Senior Manager, Global School Partnerships and Early Talent Programs

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd•Miami, FL

5d•Onsite

About The Position

Royal Caribbean Group’s Human Resources Team is hiring a full-time Senior Manager, Global School Partnerships & Early Talent Programs. The position is onsite in Miami, Florida, and reports to the Director, Talent Acquisition. Applicants must be legally authorized to work where the position is based; immigration or work-visa sponsorship is not available now or in the future. The Senior Manager develops and oversees strategic initiatives that build sustainable talent pipelines for shipboard operations and private destinations. The role leads international school partnerships and early talent pathways—including campus recruitment, internships, cadetships, apprenticeships, and specialized development programs—to support Hotel, Marine, and operational talent needs. It translates workforce requirements into scalable solutions and shapes the organization’s long-term pipeline strategy. The role develops global early talent strategy, creates and evaluates programs, establishes education-provider partnerships, and works across Talent Acquisition, operations, Learning & Development, Human Resources, and other stakeholders. It oversees program operations and improvement, candidate experience, governance, and performance measures, while leading and developing a team. Royal Caribbean Group describes its Human Resources Team as partnering with leaders and employees to build a high-performing, future-ready workforce. The team supports talent strategy, workforce planning, organizational design, employee relations, culture, and change management, fostering scalable people practices and an inclusive environment.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Education, Organizational Development, or a related field, or equivalent relevant professional experience.
At least 8 years of progressive experience in early talent, university relations, talent acquisition programs, workforce development, or a related discipline.
Demonstrated experience designing, implementing, and managing structured early talent programs beyond traditional campus recruitment.
Experience building or transforming programs from concept through implementation, including governance, operating processes, stakeholder alignment, and performance measurement.
Proven ability to lead complex, cross-functional initiatives and translate workforce needs into practical talent solutions.
Strong business acumen and project and program management skills, including planning, prioritization, risk management, process improvement, and execution.
Excellent communication, relationship-building, influencing, and executive presentation skills.
Experience leading and developing team members in a dynamic, international, matrixed organization.
Must be legally authorized to work in the location where the position is based; the position is not eligible for immigration or work-visa sponsorship now or in the future.

Nice To Haves

Experience developing international early talent programs across multiple countries or regions.
Knowledge of international education systems, school-to-employment pathways, and relevant training or employment requirements.
Experience with program governance, performance scorecards, partnership frameworks, candidate experience, talent technology, or process improvement.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute a global early talent strategy aligned with workforce plans, business growth, and critical skill needs.
Design, launch, and scale campus recruitment, internship, apprenticeship, cadetship, and other structured development pathways.
Translate talent requirements into program models with clear objectives, eligibility, candidate journeys, operating requirements, and outcomes.
Assess program feasibility and performance, recommending expansion, redesign, or discontinuation based on market conditions, operational capacity, investment, regulatory requirements, and business value.
Identify, evaluate, and develop strategic partnerships with universities, maritime academies, technical institutions, vocational schools, and other education providers.
Develop market-specific sourcing strategies that reflect education systems, talent supply, regulations, competitive conditions, and business needs.
Build partnerships that support immediate hiring and long-term workforce development and strengthen the organization’s position with emerging talent.
Establish partnership criteria and measures for talent quality, pipeline potential, engagement, and hiring outcomes.
Partner strategically with Talent Acquisition, Hotel and Marine Operations, Learning & Development, Human Resources, and other stakeholders.
Apply knowledge of operations, workforce requirements, skill gaps, and organizational priorities to shape program recommendations.
Lead cross-functional alignment on objectives, responsibilities, operating models, success measures, and implementation plans.
Provide data-informed recommendations, business cases, and executive updates to support decisions and resource allocation.
Oversee delivery and continuous improvement of school partnerships and early talent programs.
Establish governance, standardized processes, service expectations, and accountability across internal and external partners.
Improve end-to-end workflows by reducing complexity and risk and identifying opportunities for automation or simplification.
Enhance candidate experience and use performance data and stakeholder feedback to improve pipeline health, conversion, partner performance, and operational efficiency.
Lead, coach, and develop team members responsible for school partnerships, program development, and operational execution.
Set priorities, ownership, performance expectations, and development objectives for the team.
Balance strategic development with operational delivery and allocate resources across competing priorities.
Build team capability and a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement, and independent ownership.