Domain Architecture Director - Shipboard Systems

Job Summary

The Director, Domain Architecture -- Shipboard Systems is a horizontal enterprise architecture leader responsible for defining and governing the target-state architecture of the company's shipboard technology ecosystem. This role owns the architectural strategy and standards for the Shipboard domain, including shipboard applications (operations, guest-facing, and crew-facing), onboard transactional systems, local infrastructure dependencies, and the integration patterns that connect ships with shoreside, partner, customer, and corporate systems.

Position Responsibilities

• Define and maintain the multi-year target-state architecture for the Shipboard Systems domain.
• Establish architectural guardrails for shipboard platforms and core applications to minimize invasive customization and preserve upgradeability and operational stability.
• Own domain capability models and architectural blueprints across:
  • Shipboard operational systems (embarkation, debarkation, gangway control, safety/muster support)
  • Point-of-sale, inventory, and revenue systems onboard
  • Guest-facing shipboard applications (mobile, signage, kiosks, in-cabin experiences)
  • Crew-facing systems (workforce management, service delivery, maintenance)
  • Ship–shore synchronization and offline-first operation patterns
  • Middleware and APIs exposing shipboard capabilities to shoreside and partner systems
• Define domain-level non-functional requirements (availability, performance, resiliency, recovery objectives) appropriate for constrained and intermittent connectivity environments.
• Serve as the architectural authority for shipboard core platforms, frameworks, and key vendor supplied shipboard applications.
• Evaluate vendor roadmaps and influence shipboard platform strategy in partnership with product, operations, and technology leadership.
• Provide architectural oversight for major platform upgrades, fleet rollout programs, and new-build/dry-dock technology scopes.
• Balance innovation in guest and crew experience with platform stability and operational/safety risk management.
• Define shipboard domain service contracts and API exposure standards between ship, shore, and partner ecosystems.
• Establish clear data ownership boundaries for shipboard entities and lifecycle events (guest, itinerary, revenue, safety, crew).

Qualifications

• 10–12+ years of progressive architecture experience in complex, distributed enterprise environments.
• Significant experience architecting around large-scale operational, transactional, or edge/branch platforms.
• Deep knowledge of shipboard, maritime, hospitality, or similarly constrained/offline operational environments, or equivalent edge/branch computing domains.
• Experience with API-first and event-driven architecture patterns, including offline and sync use cases.
• Strong understanding of distributed systems, resiliency design, degraded-mode operation, and high availability architectures.
• Demonstrated ability to influence senior technology, operations, and business leaders in a matrix environment.
• Experience operating within federated architecture governance models.
• Cruise, maritime, hospitality, travel, or transportation industry experience.
• Experience with shipboard or branch-location systems (Otalio), including POS, guest experience, or operational safety platforms.
• Familiarity with cloud, edge, and hybrid architectures (in partnership with infrastructure teams).
• Familiarity with CRM, loyalty, customer data, and operational data integration patterns.
• Experience managing vendor lifecycle strategy and major platform or fleet-wide upgrades and rollouts.

About NCLH

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NYSE: NCLH) is a leading global cruise company which operates the Norwegian Cruise Line®, Oceania Cruises® and Regent Seven Seas Cruises® brands. The combined brands currently operate 32 ships, employ over 35,000 shipboard crew from more than 110 different countries and visit approximately 700 different port destinations each year.

Equal Opportunity Employer

It is Norwegian Cruise Line Holding’s policy not to discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, and marital or veteran status.