Marriott International

Vice President, Customer Experience + Innovation

Marriott International$150K — $200K *
Hospitality & Recreation
11 - 15 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university required
  • 12+ years of professional experience in experience design, innovation, or related fields
  • Proven success in leading insight-driven experience design and innovation initiatives
  • Experience across physical, digital, and service environments with a focus on service design
  • Strong ability to lead teams through ambiguity and change
  • Exceptional skills in cross-functional leadership and executive communication
  • Experience in a large, matrixed, global organization

Responsibilities

  • Establish and lead innovation capabilities for customer research and trend analysis
  • Conduct competitive and industry scans to identify growth opportunities
  • Synthesize insights into actionable strategies for experience design
  • Serve as a trusted advisor to executive leadership on emerging customer needs
  • Translate insights into comprehensive experience strategies and service models
  • Lead enterprise journey mapping and experience definition efforts
  • Oversee concept validation and ensure alignment with Marriott's brand

Benefits

  • Leadership role impacting enterprise-wide strategy
  • Opportunity to shape customer experience innovation
  • Cross-functional collaboration with senior leadership
  • Access to a global network of partners and resources
  • Chance to drive culture change toward innovation and customer-centricity
Full Job Description
Job Description

JOB SUMMARY

The Vice President, Customer Experience Design + Innovation leads Marriott's enterprise experience design, customer journey management, and innovation agenda. As a senior advisor and champion across the organization, this role is responsible for identifying future opportunity spaces that fuel growth, loyalty, and brand differentiation and solving big challenges by designing innovative solutions to test and learn against based on customer needs.

In addition to leading experience design and innovation delivery, the Vice President is accountable the overall health, impact, and return on Marriott's innovation portfolio. This role ensures Marriott is focused on solving the biggest customer and business problems and translating them into scalable concepts, pilots, and experiences.

The Vice President establishes the culture, capabilities, systems, and partnerships required to design and innovate at enterprise scale, working closely with leaders across the organization.

CANDIDATE PROFILE

Education and Experience Required

  • Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university required


  • 12+ years of progressive professional experience across experience design, innovation, strategy, research, consulting, or related fields.


  • Demonstrated success leading insight-led experience design and innovation efforts, translating research, trends, and analytics into actionable strategies and concepts.


  • Experience working across physical, digital, and service environments with strong service design orientation.


  • Proven ability to lead teams and senior stakeholders through ambiguity; strong change leadership and influence capability.


  • Exceptional cross-functional leadership, executive communication, and stakeholder management skills.


  • Experience operating effectively in a large, matrixed, global organization.


Education and Experience Preferred

  • MBA or equivalent advanced degree


CORE WORK ACTIVITIES

Lead Innovation Insights, Foresight & Opportunity Framing

  • Establish and lead Marriott's innovation capability for customer research, observational insights, trend and foresight analysis, and signal spotting.


  • Conduct competitive and analogous industry scans and explore emerging technologies to identify disruption risks and growth opportunities.


  • Synthesize insights into clear problem statements and whitespace opportunity areas that inform experience design, innovation priorities, and investment decisions.


  • Serve as a trusted thought partner to executive leadership on emerging customer needs, industry shifts, and future-back opportunities.


Lead Customer Experience Design & Journey Management

  • Serve as the primary advocate for the customer experience, balancing customer needs with business objectives.


  • Translate insights and opportunity areas into experience strategies, service models, and design concepts across physical, digital, and experiential touchpoints.


  • Lead enterprise journey mapping, service design, and experience definition efforts.


  • Oversee concept ideation, synthesis, and visualization, ensuring experiences reflect Marriott's brand promise and differentiation.


  • Guide concept validation across desirability, feasibility, and viability.


  • Partner with Brand, Digital, Operations, Technology and other disciplines to integrate experience improvements at scale.


Orchestrate Enterprise Innovation Initiatives

  • Lead end-to-end enterprise innovation from portfolio prioritization to experimentation to pilot to scale.


  • Orchestrate Marriott's product innovation agenda, ensuring innovation efforts across functions are aligned, prioritized, and focused on the highest-value opportunities.


  • Lead the Innovation Lab as an enterprise experimentation and learning platform, enabling rapid prototyping, testing, and validation.


  • Define and oversee structured approaches to:


  • Prototyping and testing


  • Pilot design and in-market experimentation


  • Learning agendas and performance measurement


  • Partner with business and functional leaders to transition validated concepts into pilots, rollout plans, and commercialization.


