Manager, Delivery & Operations

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 Celebrity Cruises Product Development Team has an exciting career opportunity for a full time Manager, Ocean, River & Destination Delivery and Operations reporting to the Senior Manager, Delivery and Operations, Product Development.

This position will be working onsite from Europe (France)

Position Summary:

Delivery and Operations Manager for Product Development reports to the Senior Manager, Delivery and Operations, Product Development and works collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders to align departmental objectives with the overall brand vision.

The Manager leads the end‑to‑end execution and delivery of shipboard and destination experiences from design handoff through launch and operational handover. This role ensures that the approved design vision is translated into executable plans and fully realized on board Ocean and River vessels, Newbuilds and Revitalizations.

Accountable for the execution and launch phases, the Manager oversees integrated planning across construction, back‑of‑house design, technical systems, and crew readiness, driving products from finalized design through testing, commissioning, and readiness for service. The role ensures experiences are delivered in alignment with brand ambition, operational requirements, and regulatory standards, enabling a seamless transition to operations and a successful, on‑time launch.

Through cross-functional orchestration, the Delivery Manager will also be responsible for execution and delivery excellence, Ocean, River vessels, revitalizations, special projects and onboard repairs and maintenance. This role operates at the intersection execution, and operational feasibility, turning innovative guest experiences into scalable reality.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Stakeholder Coordination

• Collaborate with key stakeholders to define execution coordination and delivery alignment, and overall goals, project information and updates.
• Establish and maintain clear execution‑focused communication channels across internal teams including New Build, Site Office, Supply Chain, Global Inventory, Hotel Operations, Global Marine Operations, Design, Marketing, Legal, Risk, and Revenue and with external partners such as shipyards and vendors.
• Support on‑site execution across River, Ocean, and Revitalization projects, with emphasis on critical delivery and launch phases.
• Coordinate all execution priority areas and overall readiness in close partnership with shipboard teams.
• Support execution of Owner’s Supply (OS) and the operational practicalities of the Newbuild execution phases.
• Support Logistics execution through close coordination with the Supply Chain and Global Inventory teams.

Cost Planning 

• Oversee and coordinate back of house detailed design reviews, mock-up inspections, and material pre-checks to manage cost effectiveness, ensure quality, compliance, and operational flow.
• Support pre-contract negotiations, research & development, and prototype projects, preparing specifications and guiding innovative concepts to ensure they remain on budget. 
• Follow up to ensure alignment and compliance with the Owner Supply and Positioning forecast and budget.

Detailed Design Coordination & Outfitting

• Support execution and validation of back‑of‑house technical and crew areas to ensure compliance with brand standards, technical requirements, and SOLAS and IMO regulations.
• Establish and manage the Site Office relationships, with accountability for day‑to‑day execution support.
• Oversee on‑site outfitting execution, coordinating with architects, designers, and shipyard management to deliver interior, exterior, and back‑of‑house spaces in line with approved project milestones.
• Ensure modifications are executed in alignment with approved design requirements, while proactively flagging budget impacts and schedule constraints.
• Support execution of design reviews, material approvals, and transition coordination, maintaining quality, consistency, and readiness across all outfitting elements.
• Lead owner’s scope progress and completion in close coordination with the Owner’s Work team, ensuring timely delivery and execution alignment.

Construction & Site Supervision

• Conduct regular site visits to monitor execution progress, quality, and safety throughout the build lifecycle, from initial construction through commissioning.
• Lead and participate in inspections, mock‑up reviews, and first‑in‑production assessments of public spaces and guest accommodations, verifying execution quality and compliance with approved standards.
• Own end‑to‑end execution and delivery of shipboard and destination experiences, driving on‑time launches that meet brand standards and operational readiness requirements.
• Ensure operational support is planned, coordinated, and executed throughout the project lifecycle.
• Coordinate all priority workstreams and validate area readiness in preparation for handover to the Shipboard Team.
• Oversee prompt resolution of execution‑stage issues, including design clarifications, change requests, and technical challenges, to mitigate schedule and delivery impacts.
• Oversee logistics execution including material flow, warehousing coordination, and on‑site logistics supervision to ensure accurate, timely delivery in support of Newbuild milestones.
• Drive cross‑discipline execution and validation to ensure FF&E, signage, and installations are delivered, tested, and approved for handover.
• Lead final walk‑throughs and punch list closeout to achieve operational readiness.
• Lead Owner Works and Special Projects execution, overseeing progress, inspections, and readiness through handover.

