Lead, Music Experience

The Lead, Music Experience at Carnival oversees live music offerings, including Rock band, CenterStage Band, Latin Quartet, String Trio, Duos, Piano Bar, Soloists, and Pro DJs. This role ensures musical experiences align with Carnival Values and brand strategy, while maintaining best practices for a safe and fun rehearsal and installation process. Key responsibilities include managing the artistic integrity of the fleet-wide music program, scheduling and training the Fleet Music Manager team, and providing feedback during ship visits. 

The Lead coordinates with the Music Rehearsals team to ensure smooth rehearsal processes and oversees fleet piano tuning and dry dock conversions. Additional duties involve building rehearsal schedules, supporting technical needs, and assisting with talent scheduling. The Lead trains and guides shipboard Fleet Music Managers and Music Managers fostering a positive team environment and promoting mutual respect. The role embodies Carnival’s values, encourages team insights, and proactively resolves conflicts to enhance collaboration and operational success.

Essential Functions:

Program, Operations & Innovation

• Operations: Oversee shipboard live music offerings including Rock band, CenterStage Band, Latin Quartet, String Trio, Duos, Piano Bar, Soloists, and Pro DJs. Executes background music program and ensures musical experiences are aligned with Carnival Values and brand strategy. Establish and maintain best practices for a safe and fun rehearsal and install process by inspiring and motivating team members.

• Artistic Integrity: Jointly responsible for maintaining artistic integrity of fleet-wide shipboard music program: music acts and Pro DJ’s, background music, music programming standards, demographic targeted music performances, musician style guide.

• Quality Assurance: Manage, develop, and schedule traveling Fleet Music Manager team to maximize positive impact on fleetwide music operation. Provide feedback and direction during ship visits focused on music programming, BGM, inventory, leadership training, and relationship building. Coordinate with the Lead, Music Rehearsals to ensure the agile rehearsal process runs smoothly by facilitating pre-arrival communication, orientations, Music Manager training, and Studio-to-Ship handover process.

• Special Projects: Oversee fleet piano tuning and dry dock conversions: coordinating fleet piano tuning monthly schedule.

• Contract Scheduling: Work with the Carnival Studios team to build rehearsal schedules, confirm staffing, and support technical needs.

• Talent Recruitment: Provide feedback to the Casting and Booking team to ensure the recruitment and scheduling of highly skilled musicians. 

• Strategic Collaboration: Work with other disciplines on strategic planning and development to enhance overall performance and efficiency.

Team Leadership & Development:

• Fleet Music Supervisors: Directly responsible for managing, training, and scheduling shipboard Music Managers: provide feedback and direction during ship visits, music programming, musical equipment R&M, relationship building, conflict resolution, etc.

• Leadership Training: Deliver leadership training to shipboard Music Managers and offer guidance and support for their continued development.

• Team Environment: Participate in team meetings, projects, and brainstorming sessions to encourage collaboration and idea sharing. Foster a positive team environment by recognizing individual contributions and promoting mutual respect and support.

• Cultural Essentials: Live Carnival’s expected behaviors, such as speaking up, respecting, protecting, improving, communicating, listening, learning, and empowering. Encourage team members to share insights, challenges, and suggestions to enhance collaboration and operational success while proactively resolving conflicts.

Collaborate

• Internal: Creative Development, Casting and Booking, Music & Technical teams to review operational efficiencies and programming strategies that impact guest satisfaction.

• Cross-Functional: Collaborate with Entertainment Department Heads and Hotel operations to support the alignment and consistency of shipboard entertainment across the fleet. Drive communication and collaboration between shoreside and shipboard teams to ensure operational success.

Safety & Compliance 

• Safety Practices: Review and refine safety practices, create and enforce training programs, ensuring the highest level of team safety while maintaining operational integrity. Ensure teams are prepared for safe operations. • Assist in emergency planning for natural disasters and executing emergency plans. Safety and security must be a priority.

• Compliance Adherence: Ensure full compliance with company policies and procedures, emphasizing safety protocols and operational standards as outlined by Global HESS (Health, Environment, Safety, and Security) and ADA guidelines.

• Data Privacy: Protect the personal information of shipboard entertainment team members by maintaining robust data security measures

Program Evaluation

• Quality Assurance: Maintain music program through strategic fleet audits and ship visits and fleet supervisors to support shipboard and studio operations.

• Performance: Monitor monthly TGEM scores, and guest comments to evaluate performance of the onboard musical offerings. Use this data to identify areas for improvement and support team development.

• Feedback Analysis: Gather and analyze feedback from guests and shipboard personnel to identify areas for improvement for the Music team. Use this information to suggest decisions to shoreside leadership to implement enhancements that elevate the overall guest experience.

• Data Analysis: Regularly review customer feedback and data to identify trends and areas needing improvement. Share these insights with the Manager to help refine programs and enhance guest experiences. Track key metrics, guest surveys, and feedback to improve service and satisfaction.

