Royal Caribbean Group's Global Marine Operations (GMO) Team has an exciting career opportunity for a full-time Director, Hotel Technical Operations reporting to the AVP, Refurbishment and Hotel Maintenance.
This position will work onsite in Miami, Florida.
Agency and Third-Party Submissions: Please note this is a direct search by the Company, and applications through agencies and other third parties will not be accepted, nor will fees be paid for unsolicited resumes. Any unsolicited resumes will be considered the Company's property.
Position Summary:The Director, Hotel Technical Operations leads the fleetwide technical oversight of hotel systems and equipment, ensuring safe, reliable, and cost-effective operation across all vessels. This role is responsible for setting technical standards, strengthening maintenance strategies, supporting shipboard teams, and driving continuous improvement in hotel system performance, lifecycle management, compliance, and operational readiness. The position also serves as a key liaison across brand, newbuild, supply chain, and operational stakeholders and acts as deputy for the AVP, Hotel Maintenance.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:Strategic & Technical Leadership- Establish fleetwide hotel technical standards, maintenance strategies, and governance processes to improve system reliability and consistency.
- Provide technical direction for hotel systems including HVAC support equipment, galley and laundry equipment, refrigeration, accommodation systems, interior outfitting interfaces, and other hotel-related assets.
- Define and monitor key performance indicators for hotel technical operations, including reliability, downtime, maintenance effectiveness, cost performance, and readiness.
- Drive standardization of work processes, technical specifications, and maintenance approaches across brands and vessel classes where appropriate.
- Develop lifecycle strategies and replacement plans for critical hotel equipment and systems.
- Partner with Supply Chain and Logistics to improve material availability, spare parts planning, obsolescence management, and cost control.
- Serve as the senior subject-matter expert for hotel technical operations and provide strategic support to shipboard and shoreside leadership.
Fleet Operations & Reliability- Oversee the performance, reliability, and maintenance of all hotel technical systems across the fleet.
- Provide expert technical guidance to shipboard teams and shoreside leadership.
- Lead root-cause analyses and ensure effective corrective and preventive actions.
- Ensure hotel technical systems consistently meet public health and regulatory requirements.
Newbuilds, Dry Docks & Modernizations- Provide hotel technical operational input to newbuild, dry dock, and modernization projects to ensure maintainability, standardization, and long-term lifecycle performance.
- Support commissioning, turnover, defect resolution, and post-delivery stabilization of hotel systems in partnership with newbuild and project teams.
- Ensure lessons learned from fleet operations are incorporated into design standards, specifications, and project execution plans.
Compliance & Safety- Ensure adherence to maritime regulations (USPH, SOLAS, Class, Flag, IMO, CDC/VSP).
- Maintain full alignment with the company's Safety Management System (QMS).
- Support internal and external inspections, audits, and regulatory reviews.
Project & Vendor Management- Lead technical relationships with OEMs, service providers, and shipyards supporting hotel systems and equipment.
- Oversee technical evaluation of vendors, service scopes, warranties, and lifecycle support strategies for hotel assets.
- Support procurement, contract development, and service performance reviews to ensure value, reliability, and compliance.
- Coordinate technical deliverables for operational initiatives and capital workstreams affecting hotel systems.
People Leadership- Lead and develop a global team of hotel technical and refurbishment specialists.
- Drive recruitment, development, training, and succession planning.
- Foster a culture of safety, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Financial Management- Manage fleet hotel technical operating and capital budgets, ensuring priorities are aligned with reliability, compliance, guest experience, and brand objectives.
- Develop and maintain capital and lifecycle investment plans for hotel technical systems and equipment.
- Monitor budget performance, forecast risks, and drive cost-effective solutions without compromising safety or operational readiness.
- Ensure funded initiatives and technical programs are executed within scope, schedule, and budget expectations.
Qualifications and EducationEducation- Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Marine Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related technical discipline; equivalent experience may be considered.
- Minimum 12 years of progressive experience in technical operations, maintenance, marine hotel systems, or related shipboard/shoreside leadership roles.
- Demonstrated leadership experience managing technical teams, vendors, and cross-functional stakeholders in a complex operational environment.
Experience- Strong technical understanding of shipboard hotel systems, maintenance practices, and operational interfaces in a marine environment.
- Proven experience supporting fleet operations, driving reliability improvements, and resolving complex technical issues across multiple vessels or sites.
- Strong working knowledge of maritime and public health regulations relevant to cruise operations, including SOLAS, Class, Flag, and USPH/VSP requirements.
- Experience with dry docks, refits, newbuilds, or major technical upgrades affecting hotel systems is preferred.
- Demonstrated success managing budgets, technical vendors, and cross-functional programs in a fast-paced, global organization.
Leadership & Personal Attributes- Strategic thinker with strong business acumen.
- Decisive leader with excellent problem-solving skills.
- Strong analytical, problem solving and logistical thinking abilities.
- Effective communicator across technical and non-technical audiences.
- Comfortable working in a global, multi-cultural environment.
Physical Demands- The physical demands described here are representative of those requirements employees must meet to perform the essential functions of this job with or without reasonable accommodations.
- The employee is regularly required to sit, stand, write, review and type reports, compile data, and operate a pc.
- The employee regularly moves about the office complex, and may climb, descend, lift, or move 10 pounds.
Work Environment- The environment includes office location, and/or moving inside/outside the office.
- A high noise level is possible if visiting shipboard, dry dock, newbuilding, or offsite locations.
- Office-based with a willingness to travel internationally and visit vessels as required.
- Availability for operational support during critical incidents.
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!
