Lead, Product Development

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd•Miami, FL

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Lead, Product Development & Innovation for Celebrity Cruises is responsible for ideating, planning, and delivering high-quality products and experiences for the brand’s river product in partnership with cross-functional teams. This role champions the product vision and strategy, ensuring “The Celebrity Way” is reflected both onboard and ashore. Reporting to the Director, Product Development & Innovation, this position supports the day-to-day development, implementation, and execution of new concepts, experiences, activities, programming, and excursions for Celebrity River Cruises. The role oversees the guest experience from initial brief through design and execution, balancing strategic goals with operational and construction feasibility. Success requires close collaboration with Newbuild, Design, Consumer Insights, Operations, Revenue Management, and other key partners.

Requirements

Minimum of 5–7 years of experience in product development, design, or a similar role developing consumer experiences.
Product owner experience required.
Bachelor’s degree required
Proven success in a fast-paced environment with demanding timelines.
Experience developing products grounded in consumer insight-led strategies.
Ability to communicate effectively across a broad ecosystem of partners spanning product definition, design, construction, operations, marketing, consumer insights, destination development, corporate development, revenue management, and finance.
Exceptional written and verbal communication and project/program leadership skills, including the ability to communicate with executive-level audiences.
Ability to assemble, lead, and influence cross-functional teams to execute against a shared vision.
Ability to craft compelling stories for partners and collaborators and to document detailed operational requirements and experiences.
Proven ability to achieve results through others and build strong, sustainable relationships.
Creative problem-solving skills, a positive outlook, personal initiative, exceptional attention to detail, and consistent follow-through.
Methodical approach to research, organization, prioritization, and implementation.
Ability to travel up to 20% of the time, including domestic, international, office, and shipboard travel as business needs require.
Ability to perform the essential functions of the role with or without reasonable accommodation, including regular sitting, standing, writing, reviewing and typing reports, compiling data, operating a computer, communicating, listening, assessing information, moving within office environments, and occasionally lifting, pushing, pulling, or moving 10–15 pounds.

Nice To Haves

master’s degree preferred.
Experience working with architects, designers, and creative or innovation consultants preferred.
Travel industry experience preferred.

Responsibilities

Develop innovative ship and shore concepts and briefs grounded in guest insights and the Celebrity brand promise to deliver differentiated, superior guest experiences.
Direct and collaborate with partners and stakeholders to ensure products are viable, feasible, desirable, marketable, and positioned to drive guest satisfaction and revenue.
Partner with Operations, Newbuild, Marketing, senior leadership, external design firms, and operating partners to maintain effective communication, collaboration, approvals, and planning.
Work with operations and design teams on run-of-show events to showcase programming and confirm that the guest experience aligns with the strategy and vision.
Establish startup plans and training materials that support flawless execution of each concept and experience.
Collaborate with Marketing, Public Relations, Creative Agencies, and Revenue Management to ensure current and accurate information is reflected in brand communications and systems.
Lead efforts to establish, evolve, and maintain the brand essence, product development standards, practices, and experience design guidelines.
Own product and experience audits and post-delivery success monitoring, ensuring onboard and onshore execution remains consistent with approved visions and playbooks.
Maintain design experience guidelines so Creative Agencies, Operations, Newbuild teams, and new team members have the information needed to deliver appropriate branding, customer-centric programming, and venue design.
Collaborate with the Project Management Office, Newbuild, and Operations to track milestones, goals, timelines, and design quality standards while protecting the aspiration for each product and experience.
Manage hiring, training, development, coaching, roles, and responsibilities for direct reports, strengthening the team’s ability to conceptualize and execute brand experiences.
Provide brand oversight and execute the product vision for products and experiences representing investments that may exceed tens or hundreds of millions of dollars across multiple years of development.