AVP, Product Development & Operational Excellence

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd•Miami, FL

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Associate Vice President of Product Development and Operational Excellence will play a critical role in delivering on the brand’s strategic direction and execution of our shipboard and destination product initiatives. This position involves leading a cross-functional team to drive innovation, enhance product offerings, and align development efforts with market needs and business goals. This leader possesses a strong background in product management, extensive experience in product lifecycle management, and a deep understanding of industry trends. This leadership role requires a blend of strategic vision and hands-on execution, ensuring that our products not only meet market expectations but also deliver outstanding customer satisfaction. The Associate Vice President of Product Development and Operational Excellence plays a pivotal leadership role within the organization, responsible for driving strategic initiatives and operational excellence across various functions. This position reports directly to the Vice President or higher executive and works collaboratively with senior management to align departmental goals with the organization’s overall vision. The AVP will oversee multiple teams, manage resources effectively, and ensure the successful execution of projects and programs. Product Development is the process of bringing a new product or service from concept to market, involving idea generation, design, testing, and launch. The Associate Vice President of Product Experience will play a pivotal role in shaping and enhancing the overall user experience across our product portfolio, leading a cross-functional team to ensure products meet market demands and provide exceptional user experiences. The Associate Vice President is responsible for cultivating an environment that fosters collaboration, innovation, and excellence across the organization, leading initiatives to enhance team performance, employee engagement, and organizational effectiveness, and crafting & executing unforgettable customer experiences that enhance brand reputation and drive guest loyalty.

Requirements

Strong background in product management.
Extensive experience in product lifecycle management.
Deep understanding of industry trends.
Bachelor’s degree in business, Hospitality Management, Marketing, or a related field.
8+ years of experience in product management or customer experience roles.
Minimum of 4 years in a leadership capacity, preferably within the travel or hospitality industry.
Proven track record of developing and launching successful products and experiences that delight customers.
Strong understanding of customer experiences principles, particularly within the cruise or hospitality sectors.
Strong understanding of user-centered design principles and methodologies.
Excellent analytical skills, with the ability to translate data into actionable insights.
Exceptional communication and presentation abilities, capable of influencing stakeholders at all levels.
Strong understanding of performance management frameworks and employee engagement strategies.
Exceptional interpersonal, communication, and facilitation skills, with the ability to influence and inspire at all levels.
Experience with change management practices and strategies.
Data-driven mindset with the ability to analyze metrics and make informed decisions.
Strong problem-solving and decision-making capabilities.
Proven track record of successfully launching products and driving revenue growth.
Experience in agile methodologies and project management.
Ability to remain flexible and calm in high-pressure situations and adjust as multiple moving parts consistently change.
Experience in leading a high-performing operational team.
Experience in overseeing complex project execution and project management teams.
Ability to travel up to 40% of the time.

Nice To Haves

Experience or knowledge of operational requirements and operational success metrics.
Cruise industry experience.
Master’s degree.

Responsibilities

Develop and implement a holistic product experience strategy that aligns with the company’s mission and enhances guest satisfaction throughout their journey. Scope involves first in class cruise ships, cruise modernization, private destinations and non-private destinations.
Staying abreast of industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices in product experience to drive innovation within the organization.
Collaborate with executive leadership to define product strategy and roadmap, ensuring alignment with overall business objectives. Owning the process of which alignment is gained.
Oversee the product development lifecycle, from final concept brief through launch and post-launch evaluation.
Advocate for a guest-centered design approach, leveraging customer insights, market research, and feedback to shape product offerings and experiences.
Champion a user-centered design approach throughout the product lifecycle, utilizing research and insights to inform product decisions.
Conduct competitive analysis and stay informed about industry trends to identify opportunities for innovation and differentiation in our cruise offerings.
Liaison with Hotel Operations and Operational Stakeholders to gain buy in and co-develop the guest experience brief and standard operation procedures.
Partner with various departments to identify best practices and share resources that promote high performance across the organization. Collaborate closely with marketing, operations, guest services, and onboard teams to ensure seamless integration of product offerings and consistent messaging.
Lead initiatives to drive organizational change, ensuring teams are supported and equipped to adapt to new processes and expectations.
Work closely with engineering, design, and marketing teams to ensure seamless execution of product initiatives.
Assessing the technical, financial, and market viability of the product concept to ensure it is feasible to produce and sell.
Creating prototypes or models, followed by iterations based on feedback. This phase often involves collaboration between designers, engineers, and stakeholders.
Conducting market testing or user testing to gather feedback and validate the product's functionality, usability, and appeal.
Introducing the product to the market and customer through development of detailed guest experience briefs and standard operating procedures.
Analyzing performance, customer feedback, and sales data to identify areas for improvement or future enhancements.
Work with the product and brand management team to prioritize features and enhancements that will elevate the guest experience and meet business objectives.
Work with all internal and external stakeholders to prioritize features and enhancements that optimize user experience and drive business results.
Ensure that all product experiences reflect the brand’s values and promise, enhancing our reputation as a leader in the cruise industry.
Regularly present product experience strategies, updates, and performance metrics to senior leadership and key stakeholders.
Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure team effectiveness and implement data-driven strategies for improvement. Define and track key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the effectiveness of product experiences, making data-driven decisions to optimize outcomes.
Foster a positive and inclusive organizational culture that encourages collaboration, accountability, and recognition of achievements.
Design and implement programs that promote team building, professional development, and skill enhancement, ensuring alignment with organizational goals.
Responsible for delivering products and experiences to support growing revenue business for the brand.
Responsible to staying within budget and tracking spend for investment and capital projects ranging from $1M to double digit million projects.
Leading the execution of new concepts for the brand with clear revenue and guest satisfaction goals.
Responsible for driving high penetration of guest participation in the product, and the pre-purchase of the product prior to a cruise.
Oversees a couple million dollars in costs and expenses for the brand.
Responsible over the profit margins for this business and to stay aligned with the profitability goals of the brand.
This position may support and be involved with other areas of onboard revenue which are $600M and growing for the brand.