Financial Accountability

• Rehearsal Efficiency: Closely monitor and reassess rehearsal days per show. Continuously evaluate the planning and execution of the contractor schedule to ensure fiscal responsibility. Track monthly budgets and carefully review invoices for accuracy.

• Financial Oversight: Track and manage expenses including auditing the coding, categorization, and amounts of purchases to ensure alignment with entertainment account strings and maintaining communication with the Accounts Payable department.

• Travel and Expense: Manage personal and direct reports’ travel arrangements and expenses in line with Carnival Cruise Line’s policies. Ensure all travel is cost-effective and compliant, and submit expense reports promptly

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Thorough knowledge of commercial music repertoire, Carnival’s performance techniques, theatrical music

• involvement, people management, and music programming.

• A quick study who can deliver material in a clear, concise, and inspiring way.

• Intimate knowledge of Microsoft Office applications, Clarabridge, and computer networking infrastructure.

• Intimate understanding of Music/Cruise operations.

• Excellent verbal and written communication.

• Project management with strategic thinking applied to complex problems.

• Competent multi-tasking, balancing short and long-term objectives.

• Motivated and independent worker.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Music, Operations, Business, People Management, Leadership

• 5+ years in music performance, business, cruise entertainment or comparable industry, preferably in a teaching or supervisorial role. Thorough knowledge of musical repertoire.  Expertise in one or more areas such as cruise ships, hosted music events, special events, show production, operation, music, and events.

• Proficient in Microsoft Office 365 applications, with advanced skills in Excel, Word Power Point.

• Attention to Detail: Proven track record in scheduling and planning and able to ensure accuracy to avoid scheduling conflicts and errors. 

• Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills for effective interaction with team members, vendors, stakeholders, and colleagues.

• Conflict Resolution: Effectively resolving conflicts and finding common ground to maintain a positive work environment.

• Problem-Solving: Identifying issues and developing creative and effective solutions.

• Leadership: The ability to guide, motivate, and support team to achieve their best performance. Self-directed individual with initiative, analytical and problem-solving skills

• Mentorship: Providing guidance and support to help team members grow and develop their skills with honest feedback. 

• Decision-Making: Making informed and timely decisions that benefit the team and organization.

• Adaptability: Being flexible and able to adjust to changing circumstances and challenges.

• Interpersonal Skills: Building strong relationships and fostering a collaborative team environment.

• Positivity: Maintaining a positive attitude to inspire and motivate the team.

• Time Management: Strong ability to manage time efficiently to meet deadlines and keep projects on track.

• Diplomacy: Diplomacy, maturity and ability to keep confidences

• Organization: Skilled in setting priorities and maintaining well-organized 

tasks and projects.

• Project Management: Proficient in project management principles and capable of managing multiple projects at one time.

• Teamwork: Collaborative and willing to work with others to achieve common goals.

• Self-Directed: Capable of handling multiple tasks and projects independently.

Travel: Less than 25% with shipboard travel likely

Work Conditions: Work primarily in a climate-controlled environment with minimal safety/health hazard potential. May be asked to work different shifts.

Physical Demands Must be able to remain in a stationary position at a desk and/or computer for extended periods of time. Must be able to lift 50 pounds.

This position is classified as “in-office.”  As an in-office role, it requires employees to work from a designated Carnival office in South Florida Monday through Thursday each week. Employees may work from their homes on Fridays.  Candidates must be located in (or willing to relocate to) the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale area. 

Offers to selected candidates will be made on a fair and equitable basis, taking into account specific job-related skills and experience.   

At Carnival, your total rewards package is much more than your base salary. All non-sales roles participate in an annual cash bonus program, while sales roles have an incentive plan. Director and above roles may also be eligible to participate in Carnival’s discretionary equity incentive plan. Plus, Carnival provides comprehensive and innovative benefits to meet your needs, including: 

• Health Benefits: 

  • Cost-effective medical, dental and vision plans 
  • Employee Assistance Program and other mental health resources 
  • Additional programs include company paid term life insurance and disability coverage  
• Financial Benefits: 
  • 401(k) plan that includes a company match 
  • Employee Stock Purchase plan 
• Paid Time Off 
  • Holidays – All full-time and part-time with benefits employees receive days off for 8 company-wide holidays, plus 2 additional floating holidays to be taken at the employee’s discretion.  
  • Vacation Time – All full-time employees at the manager and below level start with 14 days/year; director and above level start with 19 days/year.  Part-time with benefits employees receive time off based on the number of hours they work, with a minimum of 84 hours/year.  All employees gain additional vacation time with further tenure. 
  • Sick Time – All full-time employees receive 80 hours of sick time each year.  Part-time with benefits employees receive time off based on the number of hours they work, with a minimum of 60 hours each year.   
• Other Benefits 
  • Complementary stand-by cruises, employee discounts on confirmed cruises, plus special rates for family and friends 
  • Personal and professional learning and development resources including tuition reimbursement  
  • On-site Fitness center at our Miami campus 

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