Lead, Expedition Operations

About the role

Silversea, a luxury cruise line, is hiring a Lead Expedition Operations professional to research, design, develop and continuously improve bespoke onshore experiences and remote destination programs at over 400 locations worldwide. The role works with the Expedition Team, Operations, Marine, Staffing & Training, Permitting, Safety, Marketing, Sales and local vendors, and also shapes the Voyage Educational Profile and interpretation content for each voyage.

Key responsibilities

• Research and manage the lifecycle of onshore experiences for over 400 destinations, validating bespoke landings and shaping destination opportunities while considering safety, logistics and sustainability.
• Create a multi-regional roadmap, engage with local communities and researchers, and turn guest insights into walking explorations, hiking, kayaking, snorkeling, wildlife encounters, workshops and cooking classes.
• Research and implement accessibility and inclusive options, and develop additional onshore options to generate revenue.
• Develop port-by-port strategies and day-by-day itineraries, including wildlife viewing, cultural exploration and environmental education, and plan scouting trips and field research in remote ports.
• Negotiate contracts with over 100 tour operators and vendors, manage costs, quality, safety and cultural sensitivity, and coordinate emergency response plans.
• Forecast tour costs per port, track spending and guest satisfaction, and oversee real-time voyage operations, including coordinating changes due to weather or port delays.
• Conduct pre-voyage briefings for Expedition Leaders, share information with ship management, and provide operational reports.
• Collaborate with Marketing and Sales on messaging, product descriptions and training, and run cross-functional voyage validation with Marine and Operations.
• Maintain a comprehensive destination database (MXP, Res 2.0, MyAdmin) and use AI to keep descriptions up to date.

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree in hospitality, tourism, business administration, supply chain, geography or a related field; Master's preferred.
• 3-5 years of onboard experience in shore excursions or the expedition department; 4-6 years in destination management, product development and cruise operations with remote regions strongly preferred.
• Experience with local communities or cultural institutions, international exposure and cross-cultural competence.

Required skills

• Proficiency in MS Office and familiarity with dashboards for analysis and data entry.
• English B2 fluency; fluency in additional languages and regional language skills are a plus.
• Negotiation, stakeholder management, strategic thinking and data-driven decision-making.