Brownsville Navigation District
Human Resources Department
Revised: 05/2014
Job Description
TITLE
DEPARTMENT
LOCATION
WAGE/SALARY
CLOSING DATE
Assistant Harbormaster
Harbormaster Office
Professional Employee – PE2
Until Filled
Job Summary
The employee in this position is responsible for providing assistance to the
Harbormaster. This employee acts as the Harbormaster is his absence and
performs duties as the Alternate Facilities Security Officer. This employee is
responsible for performing administrative duties in the enforcement of the Port
of Brownsville Tariff and applicable federal, state, maritime and local laws,
codes and ordinances pertaining to the operation and use of the Port’s
waterways and facilities. This employee may be called upon to provide
supervision for the dispatcher and cargo facility inspector personnel.
Job Responsibilities
 Enforcement of regulations and provisions contained in the Port of
Brownsville Tariff, lease agreements and contracts.
 Enforcement of all relevant federal, state, maritime and local laws, codes
and regulations.
 Review and approval of berth requests and spotting orders.
 Coordination of vessel arrivals, departures and shifts.
 Providing potable water to vessels.
 Assignment of cargo storage areas.
 Coordination of the services of the pilots, tugs, line runners, U.S. Coast
Guard, Port Security, contract security, and federal agencies in the
service to vessels in Port.
 Inspection of docks and waterfront facilities on a regular basis.
 Maintenance of 24/7 radio communications, port in-house
communications, and VHF ship-to-shore communications.
 Additional responsibilities include directing and supervising all work
activities of assigned clerical staff to include relieving the Harbormaster
of routine management functions relating to the flow of work in and out
of the department.
 Performs other duties as assigned or as may be necessary.
 Must have good basic knowledge of port operations and paper flow.
The Port of Brownsville is an equal opportunity, affirmative action organization. The Port of Brownsville prohibits
discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, gender, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual
orientation, or any other legally protected status.
Brownsville Navigation District
Human Resources Department
Revised: 05/2014
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Must have considerable ability to: adhere to prescribed routines and
practices, deal with non-routine matters, such as special projects with a
minimal amount of instruction or supervision.
Be able to deal with personnel from other agencies and the public in an
effective manner.
Must be able to exercise good judgment in the making of decisions in
accordance with rules, policies, and procedures.
Must be able to understand and to follow oral and written instructions.
Must be able to write legibly in English.
Must be able to deal with extreme cases of human behavior.
Must be computer literate with knowledge of word processing and
spreadsheet software applications (esp. Microsoft Excel, Word, and
Outlook)
Minimum Qualifications
 Bachelor’s Degree with preference being given to degrees incorporating
course work marine transportation or maritime studies. Other
acceptable courses of study include business administration, accounting,
or a public administration field, with at least two years progressive
experience in a management capacity.
 Three years of marine experience with knowledge of local, state and
federal laws governing marine/harbor facilities.
 Possess a general understanding and familiarity with Port, city, state,
and federal laws.
 Ability to understand and follow oral and written direction.
 Ability to maintain and write incident reports and logs of information.
 Ability to maintain effective working relationships with other employees
and the general public.
 Excellent and effective oral and written communication skills.
Preferred Qualifications
 Bilingual (English / Spanish).
Work Conditions & Physical Demands
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of
those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this
job.
 The Harbormaster’s Office is a 24/7 operation. This employee may be
called upon to work days, evenings, nights, weekends and/or holidays as
required.
 Work involves a variety of work situations on a daily basis. Employee
may be in an office setting or outdoors at different times during the day.
The Port of Brownsville is an equal opportunity, affirmative action organization. The Port of Brownsville prohibits
discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, gender, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual
orientation, or any other legally protected status.
Brownsville Navigation District
Human Resources Department
Revised: 05/2014
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Work requires light physical effort such as stooping and bending, and
occasional lifting of lightweight objects. (up to 25 pounds)
Work requires long periods of sitting. (up to 2 continuous hours and up
to 8 hours in a day)
Work requires periods of walking outdoors, in dusty locations and in the
presence of heavy equipment operations for periods of up to 6 hours per
day.
Work requires driving in an environment that contains heavy equipment
in operation.
Work may require long periods of standing.
Work requires frequent contact with the public.
Additional Requirements
 Valid Texas Motor Vehicle Operator’s License.
 Must possess, or be able to obtain, a valid Transportation Worker
Identification Credential (TWIC).
 Selected candidate must pass a pre-employment drug screening and
background investigation to be hired for this position.
The above duties may not be performed in every position with the title and the
above functions may not include all related duties that might be performed.
The Port of Brownsville is an equal opportunity, affirmative action organization. The Port of Brownsville prohibits
discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, gender, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual
orientation, or any other legally protected status.