Project Monitoring & Quality Assurance

• Track execution progress against approved schedules, critical milestones, and budgets, ensuring quality and safety standards are maintained throughout delivery.
• Manage risk assessments and develop mitigation strategies for execution‑related issues, escalating risks and constraints proactively as required.
• Drive cross‑functional execution of design and build reviews, verifying readiness and compliance with contractual, safety, SOLAS, and USPH requirements to support successful delivery and operational handover.
• Prepare and present structured project updates and final closeout reviews to executive and cross‑functional stakeholders, ensuring transparency of execution outcomes, readiness for service, and capture of performance results and lessons learned.

Leadership & Collaboration 

• Lead and mentor site office teams, outfitting superintendents, and consultants, fostering a culture of quality, safety, and collaboration.  
• Coordinate closely with shipyard partners, the Site Office, and Hotel Operations leadership to ensure clear communication, timely issue resolution, and seamless execution support.
• Collaborate closely with cross‑disciplinary teams to resolve execution‑stage design, technical, and operational challenges.
• Own relationships with all back-of-house stakeholders (e.g., Hotel Operations, Supply Chain, Newbuild, Technical, Marine) o ensure execution alignment, operational feasibility, and sustained delivery support.
• Proactively identify and remove delivery barriers through cross‑functional coordination, issue resolution, and scenario planning to protect schedule and readiness.
• Assist the Lead, Delivery and Operations by monitoring delivery risks (e.g., delays, vendor shortfalls, cost exposure) and implementing defined mitigation actions.
• Own post‑launch execution closeout, driving resolution of open items and integrating learnings into future programs. 

Readiness, Post-Delivery & Continuous Improvement

• Supports launch readiness through finalized SOPs, training, play books, staffing plans, and service protocols.
• Oversee punch list execution, warranty claims, and asset disposition activities through final closeout and acceptance.
• Oversee crew enablement and readiness activities to ensure seamless delivery of guest experiences at entry into service.
• Ensure venue turnover to Operations aligns with shipyard handover milestones and readiness requirements.
• Coordinate, track, and drive punch list items through follow‑up and execution until full completion.
• Support operational teams during vessel start‑up, crew training, and initial service phases, ensuring compliance with operational, safety, and service standards.
• Capture lessons learned and contributed to the standardization of execution approaches for future vessels.

• Leads the execution kick-off support for repairs and revitalization activities as required for ships in service, ensuring timely resolution and minimal impact to operations.

Qualifications, Knowledge and Skills:

Education: Bachelor’s degree in business, Project Management, Hospitality Management, Product Development, or a related field. MBA or advanced degree.

Experience: Minimum of 5 years supporting shipbuilding, ship revitalization, or large-scale marine projects, with proven expertise in detailed design coordination and outfitting. 

• Proven leadership in complex cross-functional environments; experience delivering high-impact physical products (e.g., ships, destinations, hotel/resort activations).
• Budgeting and Finance management.
• Experience supporting or presenting to C-suite stakeholders.
• Deep understanding of operational readiness principles including SOPs, GTM planning, procurement, and stakeholder communications.
• Experience with tools such as Asana, Smartsheet, Microsoft Project, and enterprise reporting platforms.
• Professional certifications in project management (e.g. PMP, PgMP) or process improvement (Lean Six Sigma) are a plus.
• Ability to travel up to 30 % of the time.

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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