Manager, Youth Operations

Carnival Corporation•Miami, FL

9d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Manager of Youth Operations is responsible for the comprehensive management and safe operation of onboard Youth Programs across the US and Australia fleet of 29 ships, carrying over 1 million youth annually and leading 650+ team members. This role drives the vision, execution, and operational efficiency for Turtles, Camp Ocean, Circle “C,” and Club O2. The Manager is accountable to ensure youth safety and compliance by defining and executing policies and procedures, training curriculums, and audits. The Manager oversees revenue, operational technology, and guest communications, ensuring alignment with business goals and industry standards. The Manager leads teams to achieve operational excellence by assuring policy compliance, resource optimization, financial performance, and safety protocols. The role focuses on delivering seamless Youth Programs experiences, implementing improvements based on data-driven insights, and fostering collaboration across key departments. It provides strategic leadership for the shipboard teams, including Youth Programs Directors, Youth Programs Supervisors, Camp Counselors, Animators, Teen Leaders, and Fleet Supervisors, and manages the promotion process. With a commitment to talent development, operational excellence, and technology efficiencies, the Manager ensures consistent, safe, and cost-effective youth and family experiences, while driving guest satisfaction and team performance. Key areas of oversight include policy and procedure adherence, training curriculums, safety protocols, shipboard team development, revenue, and guest conflict resolution.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree in Education, Entertainment Management, Business, Hospitality and Tourism, Sports and Recreation, or related field.
5+ years experience in a similar role centered on youth programs operations and management.
Proficient in Microsoft Office 365 applications with advanced skills in Excel, Word, and Power Point.
Valid passport required.
Create polished presentation materials, prioritize and manage multiple projects at any one time, manage demanding timelines and implementation schedules, possess strong communication skills and leadership experience.
Experience operating a youth program and leading a team.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree preferred.
Previous cruise ship experience is a plus.
Oracle and online databases is a plus.
Previous cruise ship experience is a plus.

