Manager Sr, Fleet Finance Operations

The Sr Manager, Fleet Finance Operations provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for all shipboard finance, financial technology (ATMs, Kiosks, etc.) and payroll functions across the fleet. This role is accountable for establishing efficient, standardized, and well‑controlled business processes that support financial integrity, crew experience, and guest operations. 

The Sr Manager, Fleet Finance Operations drives continuous improvement by redesigning and optimizing end‑to‑end finance and payroll processes, defining performance metrics, and building scalable operating models that enable consistent execution across a diverse, multinational shipboard workforce. Acting as a senior business partner to Hotel, Guest, and Marine Operations leaders, the role ensures finance and payroll processes enhance onboard service delivery while meeting regulatory, audit, and internal control requirements. This role serves as the lead business authority for requirements related to system enhancements, and partners with Financial Systems and IT teams to deliver on technology projects, ensuring business readiness, adoption, and value realization.

The Sr Manager, Fleet Finance Operations is responsible for talent acquisition and performance management for Finance Specialists, Paymasters, Inventory Managers and Financial Directors across a fleet of 29 vessels and new builds joining the Carnival Cruise Line fleet.

Essential Functions:

• Establish fleetwide strategy, governance, and standards for shipboard finance and payroll operations, ensuring alignment with corporate objectives, internal controls, SOX requirements, and regulatory obligations. Define and maintain clear operating models, roles, policies, procedures and accountability frameworks across shipboard and shoreside teams. Define and maintain clear operating models, roles and accountability frameworks across shipboard and shoreside teams.

• Lead the identification, design, and implementation of business process improvements that increase efficiency, accuracy, compliance, and scalability across fleet finance and payroll activities.

• Drive simplification and standardization across vessels, and operational contexts. Identify and leverage opportunities to incorporate AI, automation, and advanced analytics into finance and payroll processes to improve cycle times, reduce manual effort, enhance accuracy, and drive data‑driven decision‑making. Optimize cash utilization onboard, ATM and cash kiosk operations.

• Serve as a trusted strategic partner to shipboard and shoreside Hotel Operations, Guest Operations, Marine Operations, HR, and Finance leadership to ensure finance and payroll processes support onboard execution, crew and guest experience. Influence outcomes through collaboration and strong stakeholder management across global and multicultural teams.

• Lead the identification, design, and implementation of business process improvements that increase efficiency, accuracy, compliance, and scalability across fleet finance and payroll activities.

• Serve as a trusted strategic partner to shipboard and shoreside Hotel Operations, Guest Operations, Marine Operations, HR, and Finance leadership to ensure finance and payroll processes support onboard execution, crew and guest experience. Influence outcomes through collaboration and strong stakeholder management across global and multicultural teams..

• Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) for shipboard finance and payroll functions, linking operational performance, service quality, and financial outcomes.

• Use data and insights to proactively identify gaps, trends, and improvement opportunities and to support executive decision‑making.

• Talent acquisition and performance management of all fleet finance teams, both shipboard and shoreside.