Director, Guest Operations Leader

The Director of Guest Operations Leader is a pivotal leadership role responsible for ensuring the seamless execution of hotel operations across our fleet. The Director will lead a dynamic team of Hotel Directors, develop strategic initiatives and ensure operational excellence to enhance guest satisfaction and operational efficiency. This position focuses on enhancing the guest experience through strategic leadership, operational efficiency, and effective communication between shipboard and shoreside teams. As a key leader, with influence on both shipboard and shore side teams, the Director of Guest Operations Leader must demonstrate proper leadership principles by always adhering to the Corporate Vision Statement, Culture Essentials and Values.

Essential Functions:

• Develop and execute strategic plans to enhance hotel operations efficiency and guest experiences. Ensure integration of all shipboard operations to ensure delivery of brand expectations. 
• Supervise and mentor onboard Hotel Directors, providing guidance and support to ensure exceptional service delivery. Foster a culture of excellence, teamwork, and continuous improvement among the hotel operations team. Conduct regular performance evaluations and provide constructive feedback to Hotel Directors. 
• Develop and execute crisis management plans to handle emergencies and operational disruptions effectively. Serve as the primary point of contact for the hotel director as well as senior leadership shipboard and shoreside on all issues impacting the vessel, such as itinerary changes, maintenance issues, security concerns, guest experience, ensuring timely and satisfactory resolutions.
• Collaborate with shoreside departments, including guest services, marine operations, new builds, F&B, marketing, and environmental, to ensure alignment and consistency in service delivery. Develop and implement standardized operating procedures and policies for hotel operations, ensuring compliance and quality across the fleet. Lead the cross-departmental operational ship visits, which include shipboard strategic planning, hotel maintenance planning, leadership development and crew engagement. 
• Develop and implement with onboard leaders as well as the functional leaders shore side continual improvement procedures to support scalability of growth with focus on increased efficiency, accuracy, and cost effectiveness as well as enhancing the guest experience. Monitor and analyze key performance indicators to identify areas for improvement and drive operational efficiency.
• Develop and implement the fleet commerce plan in collaboration with the onboard revenue leadership time shore side. Review ship revenue and expense performance and support adjustments as needed to drive improvement. Ensure all departments follow the plan and propose adjustments to ensure each area maximizes revenue while adhering to CCL’s guest satisfaction promise.
• Develop, manage, and oversee the hotel operations budget with the shore side leadership team (Technical Ops/Hotel Maintenance), ensuring financial targets are met while maintaining high service standards. Monitor expenditures, identify cost-saving opportunities, and implement budget control measures. Work with the onboard senior leadership to identify projects (both preventative maintenance and reactive), populate the hotel maintenance grids quarterly and present annual requests. Prepare financial reports and forecasts, providing insights and recommendations to senior leadership.
• In addition to the above responsibilities, you will be assigned one or two of the core functions as follows: 
  • Sail Program: Lead the SAIL process for all departments to ensure a seamless implementation and on-going operation: Meet with all functional leaders annually to develop the Goals, Action Steps and SAIL Charts, work with the team to populate the data appropriately, cooperate with the IT team to ensure the SAIL portal is updated, train the hotel directors and functional leaders on the SAIL portal and ensure SAIL progress is discussed during the weekly GOL meetings. 
  • People Development: Lead the talent development for all Hotel Directors and Director of Guest Operations (Excel Class): Mentor, coach and conduct annual performance reviews. Build new-hire training programs for all new HD trainees, track progress and monitor feedback. Spearhead the implementation of outside leadership offerings, such as 360 development plans for current Hotel Directors and Cornell Executive Leadership for new hires.
  • Dry Docks: Lead the hotel function for all dry docks. Partner with respective departments to raise the dry dock standards through collaborative feedback. Participate in pre-dry dock calls w