Job Description

At Seabourn, we are passionate about travel. We believe that traveling for pleasure has a redemptive power that enriches people’s lives. And we believe that people should travel well. Seabourn pioneered small-ship, ultra-luxury cruising, and continues to represent the pinnacle of that unique style of travel. 

We’re looking for an experienced expedition cruise professional to fill this role. This is a full-time, long term, contract role and can be remote based. You will be responsible for the overall expedition day by day itinerary build. Along with planning and product development for both of Seabourn’s Expedition ships, Seabourn Venture and Seabourn Pursuit. In addition, this position supports Ventures by Seabourn in Alaska. This role will be a strategic leader within the expedition and itinerary planning structure that will oversee creation and ownership of expedition annual budgets for included and optional shore excursions. This role will manage a team of Product Managers while guiding them in sourcing and developing the best expedition experiences possible. The role will be responsible for collaboration and interaction with the Seabourn and Holland America Executive Management Teams and the various brand product teams to meet organizational and functional goals, including establishing and fulfilling brand requirements within the tour programs.

Here’s a summary of what Seabourn is looking for in its Director, Itinerary Planning. Is this you? 

Responsibilities -

Execution and Performance:

• Create strategic initiatives through review and leverage of current and future Seabourn deployments that target maximizing shore excursion and branded partnerships in annual tour builds. 
• Responsible for the development of all expedition itinerary planning that drive max yields and guest satisfaction. 

Budget Ownership:

• Owns and manages Seabourn Expedition’s annual budget for included and optional shore excursions of $5-6million. 
• Participates in all forecasting and financial business meetings to communicate monthly performance to OBR leadership. Responsible for cost control and increase in revenue through yield management, creation of pricing strategies, and negotiation with tour partners. 

Team Leadership/Decision Making:

• Lead through team of product managers to execute functional business plans and develop voyage plans, including operational activities.
• Scout new destinations and new offerings in discrete locations to ensure ships have all information needed for successful expedition voyages. 
• Travels aboard Seabourn Pursuit and Venture to provide leadership and guidance on future itineraries, Expedition Voyage Plans for Expedition Teams onboard, and 
• Partners with Director of Nautical for Expedition and the Navigation/Bridge officers of both expedition ships to advise on expedition activities planned, ship anchorage locations, specific requirements of operations, and all itinerary changes. 

Compliance and Security:

• Manages relationship with Port Operations to coordinate, enforce and ensure the compliance of all permits for expedition, location-specific information needed for ship’s agents (coordinates for anchorages and Zodiacs; permissions to visit uninhabited regions; immigration/customs; permissions for landowners).
• Creates templates for every voyage, with details about Zodiac landing coordinates, ship anchorages, landing site conditions, and specific tour partner needs
• Responsible for providing information and counsel regarding locations for operations, permissions needed, and approves all 3rd Party Shore Excursions decisions.
• Advises on all locations visited, alternate sites that could be used, time needed in each location, and clearance ports in and out of countries.

Performance Management:

• Examines all tour proposals to determine best fit for guest experience, content, and value add while building long-term relationships with tour partners.
• Reviews Expedition Leader Voyage Reports (ELVR) and Expedition Coordinator Voyage Reports (ECVR) and makes changes to future itineraries based upon feedback.
• Ensures consistent branding, including marketing content and initiatives, guest-facing emails, all social media posts, and all video content. 
• Proof all naming conventions and itinerary maps for all new expedition itineraries created. Proof all port and destination-focused content on web site, as new destinations are added, to reflect accurate information for expedition experiences. 
• Provide constant guidance and act as a resource for Expedition Experts Teams, including PCC’s, FCC’s, Call Center, Sales Team, etc.

Requirements - 

• Bachelor’s Degree or Equivalent Experience
• Must have been part of an expedition team for 10 years and in a leadership role, such as Expedition Leader for 5 years. 
• A Tourism or natural science degree or education is useful. Certifications in rifle handling, zodiac driving, crevasse rescue. First aid. 
• Minimum 10 years’ experience of in-field and shoreside experience of leading expedition teams for multiple companies and operations in remote areas, like Antarctica, Arctic, South Pacific etc. 
• Minimum 10 years’ experience working with multiple departments to deliver an expedition product. 
• Minimum Qualifications (if preferred but not required, list as such):
• Minimum 10 years of destination knowledge of remote areas.
• Knowing how operations are affected by ice, weather, seasons etc.
• Knowing what is possible to operate in a multitude of conditions.
• Intimate knowledge of landing sites, activities, cultural sensitivity and safe operations. 
• Ability to multi-task, prioritize and problem solve in a deadline-oriented atmosphere. Flexibility in terms of dealing with changing priorities and dealing with multiple projects simultaneously
• Proven ability to manage, communicate and implement projects & Initiatives. Ability to approach problem solving both from an analytical and customer service viewpoint.
• Ability to examine existing processes, structures and systems to assess how they may be strengthened to deliver desired business objectives
• Must be proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
• Minimum 10 years working on ships at a leadership level, Expedition Leader. 
• Working with multiple departments to deliver a luxury expedition experience. 
• Experience in being “the face” of the product and being the company’s representative on the ship. Managing a team in the field with multiple disciplines, Subs, Kayaks, zodiacs, ship ops etc and being able to coordinate all those activities to deliver a luxury guest experience. 
• Proven skills at relationship-building and the ability to communicate and coordinate the efforts of a diverse set of stakeholders in an environment of constant change.
• Work with product development teams to manage new product development.

Base Salary Range: $100,000.00 to $125,000.00. The range is applicable for the labor market where the role is intended to be hired. Final base salary is directly related to each candidates' qualifications and experience uniquely. This position is a full-time, long term contract remote based position and we will hire the contractor through our payroll agency. 

Our Culture…Stronger Together

Our highest responsibility and top priority is compliance, environmental protection and the health, safety and well-being of our guests, the people in the communities we touch and serve, and our shipboard and shoreside employees. Please visit our site to learn more about our Culture Essentials, Corporate vision Statement and our Core Values at: https://www.seabourn.com/en_US/our-company/mission-values.html

Seabourn is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran status, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations, and ordinances. 

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Seabourn will provide reasonable accommodations with the application process, upon your request, as required to comply with applicable laws.  If you have a disability and require assistance in this application process, please contact recruiting@hollandamericagroup.com

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