Royal Caribbean Group

Sr. Director, HR CEL Shipboard

Royal Caribbean Group$150K — $180K *
Miami, FL 33186In-Person
Hospitality & Recreation
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 4-year degree with HR or Legal Certification preferred
  • 10+ years in HR generalist roles, including senior leadership experience
  • Strong understanding of maritime labor regulations and shipboard operations
  • Proven ability to influence senior leadership globally
  • Experience in multiple HR disciplines including change management and employee relations
  • Ability to travel 40% of the time for global operations
  • Excellent communication and presentation skills across diverse cultures.

Responsibilities

  • Develop shipboard HR strategy aligned with business growth
  • Build effective HR operating models for shipboard operations
  • Act as a culture champion for The Celebrity Way values
  • Guide workforce planning and organizational development
  • Monitor crew satisfaction and engagement metrics
  • Lead talent management and succession planning efforts
  • Ensure compliance with international labor regulations.

Benefits

  • Support for learning and development initiatives
  • Opportunities for career progression
  • Collaborative environment with a focus on talent engagement
  • Global exposure through travel requirements
  • Comprehensive total rewards and benefits package appropriate for shipboard workforce.
Full Job Description
General Summary

The Sr. Director HR (Shipboard) is responsible for providing strategic HR business partnership and leadership that results in a high performing, engaged global shipboard workforce while meeting the rigorous and complex needs of highly compliance and operations driven shipboard environment. This role contributes to the health and success of the organization by having a deep understanding of the brand business priorities and deep knowledge of the complexity of shipboard operations to proactively collaborate with business leaders and COE partners to identify, develop, and implement talent strategies, workforce planning, forecasting, and staffing to meet the brand growth objectives. Also responsible for the development, implementation, and sustainability of the organization-wide values and The Celebrity Way brand culture that ignite our team's talent and engagement.

To be successful, this role must develop and sustain strategic and day-to-day consultative relationships with senior business leaders and their respective teams and act with a high degree of autonomy and responsibility as a trusted coach, advisor and subject matter expert on business and talent related issues and opportunities. The Sr. Director must also build a highly effective HRBP team and collaborate with VP of HR for CEI, Brand Leadership and HR COE partners in Manila HR Operations (Scheduling & Onboarding), Talent Acquisition, Learning & Development, Talent Management, HR Operations, HR Analytics, Compensation/Benefits, and other departments.

The Shipboard HR Sr Director and HRBP team are responsible for the functional execution for all HR programs and initiatives in a consistent and compliant manner across a global fleet. This team acts as main point of contact for Marine and Hotel division leaders related to all employee matters related to shipboard daily HR operations and HR strategy execution.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
  • Looking 5+ years out- develops and implement in partnership with VP of HR & business leaders an overriding Shipboard HR strategy that positively supports the business, is at the leading edge of HR practices and ensures the function adds value, considering the high growth, complexity and compliance driven nature of a shipboard, global workforce.
  • Dedicated focus to build out an effective HR operating model and effective business consulting to support daily shipboard operations, new builds, revitalizations, and the successful launch of increasing complex product offerings and global deployment.
  • Provides strong voice and strategic direction to shipboard operations on the employee value proposition and complexities of crew life in a diverse and global workforce onboard.
  • Is a Culture Champion and ensures the ongoing support and development of the Celebrity Way to continue to develop and reinforce the values and continue to evolve the program.
  • Maintain good understanding of critical business issues relating to supported business units and ensure that the HR strategy continues to provide appropriate initiatives and results in desired outcomes.
  • Actively participates in the Newbuilding planning and reporting process to ensure the startup is properly staffed and there is a minimal impact to the fleet because of the drawdown of talent.
  • Provide strategic thought leadership to business leaders on workforce planning on talent and organizational impacts of business plans and decisions.
  • Work with the business to identify the org structures, competencies, and processes needed to help the business run more effectively and grow according to projections and budget targets.
  • Actively monitor any variances to CAM and understand the drivers. These situations would need to be reviewed with operations leaders to ensure the right decisions are made and the accountability of the financial l decisions are in place.
  • Proactively identify trends and risk factors and provide solutions and recommendation to positively impact crew satisfaction, engagement, and productivity.
  • Takes a leadership role in responding to all critical incidents involving crew safety, disaster recovery and compliance.
  • Drive talent management and succession planning activities within the business resulting in healthy shipboard pipeline and career progression to meet growth objectives. Will pro-actively partner with the business and COE partners in Talent Acquisition, Talent Management and Learning & Development to accomplish these goals.
  • Implement rigor and focus on workforce skill, capabilities and planning to meet brand growth objectives- including closely partnering with Talent Acquisition, Scheduling, Onboarding and HR Operations functions to develop brand specific recruiting and retention strategies and support processes to ensure that the most effective sourcing and selection strategies are utilized and meeting CEI brand defined PAR levels, crew nationality mix, skill mix, etc.
  • Ensure compliance with local legal requirements in accordance with seafarer's labor contract, marine and international/country specific workforce regulations.
  • Works closely with Internal Audit, Global Security, and Information Technology and Legal on investigations of ethics, discrimination, harassment, or other workplace issues.
  • Ensure consistency in execution of HR programs across all business units and geographies as outlined in Global HR Priorities and CEI Talent AOP objectives.
  • Ensure all Corporate programs are fully implemented across business units and geographies, incorporating local customization where legal requirements dictate
  • Manage the employee survey for business units and geographies and ensure the results are communicated and actions plans are implemented
  • Work with Corporate Compensation & Benefits team to ensure the employee total rewards and benefits package is competitive and appropriate for shipboard populations.
  • Is a resource on all aspects of organizational effectiveness including Onboarding, Performance Management, Change Management, Rewards & Recognition, and Employee Relations in client groups.
  • Ensure appropriate policies and procedures reflect the principles of the company and are in line with legal requirements.
  • Establish Shipboard specific talent KPI's and engage business leadership in meeting talent KPI
  • Ensure the Shipboard HR team fully reflects the principles and practices desired of the organization
  • Ensure HR structure is appropriate at operational level within shipboard operations
  • Work effectively with the Business Unit leaders, providing sound guidance, balanced observations, suggestions, coaching and feedback of the organization and staff.
  • Performs other duties as required. 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.

