in an oncall rota for the purpose of maintaining attendance for vessel loading/unloading.
• Undertake a range of duties on cryogenic plant and equipment as required including maintenance, pre-operational checks, plant operation, site delivery of projects, commissioning, complex fault investigation and repair, to ensure optimum efficiency, cost effectiveness, and safety as appropriate.
• Ensure all marine and operational tasks performed onsite are planned, briefed and communicated effectively. Completed in an auditable manner, both safely and according to our regulatory requirements, company policies and procedures.
•  Undertake the role of marine and loading/unloading technical specialist, ensuring that the terminal is proactive and innovative and continually improving its practises.
• Participate in terminal interactions with a range of marine and operational stakeholders, including: Port Authorities, customer marine specialists, LNG shipping companies, and ensure that relationships are maintained. Ensure operational, commercial and business development activities are supported.
• Participate in appropriate emergency response activities to meet the requirements of the EIMS for the marine areas and vessel loading/unloading process, acting as a Site Forward Controller.
• Be responsible for the associated duties when acting in a variety of roles within the Terminals Integrated Safe System of Works (Auditor, Implementation Engineer, Isolation authority, Issuing Authority, Job Owner, Permit Acceptor, Permit Requestor, Technical Authority). Ensuring a safe system of work is established for all works undertaken at the terminal.
• Be responsible for producing the data for a suite of KPIs to continually monitor security, marine and loading/unloading operational performance across the range of activities and regulatory requirements and ensure that any required actions to maintain and improve performance are implemented.
• Identify and mitigate any security, marine and operational risks and escalate where appropriate to the terminal and business risk registers.
• Provide technical support and advice to the Commercial team, both to ensure resolution of any customer dispute in the marine area and support both the sale of additional services and the development of new customer services such as reloading, ship to ship transfers and small scale marine services

What you'll need

• Requires a comprehensive understanding of safety and technical issues and procedures relating to all items of cryogenic and high pressure operations and maintenance of hazardous materials within a specific discipline or plant operation.
• Required to be qualified as Port Facilities Security Officer (PFSO) as described under International ship and port facilities code.
• Understand the auditable requirements under the international ship and ports facility code as carried by the government and customs.
• Understand the requirements on the terminal and shippers under the international safety guide for oil tankers and terminals.
• Understanding of the interaction of site activities on the wider operation of the process system
• Strong commitment to process, occupational safety and continuous improvements of safety standards. Understands effects of cultural and behavioural safety.
• Can operate an Integrated Safe System of Work (ISSOW). Perform and review: risk assessments, method statements, providing clear and constructive feedback
•  General understanding of operations via a DCS
• An excellent communicator, making sure that information is understood by all individuals within and outside the team and able to tackle issues to give satisfactory resolution. They will have the ability to organise and plan work effectively.
• Effective people management skills are essential for this role.
• Good Project Management skills including management of risk for delivery of projects to scope, time, cost.

What you'll get

A competitive salary between £45,000 - £53,000 – dependent on capability.

Established market supplement of £4,000 per annum (paid monthly).

Shift allowance of 10.4%.

1 in 4 Standby allowance.

As well as your base salary, you will receive a bonus based on personal and company performance and a competitive contributory pension scheme where we will double match your contribution to a maximum company contribution of 12%. You will also have access to a number of flexible benefits such as a share incentive plan, salary sacrifice car and technology schemes, support via employee assistance lines and matched charity giving to name a few.

More Information

This role closes on 12th August 2025 at 23:59, however we encourage candidates to submit their application as early as possible and not wait until the published closing date as this can vary.

At National Grid, we work towards the highest standards in everything we do, including how we support, value and develop our people. Our aim is to encourage and support employees to thrive and be the best they can be. We celebrate the difference people can bring into our organisation, and welcome and encourage applicants with diverse experiences and backgrounds, and offer flexible and tailored support, at home and in the office.