Smithsonian Journeys is seeking a dynamic Associate Program Director for our Cruise product lines. Working as a member of the Smithsonian Travel team, this person assists in the development and execution of a travel strategy designed to build Smithsonian Journeys business. The candidate shares ongoing responsibility with members of the Smithsonian Travel team for preparing, monitoring, and achieving the annual budget for their assigned product portfolio, and for making recommendations to strengthen Smithsonian Travel’s overall program standards.
Duties & Responsibilities include:
Cruise Product Strategy & Portfolio Management:
- Manage a diverse portfolio of international and domestic cruises, including product design, pricing strategy, inventory management, quality control, and competitive positioning.
- Oversee the full lifecycle of select cruise products, ensuring they meet strategic goals and align with organizational priorities.
- Monitor trip performance, sales trends, and market conditions to optimize departures, allocations, and product mix for maximum revenue and guest satisfaction.
- Collaborate with and support fellow programming team members with the development and management of cruise and land programs.
Financial Performance & Revenue Optimization:
- Responsible for achieving or exceeding financial targets for a select portfolio of cruise products, including gross revenue, operating margin, and fill rate.
- Identify opportunities to enhance financial performance by adjusting inventory, modifying itineraries, or creating new departures when warranted.
Cruise Partner & Supplier Relationship Management:
- Manage relationships with a portfolio of cruise lines, tour operators, airlines, and destination management companies.
- Serve as a primary point of contact between select cruise partners and Smithsonian Journeys to ensure service quality, operational alignment, and contractual compliance.
- Address performance issues and follow up with providers on improvements based on evaluations and feedback.
Cruise Product Development & Proposal Oversight:
- Direct all aspects of the cruise and tour proposal process—soliciting proposals, reviewing submissions, assessing quality/value, and recommending selections.
- Develop and refine cruise itineraries, pricing structures, departure schedules, and agreement compliance.
- Identify opportunities to integrate educational or mission‑driven programming into cruise itineraries, enhancing the guest experience and aligning with Smithsonian values.
Market Analysis & Competitive Insights:
- Conduct competitive analyses to benchmark cruise programs against industry offerings and identify areas for improvement or differentiation.
- Evaluate marketplace trends, consumer preferences, and competitor activity to support strategic decision‑making.
Trip Execution, Quality Assurance & Guest Experience:
- Review and approve all pre‑trip materials and communications generated by travel service providers.
- Manage trip quality by analyzing customer evaluations, staff feedback, and industry developments; use insights to recommend and implement enhancements.
Marketing Collaboration & Brand Alignment:
- Partner with the Marketing team to shape branding, messaging, promotional strategies, and sales initiatives for cruise offerings.
- Support development and review of marketing collateral to ensure accuracy and alignment with product design and target audiences.
Education and Experience:
To qualify for this position, applicants must possess Bachelor’s degree (B.A. or B.S.) with MBA preferred and 10–15 years of experience in the travel industry, with strong preference for experience in the cruise sector.
- Minimum of 7+ years of working experience working with high‑profile travel or hospitality brands, including demonstrated leadership and P&L responsibility.
- Proven success in managing travel programs and products, ideally including cruise programs.
- Experience in travel product development, including itinerary design, vendor sourcing, or trip development.
- Strong budgeting, financial analysis, and financial management skills.
- Ability to build and maintain strong relationships with cruise lines, tour operators, destination management companies, and internal Smithsonian stakeholders.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Strong negotiation skills with experience managing complex vendor agreements.
- Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple major projects simultaneously in a fast‑paced environment.
Salary: Up to $110,000, commensurate with experience.
To apply, please email resume and cover letter, including salary requirements, to: SECareers@si.edu
Please include job title in the subject line. Application materials received without salary information will not be considered.
We offer excellent benefit programs including Health, Dental and Vision Insurance, Life Insurance, Transit/Commuter Benefits, Annual and Sick Leave Accrual, Family Friendly Leave, 403b Retirement Program, Discounts for Smithsonian Memberships, Museum Stores and Restaurants, Flexible Spending Account (Health & Dependent Care)
Applicants, who wish to qualify based on education completed outside the United States, must be deemed equivalent to higher education programs of U.S. Institutions by an organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials. This documentation is the responsibility of the applicant and should be included as part of your application package.
Final candidate selection will be subject to the applicant’s successful completion of a pre-employment background check and subsequent background investigation. Employees are required to serve a one-year probationary period and participate in Direct Deposit for salary payment.
EOE. This is not a Federal Service position. Applicants must be U.S. employment eligible.
No phone calls, please. Relocation expenses are not paid.