Education, Experience, Knowledge & Skills:
  • 4 Year college degree + HR Certification or Legal Certification preferred

Knowledge and Skills:
  • Strong knowledge of Shipboard Operations and maritime labor regulations
  • Minimum 10 years broad Human Resources generalist experience including at least one senior/director HR generalist role and preferably one specialist role with strategic responsibility or commensurate shipboard operations experience.
  • Works with a high degree of autonomy and accountability for decisions
  • High level of comfort with most HR disciplines (compensation, benefits, talent management, operations, ER)
  • Ability to positively influence and build credible relationships at senior levels across different cultures and geographies
  • Demonstrated ability to assess organizational trends and develop HR solutions to drive performance
  • Org Design + Effectiveness, Performance and Change management, Leadership Coaching, Employee Relations, and Compensation
  • Previous experience developing and implementing HR strategy/vision for multiple business units
  • Ability to travel 40% of time to support global fleetwide operations and observe HRBP and functional execution
  • Proven ability to work successfully in changing environments and to work with ambiguity
  • Demonstrated excellent communication/presentation skills to all audience levels.
  • High level of sensitivity to International cultural differences and respectful of different working practices across geographies
  • Ability to use MS Word, PowerPoint, Excel, HRIS Systems and Outlook


Key Relationships
  • VP HR Celebrity
  • Shoreside Director of HR Celebrity
  • SVP + VP's + Functional Heads for Shipboard teams in Marine and Hotel Division
  • HR COE Leadership in Miami
  • Legal & Risk Management Leadership
  • Functional Heads for Manila HR Shipboard Operations
  • Manages a Team of 3 Shoreside HRBP's, 3 Travelling HRBP's and indirectly the HR teams onboard


Financial Responsibilities (For Management Roles Only)
  • Responsible to monitor and ensure CAM related expenses are in line and if there are any variances to understand the drivers and provide visibility to the business
  • Ensure the expense lines under the 489 shipboard cost centers are in line with the budget
  • Monitor and ensure responsible use and management of Crew Welfare and Crew Activity accounts for the shipboard teams.
  • Ensure the learning and development and the rewards and recognition budgets are managed for the fleet and come in under budget for the year.
  • Responsible for travel, entertainment, and payroll budget for team.

About Royal Caribbean Group

Royal Caribbean Group is a cruise vacation company with a global fleet of 63 ships traveling around the world. The company provides celebrity cruises and silversea cruises. Royal Caribbean Group was established in 1968 in Miami, Florida.

Royal Caribbean Group Careers

There has never been a more exciting time to explore job opportunities with Royal Caribbean Group, a leader in the global cruise industry known for innovation and excellence.

Work You’ll Do

Join Royal Caribbean Group's dynamic team to help redefine the travel experience for millions of guests worldwide. The company's commitment to growth and leadership in the cruise industry offers a unique platform for professionals to advance their careers. Transform the future of travel with Royal Caribbean Group, where diversity, innovation, and a passion for service converge to create extraordinary vacation experiences. Lead in a market where skills in technology, customer service, and operational excellence are prized. Royal Caribbean Group stands at the forefront of the travel industry, offering team members unparalleled opportunities for career advancement. Work alongside a global team of professionals dedicated to pioneering new paths in the cruise sector. Royal Caribbean Group fosters a culture of innovation and leadership, making it an ideal workplace for those aiming to make a significant impact.

Royal Caribbean Group Professional Pathways

The team is actively building a robust professional network, inviting individuals to master their career journey in the vibrant world of cruise travel.

Do Innovative Work

Engage with a diverse team at Royal Caribbean Group—professionals dedicated to reshaping the future of travel through continuous innovation and a deep understanding of the global travel market.

Drive Innovation and Leadership

Deliver targeted solutions and exceptional guest experiences by leveraging deep industry knowledge and a commitment to innovation that’s second to none.

Be Part of a Great Team

Join a workforce that thrives on collaboration and diversity. Royal Caribbean Group offers a variety of job opportunities that harness the capabilities of its expansive global network.

Future-proof Your Career

Royal Caribbean Group provides a wealth of opportunities for personal and professional development, supported by comprehensive training programs and a commitment to promoting from within.

Explore

Discover how Royal Caribbean Group is leading the way in employee satisfaction and guest service, setting new standards in the cruise industry.

The Royal Caribbean Group Advantage

With a focus on diversity, leadership, and professional growth, Royal Caribbean Group helps team members navigate their careers in an ever-evolving industry. The company's global scale and commitment to innovation offer unmatched opportunities for career advancement.

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Learn more about Royal Caribbean Group
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