Manager, Shipboard Learning & Development Operations

The Manager, Shipboard L&D Operations, is responsible for designing and implementing fleet-wide Learning & Development operational processes to ensure consistent, effective execution across ships. The role translates frontline insights into practical, scalable solutions by partnering with Fleet L&D Managers, shipboard HR teams (shoreside), and other stakeholders, and by driving disciplined implementation across the fleet.

The role provides operational input that informs Learning & Development tactics, ensuring enterprise priorities are executable and sustainable in shipboard environments.

Essential Functions:

Operational Readiness & Quality Assurance

• Accountable for the operational readiness and quality of shipboard L&D activities, ensuring training delivery and supporting practices meet expected performance standards across the fleet.

• Ensures the quality and integrity of approved STCW training delivered by shipboard L&D Managers (e.g., Crowd Management, Crisis Management, Security Awareness Training), protecting the organization’s ability to certify crew through onboard Learning Resource Centers (LRCs).

• Reviews and provides input on design updates or enhancements to L&D-owned STCW courses, ensuring changes are executable and consistently applied in shipboard delivery.

• Partners with Training Governance to ensure approved requirements are clearly understood and consistently applied in shipboard training execution, maintaining delivery quality required to protect ongoing approval status

• Supports audit readiness and operational follow-through for shipboard L&D activities by coordinating responses to findings and ensuring corrective actions are implemented and sustained.

• Partners with shipboard HRDs and Fleet HRDs to support alignment on expectations, findings, and follow-through at the ship level.

• Maintains continuity of L&D execution during periods of inspection, operational change, or disruption.

Fleet-Wide L&D Operational Process Implementation

• Accountable for the effectiveness and consistency of fleet-wide L&D operational processes, applying shipboard operational knowledge to ensure solutions are practical, scalable, and workable in live shipboard environments.

• Partners with shipboard HR teams (shoreside), shoreside L&D teams, and other stakeholders to translate operational needs and enterprise priorities into workable L&D processes and solutions.

• Operationalizes approved enterprise L&D programs across the fleet, ensuring clear expectations, aligned systems support, and consistent execution.

• Ensures process and program changes are embedded into day-to-day operations with sustained adoption and follow-through across vessels.

• Ensures Learning Resource Center (LRC) operating procedures are consistently applied across the fleet to support effective training delivery and maintain readiness of Flag-approved Maritime Training Centers.

Planning & Fleet Coordination

• Accountable for coordinated and consistent execution of shipboard training activities across the fleet.

• Develops and maintains fleet-level training plans that translate enterprise requirements into realistic, executable approaches aligned to shipboard capacity, timing, and constraints.

• Provides operational oversight and clarity to Fleet L&D Managers to support consistent interpretation and application of training expectations across ships.

• Reinforces the shipboard L&D operating model, ensuring L&D Managers serve as onboard learning experts and primary points of contact, and that other onboard instructors are enabled to deliver training effectively.

• Coordinates operational training planning for special initiatives and projects (e.g., new builds, fleet introductions, major program launches), ensuring readiness and continuity.

• Partners with program owners and enabling teams to address operational risks, constraints, and continuity needs.

Shipboard L&D Talent & Capability Lifecycle 

• Accountable for the functional ownership and sustainability of the shipboard L&D Manager and Team Engagement Specialist (TES) workforce, including hiring, selection, onboarding, professional development, and workforce planning.

• Ensures consistent application of approved capability frameworks and professional standards for shipboard L&D roles.

• Ensures consistency, fairness, and transparency in the application of talent management processes across the shipboard L&D population, in partnership with Human Resources and Fleet L&D Managers.

• Partners with Fleet L&D Managers and shipboard HRDs to support assessment of readiness, performance, and development needs, translating capability expectations into observable behaviors and operational practice across ships.

• Maintains workforce readiness and continuity by monitoring capability gaps, performance risks, and succession needs, and ensuring appropriate actions are coordinated.

• Provides operational input and recommendations to support talent decisions, succession planning, and development prioritization.

• Partners with Human Resources on employee relations matters related to shipboard L&D roles, supporting resolution and escalating as appropriate.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Scope: The Manager, Shipboard L&D Operations operates as a shoreside, manager-level role with fleet-wide functional accountability for the operational effectiveness, readiness, and consistency of shipboard Learning & Development execution. The role has impact across the full fleet, supporting shipboard L&D function, while partnering closely with Fleet L&D Managers, Fleet and shipboard HR Directors, and other HR stakeholders. The role serves as the primary operational bridge between enterprise Learning & Development priorities and shipboard execution, ensuring programs, processes, and standards are translated into practical, executable approaches that work in live shipboard environments. While the role does not provide day-to-day supervision onboard, it maintains functional ownership of the shipboard L&D workforce lifecycle and ensures consistency, quality, and fairness in how L&D practices and talent processes are applied across the fleet. The scope of the role spans fleet operations, with responsibilities that directly influence training delivery quality, regulatory-approved training execution (STCW), operational readiness, and workforce capability across multiple vessels, regions, and operating contexts.

