Associate Principal, Program Management

Royal Caribbean Group

. Plan and deliver refurbishment projects on assigned vessels on time, on budget and on quality, both in service and during drydock .

Posted 10/8/2026full-timeMiami • Florida • United StatesSeniorLeadWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in managing refurbishment projects for complex vessel classes, ensuring compliance with industry standards such as DNV, SOLAS, and USPH. Capable of leading project teams, mentoring staff, and developing training programs while maintaining high-quality execution and adherence to budget and timelines.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Project Management ExperienceRefurbishment Execution ExpertiseKnowledge of Ship SystemsFamiliarity with DNV, SOLAS, IMO, and USPHProficiency in MS Project and AutoCAD

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Project ManagementRefurbishment PlanningTechnical Standards DefinitionScope ResolutionQuality ControlBudget ManagementLogistics CoordinationTraining DevelopmentReport WritingAnalytical Skills

Soft Skills

Interpersonal SkillsCommunication SkillsOrganizational SkillsMentoring AbilityDecision-Making Skills

Tools & Technologies

MS ProjectAutoCADProject Management Systems

Industry Keywords

Cruise IndustryShipyardNaval BackgroundNewbuildsDrydocksRetrofit ProjectsHospitalityVessel ClassesMultinational EnvironmentTechnical Maintenance

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Plan and deliver refurbishment projects on assigned vessels on time, on budget and on quality, both in service and during drydock
Establish refurbishment approaches for new features, venues and systems on newest ship classes and convert them into team standards
Serve as subject matter expert for refurbishment execution across the Royal Caribbean International fleet
Lead resolution of complex scope, materials, installation and delivery issues
Define and maintain refurbishment and hotel technical standards, specifications and best practices
Develop and maintain department procedures, templates and tools for project planning, development and execution
Own the refurbishment training agenda, including onboarding, mentoring and process/tool rollout training
Manage project coordination, contractor performance supervision, quality control, purchasing, logistics, travel, shipboard support, riding crew and final project acceptance
Ensure projects comply with DNV, IMO, SOLAS, USPH, US Coast Guard, ISO and ADA requirements and ship-system technical requirements
Prepare and manage annual refurbishment plans, monthly project reconciliation files, project priorities, timetables and status reporting
Conduct twice-yearly ship condition reviews and routine vessel visits
Coordinate project planning with Hotel Operations, Newbuilding Design, Marine Operations, Supply Chain, Logistics and shipboard committees
Support shipboard Facilities Management and provide materials-performance feedback to Newbuilding Design

Requirements

What you’ll need

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, project management, industrial engineering, architecture, or equivalent work based experience in hotel technical maintenance or refurbishment roles
10 to 15 years of project management experience required
Hospitality, cruise industry, shipyard or naval background preferred
Proven involvement in newbuilds, drydocks or major retrofit projects
Experience delivering refurbishment projects on the newest and most complex vessel classes in the fleet, such as Icon class, required
Working knowledge of ship systems such as HVAC, electrical and mechanical required
Working knowledge of DNV, SOLAS, IMO and USPH requirements required
Working knowledge of MS Project, AutoCAD and other project management systems required
Travel required up to 50 percent
Recognized technical authority on refurbishment execution
Ability to mentor and train less experienced project managers and design and deliver training
Ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously
Ability to handle fast-paced decision making and lead resolution of escalated issues
Excellent organization and administration skills
Strong interpersonal skills to work with multinational shipboard personnel
Strong communication, financial and analytical skills
Strong project management skills, including analyzing RFPs in detail for labor and manpower requirements
Ability to write reports, business correspondence and procedure manuals
Ability to present information and respond to questions from project teams, shipboard leadership and shoreside management
Ability to solve practical problems with limited standardization
Comfortable working in a global, multicultural environment

Benefits

Comp & perks

Competitive compensation and benefits package
Excellent career development opportunities
Reasonable accommodation during the hiring process for candidates with disabilities