Assistant, Program Manager

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd•Miami, FL

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Special Projects Lead supports the Program Manager in the planning, coordination, and execution of high‑visibility special projects and critical program workstreams within the New Generation and Special Projects portfolio. Building on the Senior Program Associate role, this position is assigned initiatives that require a higher level of technical understanding, coordination complexity, and interaction with senior and executive‑level stakeholders. The Special Projects Lead works closely with the Program Manager to advance priority initiatives, manage execution details, and ensure clear communication across technical, operational, and leadership teams. The role is relied upon to drive day‑to‑day progress on complex efforts while maintaining strong alignment with overall program direction and leadership guidance.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Project Management, Operations Management, or a related technical or analytical discipline.
8–12 years of experience supporting or leading complex, technically driven projects or programs in maritime, engineering, construction, industrial, or asset‑intensive environments.
Experience working on high‑profile initiatives with exposure to senior leadership and cross‑functional stakeholders.
Demonstrated ability to manage complex execution details while maintaining alignment with program leadership direction.
Strong program coordination and execution skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and complex interfaces.
Solid technical literacy, including the ability to understand engineering drawings, specifications, schedules, and technical documentation (not a design role).
Advanced proficiency in MS Project, Excel, PowerPoint, and Visio.
Clear, concise written and verbal communication skills suitable for senior leadership audiences.
Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, with sound judgment in escalating issues appropriately.

Nice To Haves

AutoCAD familiarity strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Support the Program Manager in leading high‑visibility, complex special projects and priority program workstreams from planning through execution and close‑out.
Manage day‑to‑day coordination of scope, schedule, risks, action items, and deliverables for assigned initiatives.
Develop and maintain detailed execution plans, schedules, and tracking tools to support timely delivery of program objectives.
Coordinate closely with engineering, technical operations, shipboard teams, shipyards, and vendors to gather inputs, track progress, and manage interfaces.
Translate technical documentation, shipyard plans, and engineering inputs into clear program updates and execution tracking.
Identify execution risks, constraints, and dependencies; support development of mitigation strategies in coordination with the Program Manager.
Support preparation and delivery of program updates, briefings, and materials for senior leadership and executive forums.
Serve as a key point of coordination for stakeholders on assigned initiatives, ensuring alignment, follow‑up, and issue visibility.
Escalate risks, decisions, and trade‑offs to the Program Manager with clear context and recommended paths forward.
Support cost, schedule, and risk management activities for assigned projects or workstreams.
Track budget status, forecasts, and change impacts in coordination with Finance and Supply Chain teams.
Ensure disciplined use of program management tools, templates, and reporting standards.
Support budget tracking, forecasting, and variance analysis for assigned special projects.
Coordinate with Supply Chain and Finance on vendor costs, change documentation, and execution impacts.
Assist in evaluating cost and schedule implications of technical or scope changes.