Lead - Product Development, Shore Excursions and Port of Call Experiences

About the job

Position Summary

The Lead, Product Development of Shore Excursions and Port of Call Experiences is responsible for developing the tour experiences, pre and post packages, independent experiences and other port of call experiences that guests cruising with Celebrity Cruises can purchase to add on to their cruise vacation. The Lead develops a product recommendation and product brief with a forward outlook of 12 to 18 months prior to the season or ship itinerary.

This position also evaluates existing tours and experiences offered in a port of call or homeport to determine strengths and opportunities; as well as make recommendations for product differentiation to achieve the brand’s long-term guest satisfaction and revenue-driven ambitions. The Lead is accountable for having an understanding of the cruise and land competitive landscape, and also identifying future trends.

This position will identify short and long term opportunities that include pre/post-cruise travel and land vacation experiences by further developing our tour options, and hotel and transfer options. The opportunities may also extend into shopping experiences while in port; and destination related onboard experiences.

Responsibilities & Ownership

• Develop goals based on assessments, research and site visits with the intent to introduce new innovative and differentiating experiences for the brand.
• Defined scope for a specific region of the world, select ports of calls, potential partnerships and select target customer segments to recommend the short and long-term product opportunities.
• Work closely with the product owners and management team for execution and delivery as it pertains to shore excursions, cruise and land packages, and pre/post cruise travel.
• Collaborate with various internal stakeholders, conducting research, identifying new opportunities, engaging new external partners, and delivering a thorough competitive assessment that will establish the long term strategic product offering.
• Implent the roadmap which includes but not limited to identifying, prioritizing, structuring, and managing the product goals and priorities for the addressable itinerary and region.
• Develop long term product recommendation and gaining support for this product offering from the department’s leadership.
• Provide presentations and memos on market research and competitive intelligence that will be integrated into the team’s strategic product recommendations.
• Draft, document and present product briefs, guest experience briefs and success criteria for tours, excursions and packages.
• Partner with the brand’s Destination Development, Revenue Management and Deployment Strategy teams and functions to implement decisions that would benefit and support the long term growth of destination experiences.
• Partner with new tour operators and partners in strategic regions and destinations. 
• Initiate the request for proposal or the contract initiation with new operators and partners.
• Conduct research audits, scouting trips, knowledge maps, trend assessments, SWOT analyses to define scope and opportunities.
• Responsible to draft the product brief that includes go-to-market, sales and pricing strategy for tours, excursions and packages within an effective time period to allow for successful implementation by various stakeholders within the brand.
• Develop a recommendation for how the destination may extend to the onboard experience during strategic itineraries or select cruise ships.
• Develop and include a risk assessment of products to ensure there is holistic understanding of the recommended product strategy.
• Serve as a representative of the brand at internal and external cross-functional conversations, events and projects.
• Work with limited direction, usually within a complex and often ambiguous environment, to drive rigorous, fact-based recommendations to executives, functional, or regional management.
• Liaise with internal partners in Deployment, Destination Development, Sales, Marketing, Revenue, Hotel Operations, Onboard Revenue, Port Operations, IT, Guest Travel Services, and the International Offices.
• Requirements include supporting partnerships, product development and negotiations with external partners such as tour operators, airlines, hotels, transfer providers, and travel agencies.
• Perform other duties as required. This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying this position. Employees will be required to perform any other job-related duties assigned by their supervisor or management.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in related discipline or equivalent, directly related experience. Master’s degree or higher would be a plus.
• Fluency in English; German would be an advantage.
• 3-5 years or more of experience in cruise or travel industry, tour operator related business, or experience in destination product development or strategy. Longer tenure with this type of experience would be a plus.
• Proven track record of success in fast-paced environment with demanding timelines.
• Experience in working within high-performing strategic teams.
• Experience in a project management, consumer insights or strategy-focused role highly preferred.
• Experience in recommending and developing strategy and executive-level product or business recommendations.
• Ability to travel up to 45-55% of the time.

Knowledge and Skills

• Very collaborative and an exemplary great communicator in speech and writing.
• Highly analytical. Ability to convert raw information into applicable strategies. 
• Proactive, demonstrate outstanding problem-solving skills and successful in a group setting.
• Exemplary leader who inspires and motivates team & stakeholder performance.
• Highly organized. Methodical in research, order, prioritization and implementation.
• Strong attention to detail and process management. Exceptional project management skills with ability to drive consensus in cross functional teams.
• Demonstrated ability to think strategically and frame new and complex issues.
• Exceptionally good storyteller who can flex across technical and business, and influence people across all levels.
• Must be disciplined and comfortable with ambiguity, possessing the maturity and capability to interact and influence across multiple levels and a global matrixed organization.