Manager, Reservation System Strategy and Operations

Holland America Group • Seattle, WA

98d • $89,600 - $121,000

About The Position

Holland America Line has been exploring the world since 1873. Our ships offer innovative features and enriching experiences focused on destination exploration and personalized travel, inviting guests to savor the journey. We’re looking for an experienced Manager, Reservation System Strategy and Operations to fill this role. You’ll work closely with the AVP of Reservation Systems Strategy & Operations to drive efficiency, mitigate costs, and secure our freedom to operate. This position requires strong project management skills, expertise in POLAR and IT systems, and the ability to effectively communicate with leadership and external consultants. The Manager will support the commercial businesses in consolidating and organizing priorities, considering internal and external capabilities and feasibility constraints and work closely with ResX and internal business IT teams to drive projects forward. The Manager supports the day-to-day management of POLAR projects by planning, tracking, and coordinating deliverables through established workflows. This role plays a key part in maintaining workflow efficiency, intake, status visibility, and ensuring that cross-functional partners remain informed and aligned.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree (preferably in Business, Finance, Operations, or Data Science) or equivalent experience.
• POLAR experience.
• Experience implementing enterprise-wide systems.
• Strong understanding of travel industry reservation and booking system applications.
• Experience with commercial systems.
• 6+ years of experience leading projects including IT, data architecture, as well as business/strategy functions.
• Ability to manage multiple concurrent projects, preferably with experience in cruise and/or other travel industries.
• Proven experience in leading cross-functional projects and driving revenue growth.
• Strong analytical skills.
• Excellent communication and leadership skills.

Responsibilities

• Oversight of the POLAR system is top priority.
• Collaborate with AVP to drive the enterprise-wide POLAR reservation system strategy by facilitating collaboration across all five brands' commercial teams to ensure the system meets the needs of all stakeholders.
• Support AVP in leading the cross-brand prioritization processes to ensure alignment on system enhancements and resource allocation.
• Support commercial businesses in problem solving, developing scope of work for projects and identifying other areas of dependencies.
• Assist AVP in developing and implementing strategies to enhance system functionality and user experiences while improving system processing efficiencies and effectiveness.
• Ensure project objectives are met through solid internal and external communication.
• Develop project plans and ensure deliverables are met on time.
• Generate storytelling presentations for leaderships simple understanding in complex problems and/or solutions.
• Assist businesses in identifying opportunities for process automation to streamline operations and reduce manual workload.
• Collaborate with technology teams to integrate advanced tools and technologies into the reservation system.
• Support business through change management by effective communications, supported trainings and setting clear expectations.
• Lead cross-functional projects from initial concept through delivery.
• Support project teams comprising of members from various departments and brands.
• Conduct regular project reviews and provide updates to stakeholders.
• Assist stakeholders on developing process improvements across product build, promotions, and change management workflows.
• Drive automation initiatives to increase the commercial organization's speed and agility.
• Translate business needs into clear requirements for Technology teams, serving as the bridge between commercial and technical stakeholders.
• Manage feedback loops and communication processes across business stakeholders.
• Utilize analytics, key performance indicators, and financial metrics to drive quantifiable change.
• Analyze data to identify trends, opportunities, and areas for improvement in the reservation system.
• Track key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the success of system enhancements.
• Drive the company’s profitability assessment of the brand by making recommendations and implementing initiatives to improve the performance.
• Champion performance metrics, using KPIs to measure success and drive continuous improvement.
• Partner with senior leadership to shape and execute POLAR strategy supporting the businesses goals.
• Implement agile methodologies to increase responsiveness and adaptability in commercial operations.

Benefits

• Cruise and Travel Privileges for You and Your Family
• Health Benefits
• 401(k)
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan
• Training & Professional Development
• Tuition & Professional Certification Reimbursement

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Education Level: Bachelor's degree