Supervisor, Entertainment - Programming and Operations

The Supervisor, Entertainment- Programming and Operations, supports the Senior Manager of Entertainment Experience in overseeing entertainment programming and operations across a fleet of 29 ships while helping support 100+ Shipboard Team Members. This role involves managing projects, creating and maintaining standard operating procedures, and optimizing current Entertainment Experiences. The Supervisor ensures smooth operations, develops programming guidelines, analyses guest experience usage, and works closely with vendor relationships to deliver high-quality entertainment that aligns with Carnival's brand standards.

In this role, the Supervisor handles inventory, invoice management, and logistics for Entertainment Experience rollouts and holidays. They work closely with the coordinator to manage inventory and invoices, ensuring timely and cost-effective procurement and delivery of entertainment supplies. The Supervisor also collaborates with various departments to support the development and execution of entertainment programs, ensuring they meet guest expectations and enhance the overall cruise experience.

Additionally, the Supervisor provides leadership and guidance to both shoreside and shipboard teams, fostering a collaborative and high-performance culture. They support the scheduling and training of Entertainment Directors, ensuring they are well-prepared to deliver exceptional guest experience. The Supervisor also acts as a liaison between the Senior Manager of Entertainment Experience and other stakeholders, ensuring effective communication and coordination across all levels of the organization.

Essential Functions:

Program, Operations & Innovation

• Programming Support: Assist in the creation, maintenance, and optimization of standard operating procedures and programming guidelines for Entertainment Experience, ensuring alignment with itinerary planning and guest demographics.

• Inventory Management: Support the planning and execution of purchasing products and services needed for Entertainment Experiences. Build and maintain vendor relationships, identify cost-saving opportunities, and coordinate shipment logistics with Carnival’s warehouse and shipping teams.

• Scheduling: Collaborate with the Casting & Booking Team to support Entertainment Director scheduling initiatives. Facilitate interviews, assist in onboarding quarterly trainings, and coordinate conference planning and weekly online fleet meetings.

• Demographics Research and Itinerary Planning: Conduct comprehensive research on guest demographics and itinerary planning. Partner with Manager and Directors to develop targeted programming and offerings that cater to the unique needs and preferences of different guest segments.

• Significant Impact Fleet Schedule: Serve as the gatekeeper for the Significant Impact Fleet Schedule, managing critical impacts such as Journeys sailings, charters, cast change dates, dry docks, and key project installations and rollouts.

• Innovation: Help develop and maintain entertainment databases and assist in identifying and implementing enhancements for new and existing shipboard Entertainment experiences.

Team Leadership & Development

• Managing Direct Reports: Supervise the Coordinator - Programming and Operations, ensuring clear communication, accountability, and support. Address any questions or concerns from 100+ shipboard Entertainment Director department heads and collaborate with the Supervisor of Content Operations.

• Fleet Leadership: Support 4 Fleet Supervisors in maintaining and optimizing standard operating procedures, daily functions, entertainment programming, operations, and supply guidelines. Serve as the main liaison when the Sr. Manager, Entertainment Programming & Operations is absent.

• Leadership Communication: Maintain proactive communication with shoreside entertainment teams, directors and shipboard leadership. Act as a liaison for Entertainment Directors to report concerns or suggestions for improvements.

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

• Team Environment: Actively engage in team meetings, projects, and brainstorming sessions to foster collaboration and idea sharing. Support a positive team environment by recognizing individual contributions and promoting mutual respect and support among team members.

Collaborate

• Cross-functional: Collaborate with other Entertainment teams to ensure alignment and consistency of shipboard entertainment across the fleet. Facilitate effective communication and cooperation between shoreside and shipboard teams to ensure operational success.

• Inter-company:  Work with internal and external stakeholders, including Casino, Marketing, Groups, social media, and Technical teams, to ensure that entertainment programming supports and aligns with Carnival’s objectives.

• Vendor Management: In collaboration with Sr. Manager, partner with Management, Sourcing, Procurement, and Purchasing teams to develop strategies, discuss contracts, and manage vendor relationships. Focus on optimizing cost savings, ensuring high-quality service, and identifying and mitigating supply chain risks.

Program Evaluation

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

• Quality Assurance: Lead quality control for all supplies needed under entertainment operations, ensuring guest experience and event quality meet established expectations by shoreside senior leaders. Assist with Carnival’s warehouse, purchasing, and shipping teams, plus outside vendors and manufacturers.

• Data Insights and Reporting: Leverage data to accurately determine usage guidelines for major giveaways such as trophies, medallions, arts & crafts, and glow batons. Submit reports to showcase changes and request implementation from the Sr. Manager, Entertainment Programming & Operations.

• 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.

Safety & Compliance

• Safety Practices: Review and refine safety practices, create and enforce training programs, ensuring the highest level of guest and crew safety while maintaining operational integrity. Ensure teams are prepared to fulfil onboard safety-related duties.

• 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) guidelines.

• Cabin Coordination: As needed, coordinate with Shipboard HR and the shoreside cabin team to request cabin assignments for entertainment director handovers and/or trainings

Financial Accountability

• Financial Oversight: Track and manage large expenditures by consistently overseeing all incoming invoices from submission through payment. This includes monthly auditing of the coding, categorization, and amounts of purchases to ensure alignment with entertainment account strings and maintaining communication with the Accounts Payable department.

• Resource Management: Establish clear usage guidelines for resources, inventory, and supplies to maximize efficiency for high-visibility events, seasonal holidays, and branded activations, ensuring timely and budget-compliant delivery. Support initiatives focused on streamlining processes and reducing expenses.

• Strategy Execution: Support the development of financial plans for capital investments and operating expenses. Continuously monitor and adjust plans based on guest behavior, sourcing, and operational dynamics. Track and analyses spending to ensure it aligns with budgetary goals and identify opportunities for cost savings.

• 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:

• Scope: Supports entertainment programming and operations across the fleet, partnering with shipboard and shoreside teams to ensure consistent execution of entertainment initiatives, schedules, and operational standards.

• Problem-solving: Identifies and resolves operational challenges, scheduling conflicts, and process inefficiencies through analysis, collaboration, and sound judgment.

• Impact: Contributes to guest satisfaction and operational efficiency by supporting successful entertainment delivery, process improvements, and fleet-wide consistency..

• Leadership: Supervises the Coordinator, Programming and Operations, providing coaching, guidance, and performance support while partnering with cross-functional stakeholders across the fleet.

Essential/Minimum Qualifications:

• Associates Degree in Entertainment, Recreation, Tourism, Hospitality and/or Business.

• Proficient in Microsoft Office 365 applications, with advanced skills in Excel, Word Power Point, and online databases is a plus.

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

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

• Data Analytics: Knowledge of how to leverage data to optimize operations and drive strategic decisions.

• Leadership: The ability to guide, motivate, and support team to achieve their best performance.

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

• Project Management: Proficient in project management principles and capable of multitasking.

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

• Diplomacy: Mature and able to maintain confidentiality.

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

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

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

Essential Experience Required:

• 5 years in a similar role 

• Proven expertise in one or more areas such as cruise ships, hosted events, special events, show production, operation, music, comedy, and events.

Travel:  Less than 25% with shipboard travel likely

Work Conditions: Work primarily in a climate-controlled environment with minimal safety/health hazard potential.

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

***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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