Senior Specialist, Headliner Entertainment

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This position is on – site in our Royal Caribbean Productions Studios – North Miami

Journey with us! Combine your career goals and sense of adventure by joining our incredible team of employees at Royal Caribbean Group. We are proud to offer a competitive compensation and benefits package, and excellent career development opportunities, each offering unique ways to explore the world.

We are proud to be the vacation-industry leader with global brands — including Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Silversea Cruises — the most innovative fleet and private destinations, and the best people. Together, we are dedicated to turning the vacation of a lifetime into a lifetime of vacations for our guests.

Royal Caribbean Group’s Entertainment Team has an exciting career opportunity for a full time Senior Specialist, Headliner Entertainment reporting to the Lead, Headliner Entertainment & Comedy Program.

Position Summary

This position is responsible for fleetwide Headliner bookings – 5,400 annually. Responsibilities include sourcing, recruiting, auditioning, negotiating, hiring, and overseeing fleet schedules for Headliner Entertainers. This position is also responsible for planning, developing and maintaining the Headliner Entertainment program ensuring a balanced entertainment product as required by fleet itineraries and projected guest demographic. As part of sourcing and recruitment, this position supports the organization and attends worldwide live auditions, reviews all in person and online submissions and makes final selections on all talent. The Senior Specialist, Headliner Entertainment oversees the Entertainment Management System including but not limited to talent library, availability calendar, talent profiles and show billing updates. This position is also responsible for ensuring that all Headliner Entertainment standard operating procedures are created, updated and followed. Additional responsibilities include overseeing fleetwide Headliner schedule, development, support, and talent management.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Recruit, screen, interview, negotiate and hire Entertainers directly, or with agent, for the Headliner Entertainment program.
• Measure the effectiveness of each prospective Entertainer according to the required styles and techniques.
• Evaluate talent, skills, originality, authenticity, fit for brand, production value and suitability for selected ships and demographics.
• Review audio selections and/or videos.
• Maintain Entertainment schedules by ship and itinerary.
• Adjust schedules based on itineraries, guest demographics, performance, requests, etc.
• Review act bookings to anticipate and prevent shortages and selects appropriate replacements within strict timelines.
• Plans schedules and rotations ensuring highest caliber of entertainment product offering.
• Manage and communicate schedules, oversee onboarding, joining logistics and manage all contract changes.
• Partner with Entertainment Administration team to ensure all onboarding and joining logistics are handled.
• Partner with Manager, Headliner Entertainment & Comedy Program to continually evaluate fleetwide Headliner Entertainments, provide feedback and work on production items as needed.
• Communicate effectively and regularly with Cruise Directors and Stage and Production Managers to provide support, guidance and share information required to maintain the Headliner program.
• Prepare annual operating budgets for designated ships and manage expenses within established operating plan.
• Liaise with Entertainment Administrative team to support contract and logistics of all Headliners. Coordinate sign on, sign-off, logistics and contract issues.
• Negotiate and finalize all contracts maintaining entertainment KPIs within the annual budget.
• Support Manager, Headliner Entertainment & Comedy Program with Newbuild operations, events, revitalizations, and new initiatives ensuring flawless onboard delivery.
• Develop and maintain Brand Standards, Standard Operating Procedures, program overviews and training manuals to ensure onboard execution is in line with Headliner Entertainment program standards.
• Review guest comments as it pertains to Headliner Entertainment program and deliver feedback to shoreside Manager, Headliner Entertainment & Comedy Program, Cruise Director, and Stage & Production Managers. Develop objectives for changes or new initiatives as needed.
• Participate in Headliner Entertainment program development by tracking emerging trends, analyzing guest feedback, and attending Entertainment performances.
• Establish and maintain a network of resources through the development of relationships with schools, colleges, agencies, and related resources.
• Travel to the various vessels to evaluate all performances. Meet with Cruise Directors and Stage & Production Managers to assess and provide feedback regarding the quality of the overall Headliner Entertainment program.
• Travel to ships to provide operational support including training and coaching as needed.
• Travel to revitalizations and newbuilds for operational support to the Headliner Entertainment team.
• Prepare various reports as required including, but not limited to, status reports, talent search reviews, budget analysis and industry trends.
• Plan and implement specialized Headliner Entertainment for Sales Events, Groups, Charters, Theme Cruises and shoreside Corporate Events.

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying this position. Employees will be required to perform any other job-related duties assigned by their supervisor or management.

Qualifications and Education:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university required.
• Five to seven years of related experience and/or training or an equivalent combination of education and cruise-related program experience.
• Extensive background in Entertainment required.
• Talent sourcing and/or casting or talent scheduling experience is required.
• Proven success in relationships with schools, colleges, agencies, and related resources must be demonstrated.
• Experience as an Entertainer, performer, musician or dancer, in front of live audiences is required.
• Cruise industry experience both shipboard and/or shoreside is preferred.
• Ability to identify and evaluate production and performance quality, technique, intonation, skills, accuracy and repertoire.
• Ability to identify and evaluate entertainment qualities such as stage presence, look, ability to speak on a microphone and audience interaction.
• Possess strong technical knowledge, including brands, makes and models, as it relates to backline and musical instruments with the ability to make appropriate recommendations based on required application, venue size and musical programming.
• Understanding of good sound quality from a technical standpoint with knowledge of signal flow, mixes, EQ and the ability to troubleshoot sound issues in a live performance scenario.
• Knowledge in negotiation process, necessary documentation and other travel requirements, contract specifics and excellent understanding of policies and procedures regarding work ethics, hiring and termination of personnel.
• Strong decision-making abilities, ability to think critically, and use independent judgement.
• Ability to make sound judgment calls and have very effective problem-solving skills.
• Ability to take complete ownership of a problem and seeing it through to a resolution.
• Must have excellent presentation and interpersonal skills to communicate in a multicultural environment with all levels of employees and management.
• Proficient written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to read and interpret business documents as well as to write and generate reports and procedures.
• Able to work long hours and weekends when required.
• Able to travel as required.

Financial Responsibilities:

This position is responsible for:

• Annually recruiting, auditioning, hiring, and scheduling 400 musicians.
• Live Music operating budget of 6M per year Annual Live Music casting and recruitment budget.
• Owner Supply Musical Instruments and Equipment Budget of 1M per year.

Working Conditions:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodations. The environment includes office location, and /or moving inside/outside the office. Responsibilities include traveling between numerous offices.  A high noise level is possible if visiting shipboard or offsite locations.

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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