• Problem solving: The role addresses complex, operationally nuanced problems arising in live shipboard environments, including the effective use and readiness of onboard Learning Resource Centers (LRCs) as the primary delivery mechanism for shipboard training and approved STCW courses. Problem solving involves diagnosing gaps between company expectations and shipboard execution, anticipating risks related to training quality, instructor enablement, or LRC readiness, and determining practical solutions that can be consistently applied across the fleet. The role requires the ability to assess incomplete or conflicting information, balance competing priorities (e.g., training requirements, staffing constraints, inspection readiness, LRC utilization), and make sound operational judgments that maintain continuity and quality of L&D delivery. Solutions must be pragmatic, scalable, and fit for shipboard operating conditions, with an emphasis on preventing recurrence and protecting training integrity.

• Impact: The role has fleet-wide impact on the effectiveness, consistency, and credibility of shipboard Learning & Development operations, including the quality and reliability of training delivered through onboard Learning Resource Centers (LRCs). Decisions and actions taken in this role directly influence training delivery quality, execution of approved STCW programs, workforce readiness, and the organization’s ability to maintain certification capability and consistent standards across vessels. Within the Learning & Development discipline, the role shapes how L&D is operationalized onboard ships, ensuring consistent use of LRCs, application of professional standards, and fair, repeatable talent practices across the fleet. The impact spans shore and shipboard stakeholders and contributes to operational stability, regulatory-approved training execution, and sustained performance of the shipboard L&D workforce.

• Leadership: The role requires manager-level operational leadership within a matrixed shore–ship environment. While the role does not provide day-to-day supervision onboard, it holds functional leadership responsibility for Fleet L&D Managers and for the effectiveness of the shipboard L&D / TES workforce, including how Learning Resource Centers (LRCs) are positioned, supported, and utilized to deliver training. Leadership is exercised through influence, operational clarity, and follow-through rather than direct supervisory control. This role leads through setting clear expectations, aligning stakeholders on operating models, and ensuring consistent application across ships. Success depends on the ability to coordinate across dotted-line relationships, partner with Human Resources and L&D areas, and maintain alignment across multiple vessels and operating contexts.

For all roles:

• Knowledge: Understanding of workplace policies and procedures / Familiarity with team collaboration tools and techniques.

• Skills: Strong time management and organizational skills

• Abilities: Ability to maintain reliable and consistent attendance / Capacity to be punctual and meet deadlines / Ability to collaborate effectively with colleagues and work as part of a team / Demonstrated professionalism in all interactions and tasks.

Essential/Minimum qualifications:

• Education: Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent combination of education and relevant shipboard operational experience.

Eligibility Requirements:

Prior shipboard experience is required, gained in one or more of the following:

• Shipboard Learning & Development operations, or

• Shipboard Human Resources operational roles, or

• Shipboard operational leadership roles (e.g., Hotel Operations), with demonstrated exposure to training delivery, people leadership, or workforce enablement in a live shipboard environment.

• Experience working in regulated or approval-based operating environments.

• Work Authorization / Location Requirement

• This role is based in the United States. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. or be eligible for employer-sponsored work authorization. Visa sponsorship may be available for the right candidate, subject to applicable approvals.

Essential experience required

• Demonstrated experience operating within Carnival Cruise Line’s shipboard environment, or a directly comparable cruise ship operating model, with a strong understanding of Carnival’s organizational structure, operating rhythms, and shipboard L&D or HR practices.

• Prior experience as a shipboard Learning & Development Manager (LDM), shipboard HR Director (HRD), or Fleet operational supervisor (e.g., Hotel Operations) with accountability for people leadership, training enablement, and execution of standards in a live shipboard environment.

• Experience translating enterprise or shoreside priorities into practical, executable solutions within Carnival’s shipboard context, balancing training requirements, workforce constraints, and operational realities.

• Proven experience supporting or leading Learning & Development operational execution, including training planning, delivery enablement, and operational follow-through across ships.

• Experience working effectively within Carnival’s matrixed shore–ship model, partnering with Fleet L&D Managers, shipboard HRDs, and shoreside stakeholders.

• Experience supporting training delivered through Learning Resource Centers (LRCs) or comparable onboard training facilities, including execution of regulatory training where applicable.

• Demonstrated ability to operate effectively in Carnival’s inspection-driven, safety-critical environment, maintaining continuity, quality, and consistency of execution under operational pressure.

Travel: Less than 25% with shipboard travel likely

Work Conditions:

Physical Demands

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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