Manager, Refurbishment

Position Summary

The Senior Manager, Hotel Maintenance will lead and manage a team of refurbishment project managers and hotel technical specialists and ultimately be responsible for the development, planning, execution, and financial performance for refurbishment projects and hotel technical programs fleetwide. This position will develop tools and processes to standardize the way of working across the brands, including condition surveys, capital projects, brand alignment, transparency and fiscal responsibility.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Strategic and Technical Leadership
• Establish efficient, transparent processes for project planning, development, and execution.
• Optimize the structure and deployment of riding crew teams.
• Collaborate closely with brand leadership to ensure alignment with shared goals and operational targets.
• Maintain and oversee shoreside spare parts inventories and coordinate intake/outtake with Supply Chain and Logistics.
• Lead the strategy for hotel technical and refurbishment programs across the assigned brand’s fleet, ensuring alignment with safety, sustainability, guest experience, and operational objectives.
• Define and maintain hotel technical standards, specifications, and best practices.
• Serve as the primary subject-matter expert for marine hotel technical systems.
• Fleet Operations and Reliability
• Oversee the performance, reliability, and maintenance of all hotel technical systems across the fleet.
• Provide expert technical guidance to shipboard teams and shoreside leadership.
• Lead root-cause analyses and ensure effective corrective and preventive actions.
• Ensure hotel technical systems consistently meet public health and regulatory requirements.
• Newbuilds, Dry Docks and Modernizations
• Partner with Newbuild teams to standardize and maintain fleetwide material specifications accessible to the shoreside organization.
• Compliance and Safety
• Ensure adherence to maritime regulations (USPH, SOLAS, Class, Flag, IMO, CDC/VSP).
• Maintain full alignment with the company’s Safety Management System (QMS).
• Support internal and external inspections, audits, and regulatory reviews.
• Project and Vendor Management
• Lead relationships with OEMs, shipyards, and key service providers.
• Support procurement processes including negotiations, warranties, and long-term service agreements.
• Oversee all technical deliverables tied to capital projects within area of responsibility.
• People Leadership
• Lead and develop a global team of hotel technical and refurbishment specialists.
• Drive recruitment, development, training, and succession planning.
• Foster a culture of safety, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Financial Management
• Manage a combined R&M and capital budget up to $20M annually.
• Maintain the capital project inventory and ensure alignment of priorities with brand partners.
• Ensure all refurbishment projects are delivered on time, within scope, and within budget.
• Ensure that operational expense–funded projects meet budget expectations across the fleet.

Qualifications, Knowledge and Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in project management, Industrial Engineering, Architecture or equivalent work-based experience in other hotel technical maintenance/refurbishment roles.
• 5 years of experience in a managerial position with multiple direct reports.
• Must have a basic understanding of the shipboard work environment and the various technical systems onboard.
• Demonstrated ability to handle fast paced decision making and crisis management.
• Strong working knowledge of regulations relevant for the cruise industry, such as SOLAS and USPH.
• Proven involvement in new builds, dry docks, or major retrofit projects.
• Experience managing large budgets and cross-functional technical teams.
• Previous experience managing refurbishment or other maritime projects preferred.
• Strategic thinker with strong business acumen.
• Decisive leader with excellent problem-solving skills.
• Strong analytical, problem solving and logistical thinking abilities.
• Effective communicator across technical and non-technical audiences.
• Comfortable working in a global, multi-cultural environment

Physical Demands

• Must be able to sit, stand, write, review/type reports, compile data, operate a computer, communicate, and assess information.
• Office-based with frequent international travel.
• Shipboard visits, dry dock attendance, and shipyard oversight required, which requires one to board ships, be in confined spaces, work with higher levels of noise, and work in various types of weather.
• Availability for operational support during critical incidents.
• Work environment includes both office and non-office settings.

Benefits

Competitive compensation and benefits package, and excellent career development opportunities.