Build and Manage External Ecosystems & Partnerships

  • Lead the development of Marriott's external innovation ecosystem, including startups, technology partners, academic institutions, and strategic collaborators.


  • Develop, structure and manage strategic partnerships that accelerate learning, experimentation, and scale.


  • Represent Marriott externally as a leader in experience design and innovation.


  • Leverage startup scouting and vetting aligned to defined opportunity spaces.


Enable Innovation Capability Across the Enterprise

  • Lead innovation workshops, design sprints, and structured problem-framing sessions for senior teams.


  • Build innovation and design thinking capability through training, tools, and shared frameworks.


  • Establish common language, methodologies, and standards that enable consistent innovation practices across the organization.


  • Contribute to internal and external innovation thought leadership.


Leadership Development, Culture & Team Excellence

  • Inspire and lead a high-performing, globally connected team that embodies Marriott's values and champions cross-continent collaboration.


  • Provide day-to-day oversight for shared product teams and cross-functional working groups to deliver global priorities.


  • Develop and mentor brand leaders, building a world-class organization recognized for creativity, commercial impact, and strategic excellence.


  • Foster an inclusive, empowering culture that rewards innovation, agility, and accountability.


  • Shape the next chapter of Select & Midscale brand leadership at Marriott through vision, influence, and enterprise partnership.

About Marriott International

Marriott International is a hospitality company with more than 3,900 properties around the world. Marriot International opened its first hotel in 1957 and operates franchises worldwide. The company’s headquarters is based in Maryland and employees nearly 200,000 people worldwide.   The company was founded by J. Willard and Alice Marriott in 1927 by opening a root beer stand in Washington D.C.

Marriott International Careers

Join the vibrant team at Marriott International, the global leader in hospitality, where career opportunities abound and the potential for growth is limitless. As part of our commitment to innovation and leadership in the industry, we are continuously seeking passionate, creative, and driven individuals to join our diverse team. Work You’ll Do At Marriott International, you will be part of a culture that values diversity, leadership, and professional development. Engage in meaningful work that enhances the travel experience of each guest while fostering a positive environment where all team members can thrive. Our team at Marriott International leads the way in delivering exceptional service and innovative hospitality solutions. With a variety of job opportunities ranging from front-line roles to executive positions, you can find the perfect match for your skills and career ambitions. Marriott International’s commitment to growth and innovation means we are always on the lookout for dynamic professionals to join our team. Whether you are seeking your first job, looking for a challenging leadership role, or aiming to specialize in hospitality management, Marriott offers unparalleled employment opportunities. Internship and Training Programs Kickstart your career with Marriott International’s internship programs. These opportunities provide invaluable industry experience and a chance to develop essential skills in a real-world setting. Interns at Marriott are treated as integral members of the team and are involved in projects that make a tangible impact on the company. In addition to internships, we offer comprehensive diversity training and professional development programs that prepare you for future leadership roles within the company. Our training programs are designed to enhance your capabilities and ensure you are equipped to meet the challenges of the evolving hospitality landscape. Benefits and Career Growth Marriott International believes in rewarding our employees for their dedication and hard work. We offer a competitive benefits package that includes health, vision, and dental insurance, employee discounts, and more. Moreover, we are committed to the professional growth of our employees. Career advancement at Marriott is not just a possibility—it is a priority. Join Our Team Explore the wide range of job opportunities at Marriott International. We are hiring across various departments, including management, customer service, culinary arts, and more. Bring your unique skills and perspective to our team, and help us continue to innovate and lead in the hospitality industry. Networking and Professional Development Stay connected and advance your career through Marriott’s extensive networking opportunities. Our professional community is designed to foster connections that can lead to career advancement and personal growth. Engage with leaders, gain industry insights, and build relationships that will support your career aspirations. Apply Now Ready to take the next step in your career? Search open positions that match your skills and interests on the Marriott Careers page. We look for individuals who are curious, team-oriented, and committed to excellence. Prepare your resume, sharpen your interview skills, and join one of the most respected names in the global hospitality industry. Stay Up to Date Keep informed with the latest career tips, company news, and industry insights from Marriott International. Join our community and discover how you can contribute to the world of hospitality and beyond. Explore job opportunities, embrace professional growth, and become part of a company that values innovation and leadership. At Marriott International, your career journey is just beginning.
Learn more about Marriott International
Size
120,000 employees
Market Cap
$46.5 billion
Industry
Net Income
-$267 million
Founded
1927
5 Year Trend
-2.1%
Revenue
$10.5 billion
NASDAQ

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