Responsibilities

Lead development and daily operations for onboard Youth Programs (Turtles, Camp Ocean, Circle "C," and Club O2), ensuring adherence to department standards, policies, and procedures.
Support programming and partnership activations that enhance guest experience and align with company goals.
Oversee team scheduling, leader development and promotion plan.
Resolve escalated guest issues.
Oversee the implementation and management of training curriculums, including Youth Staff Academy, to ensure staff are fully prepared to cultivate a safe and welcoming environment for children, teens and families.
Develop guest technology for Youth Programs to enhance efficiency, compliance, child safety, and guest experience.
Utilize technology to help manage guest flow, revenue transactions, compliance requirements, and required reporting.
Build and enhance revenue streams, increase current revenue, and minimize costs to deliver greater profitability year over year for the department, including initiatives like Night Owls, rentals, arts & crafts and Build-A-Bear Workshop.
Implement effective cost control measures while maintaining the quality of entertainment offerings.
Oversee guest and crew communication channels such as HubApp, Scala, website, and printed materials tied to Youth Programs.
Ensure quality control and operational excellence across all youth and family operations, providing ongoing evaluation to ensure a consistent and premium guest experience.
Lead and mentor Fleet Supervisors to maintain and optimize standard operating procedures, daily functions, entertainment programming, operations, and supply guidelines.
Manage the shipboard team of Youth Programs Directors and Supervisors, providing leadership, guidance, and training to ensure they are knowledgeable and strategic leaders.
Inspire and motivate shipboard and shoreside teams by setting clear expectations, recognizing achievements, and fostering a culture of excellence.
Lead by example to create an environment where team members feel valued and empowered to contribute to innovative and high-quality guest experiences.
Promote Carnival’s expected behaviors, such as speaking up, respecting and protecting, improving, communicating, listening and learning, and empowering.
Encourage team members to share their insights, challenges, and suggestions to enhance collaboration and operational success, while proactively resolving conflicts.
Partner with Casting and Booking teams to identify and recruit top talent for Teen Leader and Assistant Youth Director roles, building a pipeline of potential candidates.
Conduct interviews, give feedback, and assist individuals with their growth and development.
Support the growth of talented Youth Staff by working with shipboard leaders to find future leaders and offer growth opportunities.
Implement targeted training programs and training colleges, providing growth opportunities, and fostering a collaborative culture that encourages feedback and innovation.
Implement training and best practices to equip team with the skills to effectively lead their department.
Continually enhance the training program.
Partner with Talent Development to grow training programs, update training documents, and share best practices.
Work with other Entertainment departments to support the alignment and consistency of shipboard youth and family operations across the fleet.
Drive communication and collaboration between shoreside and shipboard teams to ensure operational success.
Work with entertainment teams and shoreside directors to align strategies with broader business goals, including NPS improvements and hotel operations.
Foster cross-functional collaboration with internal and external stakeholders including external vendors, IT, F&B, Housekeeping, Communications, Casino, HR, Marketing, Public Relations, Revenue Partners, Global Sourcing, Procurement, Legal, Security, Sanitation, Marine, and Technical teams to ensure that entertainment programming supports and aligns with Carnival’s objectives.
Maintain relationship with sisterliness to share best practices.
Lead safety practices, create, update and enforce training programs, ensuring the highest level of guest and crew safety while maintaining operational integrity.
Ensure teams are prepared to fulfill onboard safety-related duties.
Ensure full compliance with company policies and procedures, emphasizing safety protocols and operational standards as outlined by ADA and Global HESS (Health, Environment, Safety, and Security) guidelines.
Build and maintain strong partnerships within Sanitation, Compliance, Security and Legal teams to develop safety and compliance policies and practices for Youth Programs.
Collaborate with the Legal department to ensure all operations comply with legal standards and regulations.
Participate and ensure depositions are handled properly.
Maintain a focus on child safety and occupational health to ensure a safe environment for guests and team members.
Leverage data and analytics to inform decisions and refine programs based on performance insights and KPI.
Track trends, guest surveys, guest feedback, and operational metrics to enhance service delivery and guest satisfaction.
Modify operations to optimize guest satisfaction and operational efficiency.
Conduct monthly calls, sailings, and ship visits to maintain open communication with shipboard teams, offering guidance on maintaining alignment with company objectives and evolving youth and family entertainment standards.
Report on results and action plans regularly.
Regularly analyze sentiment to identify patterns and trends, pinpointing specific aspects of customer experience that require improvement.
Prepare and propose financial plans for operating expenses and capital IT investments in excess of $6M.
Continuously monitor and adjust plans based on guest behavior, sourcing, and operational dynamics.
Ensure revenue targets are set and achieved.
Establish clear usage guidelines for resources, inventory, and supplies to maximize efficiency for four core youth programs, high-visibility events, seasonal holidays, and branded activations, ensuring timely and budget-compliant delivery.
Lead initiatives focused on streamlining process and reducing expenses.
Partner with Sourcing, Procurement, Purchasing, Legal, and Compliance teams to develop strategies, negotiate contracts, and manage vendor relationships.
Optimize cost savings, ensure high-quality service, and identify and mitigate supply chain risks.
Manage personal and direct reports’ travel arrangements and expenses in line with Carnival Cruise Line’s policies.
Ensure all travel is cost-effective and compliant, and submit expense reports promptly.

Benefits

Cost-effective medical, dental and vision plans
Employee Assistance Program and other mental health resources
Company paid term life insurance and disability coverage
401(k) plan that includes a company match
Employee Stock Purchase plan
Holidays – All full-time and part-time with benefits employees receive days off for 8 company-wide holidays, plus 2 additional floating holidays to be taken at the employee’s discretion.
Vacation Time – All full-time employees at the manager and below level start with 14 days/year; director and above level start with 19 days/year. Part-time with benefits employees receive time off based on the number of hours they work, with a minimum of 84 hours/year. All employees gain additional vacation time with further tenure.
Sick Time – All full-time employees receive 80 hours of sick time each year. Part-time with benefits employees receive time off based on the number of hours they work, with a minimum of 60 hours each year.
Complementary stand-by cruises, employee discounts on confirmed cruises, plus special rates for family and friends
Personal and professional learning and development resources including tuition reimbursement
On-site Fitness center at our Miami campus