Director, Newbuild Strategy

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Position Summary / Job Purpose:

We are seeking a strategic, forward-thinking leader to join our Newbuild organization as Director of Strategic Planning. This high-impact role is instrumental in shaping the earliest phases of ship development-well before contracts are signed by driving strategic alignment between brand vision, operational feasibility, and long-term business goals.

As Director, you will lead cross-functional collaboration with brand teams, technical experts, and shipyard partners to define ship concepts, assess feasibility, and guide decision-making. You'll be responsible for evaluating available shipyard slots, determining viable ship sizes, and ensuring that proposed concepts can be executed within capacity and timeline constraints. This role focuses on long-term planning and strategic insight, laying the foundation for successful shipbuilding programs across our global portfolio.

In addition to early-stage planning, the Director will lead a high-performing team focused on addressing the most critical and complex challenges facing the Newbuild organization. You will oversee multiple high-impact initiatives-ranging from strategic reviews and transformation efforts to business improvement projects-while mentoring and developing direct reports. Success in this role requires a strong communicator and strategic thinker who thrives in ambiguity, brings structure to complex challenges, and builds trusted relationships across the organization.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Lead the strategic planning process for the Newbuild department, ensuring alignment with broader corporate objectives.
• Develop and launch key strategic initiatives that drive long-term growth and operational excellence.
• Maintain a clear understanding of corporate strategy and translate it into actionable departmental priorities.
• Conduct competitive and industry analysis to inform strategic decisions and maintain a forward-looking perspective on market dynamics.
• Own the creation and management of departmental operating plans.
• Continuously assess strategic initiatives to ensure appropriate leadership, resources, and execution capabilities are in place.
• Keep executive leadership informed and enable timely decision-making across Newbuild programs.
• Serve as a strategic advisor to senior leaders, fostering collaboration and alignment across teams.
• Facilitate creative problem-solving and brainstorming sessions, encouraging diverse perspectives and innovative thinking.
• Organize and align the portfolio of strategic initiatives, proactively managing risks and contingency plans.
• Identify and build new organizational capabilities to support long-term competitive advantage.
• Oversee project teams conducting research, expert interviews, data analysis, and financial modeling.
• Define and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs), ensuring reporting and reviews focus on outcomes and actionable insights.
• Support special projects by providing strategic guidance and ensuring sound execution.
• Inspire and engage team members through mentorship, coaching, and day-to-day leadership.
• Continuously seek opportunities to add value beyond formal responsibilities.

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:

• MBA or equivalent advanced business degree from a top-tier institution required.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in strategy, ideally within a leading consulting firm or corporate strategy function.
• Experience in the cruise or broader vacation industry is preferred.
• Strong financial acumen, with expertise in quantitative analysis, ROI modeling, and familiarity with tools such as Hyperion…