Shoreside Sr. Director of Hotel Operations

Responsibilities

• Margaritaville at Sea is seeking a dynamic and experienced professional to provide strategic leadership and operational oversight for all hotel and port-related functions across the fleet.
• Reporting to the EVP of Hotel Operations, the Senior Director of Hotel Operations is responsible for driving guest satisfaction, operational excellence, regulatory compliance, and revenue growth through the development and execution of standardized procedures, training programs, and cross-functional initiatives.
• This role serves as a key liaison between shipboard and shoreside teams, ensuring seamless coordination across all hotel operations and ports of call while maintaining alignment with company objectives and brand standards.
• Essential Functions:
• Strategic Leadership & Operational Excellence: The Senior Director of Hotel Operations is responsible for leading the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of Margaritaville at Sea’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) framework across hotel and port operations. This role drives strategic initiatives focused on enhancing guest satisfaction, improving Net Promoter Scores (NPS), and increasing operational efficiency throughout the organization.
• Working closely with executive leadership, the Senior Director identifies and implements opportunities for revenue growth while ensuring alignment with corporate objectives. Additionally, this position oversees compliance with United States Public Health standards and other applicable regulatory requirements, ensuring consistent adherence across all vessels and operational environments.
• Hotel Operations Management: Provide strategic direction and oversight for all shipboard hotel departments, ensuring operational consistency, service excellence, and alignment with Margaritaville at Sea brand standards. Partner with Shipboard Human Resources and onboard leadership teams to support staffing strategies, performance management initiatives, succession planning, and crew development. Lead the creation and execution of job-specific training programs designed to enhance crew competencies, guest service delivery, and operational effectiveness. Serve as the primary shoreside contact for shipboard hotel operations, providing guidance, support, and accountability to ensure exceptional guest experiences across the fleet.
• Port Operations Oversight: Oversee day-to-day homeport operations, including provisioning, loading activities, and coordination between shipboard and shoreside teams to ensure efficient vessel turnarounds and operational readiness. Manage port-related logistics and operational activities at all ports of call, ensuring smooth arrivals, departures, and positive guest experiences. Lead vendor relationships and financial planning for port services, negotiating and managing contracts to achieve cost-effective, high-quality service delivery. Monitor operational performance and identify opportunities to improve efficiency, enhance guest satisfaction, and support business objectives throughout the port network.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration & Project Leadership: Drive collaboration across departments including Human Resources, Finance, Shipboard Operations, Guest Services, and other key stakeholders to ensure alignment on organizational priorities and operational initiatives. Lead strategic projects from concept through implementation, including process improvements, system enhancements, new business initiatives, and operational transformation efforts. Develop, communicate, and maintain policies and procedures that promote consistency, accountability, and operational excellence across hotel and port operations. Facilitate effective communication between shipboard and shoreside teams, ensuring seamless execution of company objectives and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Compliance, Reporting & Performance Management: Ensure all hotel and port operations comply with company policies, regulatory requirements, health standards, and operational guidelines. Develop and maintain performance metrics, dashboards, and reporting tools to monitor operational effectiveness, guest satisfaction, financial performance, and compliance outcomes. Prepare and present regular reports to senior leadership, providing insights, recommendations, and action plans to support informed decision-making. Foster a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and operational excellence throughout the organization.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Hospitality Management, Accounting, Operations Management, or a related field required.
• Master's degree in Business Administration (MBA) or related advanced degree preferred.
• Experience: Minimum of 10 years of progressive leadership experience within the cruise, hospitality, tourism, or port operations industries. Minimum of 5 years of experience in a senior management or director-level role with responsibility for multi-department operations. Demonstrated experience leading large-scale operational initiatives, process improvements, and cross-functional projects. Proven track record of driving guest satisfaction, service excellence, operational performance, and revenue growth.

Physical Demands

• Must be able to remain in a stationary position at a desk and/or computer for extended periods of time.

Work Conditions

• Work primarily in a climate-controlled environment with minimal safety/health hazard potential.
• This position is classified as “in-person,” which means the physical office in Orlando.