Senior Manager, Product Development (Food and Beverage)

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The Royal Caribbean Group’s Royal Caribbean International brand has an exciting career opportunity for a full time Senior Manager, Product Development (Food and Beverage) reporting to the Director, Product Development.

This position will work onsite in Miami, Florida

Position Summary:

In this position, you would be responsible for managing and supporting the people and teams that ideate and deliver high quality Food and Beverage (F&B) products for our guests. This horizontal role champions the product strategy and vision to every stakeholder and partner, ensuring the Royal Caribbean International F&B experience is manifested through amazing vacation products.

You would lead the implementation and execution of all new F&B concepts, experiences, activities, dedicated spaces and programming for Royal Caribbean International. This entails managing various strategic rollout efforts for new build, modernization efforts for our current fleet and private destinations. You would lead all the elements of the guest experience, from brief, through design and execution ensuring that concepts are brought to life in line with the strategic goals and with a full understanding of feasibility (operational and construction). To be successful, you must work collaboratively with other teams including Product Development and Innovation, New Build, Fleet Modernization, Operations, Design, Marketing, Digital, Sales, Risk Management and Revenue Management.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Product strategy:

• Provides ongoing leadership for the strategic direction of the F&B product/experience. Ensures strategic alignment between all stakeholders and partners throughout the product development process. 

• Provides guidance over the strategic direction for F&B through the new concepts and experiences. Partners and collaborates closely with key stakeholders from the various departments across the organization to understand how to adapt and evolve the strategy as necessary. 

• Develops concepts that enhance the guest experience and creates meaningful differentiation. 

• Leads the F&B product innovation process to define the Brand’s approach, strategy, idea generation, organizational buy-in, and final concepts for new guest experiences.  

• Partners with the Insights and Analytics teams to develop research plans that result in uncovering of new and relevant F&B insights. Analyzes diverse data sources to make data driven recommendations for strategies and concepts. 

• Partners cross functionally to gain alignment on strategic vision / direction and concepts. 

• Oversees and collaborates with development teams to ensure F&B product offerings, concepts, and strategies are implemented effectively. 

Product definition: 

• Provides direct leadership with all partners and stakeholders ensuring that the products being created for Royal Caribbean International are viable, feasible and desirable for our guests. In addition, fosters a highly collaborative team dynamic and approach that connects various disciplines from the brand, New Build and all partners to ensure a successful product.

• Ensures that concepts are marketable, drive guest satisfaction and ultimately drive revenue.

• Manages all aspects of design and execution while continually enhancing our products.

• Creates stories (in the form of presentations) outlining the business environment, current product positioning, competitive landscape, insights and data findings to share recommendations and updates with senior management as well as partners and stakeholders.

Product delivery: 

• Maintains accountability for the products and experiences that are developed for Royal Caribbean International and is ultimately responsible for helping our partners prioritize to ensure final delivery of the product. Realizes the strategic vision and brings to life the desired experience for our guests.

• Works with Operations, New Build, Marketing and senior leadership to ensure proper awareness, collaboration, approvals and planning is not only in place, but seamlessly integrated into a repeatable process.

• Works closely with operations and design teams on run of show events to showcase programming and ensures the guest experience will be delivered on strategy/vision.

• Establishes startup plans and training materials to ensure each concept/experience is flawlessly executed.

• Works closely with the team and other architectural / design / construction partners to ensure physical products meet brand expectations.

• Works with creative partners to name, create visual identity and crafts narratives to bring the concepts to life. 

• Works closely with the Marketing Communications team, Public Relations, Creative Agencies and Revenue Management to ensure the latest information is being accurately depicted in the brands communication and systems.

• Delivers quality products by leveraging data from Insights & Analytics to influence development of the product.

• Aligns on key product differentiators with the go-to Market teams to ensure buy-in and future marketability of new concepts and experiences.

Product standards: 

• Leads the collaborative effort of establishing, evolving and maintaining our Royal Caribbean International “experience DNA”, ensuring the product development standards, practices and experience design guidelines are consistent across all products, projects and teams.

• Establishes and maintains design experience guidelines to ensure Creative Agencies, Operations and relevant teams (along with new hires within the team) have the needed information to develop proper branding, customer centric programming and are able to design and build venues that deliver against the desired guest experience.

Product roadmap: 

• Works in close collaboration with the Project Management Office to develop annual operating plans for product development, including advocating for the appropriate funding as necessary to meet the proper design quality standards while ensuring the aspiration for each product is delivered.

• Identifies clear short and long-term goals and effectively project manage complex timelines and deliverables.

Personnel management: 

• Responsible for all aspects of personnel management (e.g., hiring, training and development, etc.) of direct reports and overall team.

• Enhances and evolves the Product Development team by defining required skills, roles and responsibilities needed to concept and execute experiences for the brand.

• Develops the critical thinking and concept development skills of team members.

• Responsible for brand oversight and execution of the product vision for the creation of various products and experiences, each of which can be in excess of tens (and often hundreds) of millions of dollars spanning multiple years of development.

Qualifications, Knowledge and Skills:

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field of study.

• Minimum 8-10 years of experience in a product, design or other similar role developing experiences for consumers.

• Significant experience in leading teams / organizations in bringing high quality products to market.

• Past Experience working with Architects / Designers / Creative or other Innovation Consultants required.

• Past experience in the travel industry ideal.

• Ability and willingness to travel.

• Possess a combination of creative thinking and executional skills, able to problem solve in the moment with creative solutions that keep everyone focused on the vision. 

• Knowledge in galley and menu design, operational layout and flow, outdoor venue development and F&B operational expertise is preferred.

Product & Delivery Depth:

• Deep knowledge and extensive track record in leading teams through the development of physical products and experiences, with an understanding of how to get consumer-centric solutions to market with a high degree of success.

• While not a technology role there should be a basic understanding of consumer technology trends (mobile device capabilities, wearables, VR, etc.).

• Experience developing products grounded in strategies driven by consumer insights.

• Ability to effectively provide overall vision and leadership across a large ecosystem of partners and builders, that spans product definition, design and construction.

• Exceptional verbal and written communication and project / program leadership skills, including the ability to communicate effectively at the senior most executive levels of the company.

• Ability to assemble, lead and influence cross functional teams to execute against a vision.

• Ability to craft and tell a compelling, if not influential, story for audiences of all levels including senior executives.

• Ability to document and package detailed operational requirements and experiences.

Results oriented:

• Proven ability to collaborate with and achieve actionable results through others, plus the ability to build strong and sustainable relationships along with the capability to interact with all levels of the organization.

• Ability to think strategically and drive ideas into action, with a positive outlook and willingness to take personal initiative. 

• Obsessive attention to detail and follow-through.

Physical Requirements:

While performing job functions, you would be regularly required to sit, stand, write, review and type reports, compile data, operate a computer, communicate, listen, and assess information. You may move about the office complex, may travel to other office locations and may lift, push, pull or move 10 - 15 pounds. Visual requirements include distant, close and color vision, and ability to adjust focus.

We know there's a lot to consider. As you go through the application process, our recruiters will be glad to provide guidance, and more relevant details to answer any additional questions. Thank you again for your interest in Royal Caribbean Group. We'll hope to see you onboard soon!

It is the policy of the Company to ensure equal employment and promotion opportunity to qualified candidates without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, sexuality, gender identity or expression, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Royal Caribbean Group and each of its subsidiaries prohibit and will not tolerate discrimination or harassment.

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