Job Description

Overview

The Director of Project Financial Controls & Strategic Initiatives is responsible for leading high-impact financial planning and strategic initiatives across Carnival’s Global Ports portfolio. This role focuses on: Financial oversight of capital projects, business case development for new investments, execution of owner-supplied CAPEX, and special strategic initiatives such as optimizing the Port Cost category. The Director acts as a key execution partner to the AVP and works cross-functionally with Accounting, Procurement, Legal, Development team, and external partners.

Responsibilities

• Project Financial Controls:
  • Own financial tracking and forecasting for all destination development projects
  • Manage budget variance analysis, change orders, contingency tracking, and cash flow modeling
  • Ensure alignment with corporate reporting cycles
• Owner-Supplied CAPEX Execution:
  • Oversee procurement and budget tracking for FF&E, OS&E, landscaping, theming, and soft costs (e.g., design, legal)
  • Ensure timely execution and delivery across projects throughout the portfolio representing significant CAPEX
• Pre-construction Project Management:
  • Drive and keep the pulse of new projects to ensure steady progress
  • Maintain a clear timeline and monitor progress closely to meet deadlines and deliverables
  • Align on next steps and ensure the right stakeholders are engaged at the right time
  • Proactively identify and escalate any issues or bottlenecks to maintain momentum and ensure successful delivery
• Business Case Development:
  • Lead creation of business cases for new and ongoing destination initiatives
  • Conduct financial modeling, scenario planning, ROI analysis, and stakeholder-ready presentations in support of funding approvals and strategic negotiations
• Ports:
  • Lead project management, board meeting preparation, funding and budget management
  • Work closely with other shareholders to ensure alignment on strategic decisions
  • Support board committees as needed (e.g., Compensation Committee)
• Sustainability:
  • Lead high-value, ad-hoc initiatives such as Port Cost optimization
  • Lead the feasibility analysis, regulatory assessment and overall business case for installing solar energy in our destinations
  • Work with GPDD Construction team, electrical engineer of record (EER) and SMEs to design an integrated solution for traditional and renewable energy
  • Design and run RFP process to select vendor/partner
• Special Strategic Projects:
  • Lead high-value, ad-hoc initiatives such as Port Cost optimization
  • Manage external consultants (if applicable) on a daily/weekly basis to ensure deliverables and timelines are met
  • Support implementation of strategic recommendations
  • Support with maritime-related projects as needed (e.g., PMMA training facility, MAST, etc.)

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Economics, or Engineering; MBA from a top-tier institution strongly preferred
• 6 to 10 years of experience, ideally including 3 to 5 years at a top-tier management consulting firm (e.g., McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Deloitte, etc.)
• Direct exposure to an industry role with budget ownership or strategic initiative leadership is highly valued
• Exceptional analytical and problem-solving abilities, advanced Excel and financial modeling, business case development, executive-level PowerPoint communication, and ability to drive cross-functional execution
• Highly structured thinker with the ability to transform complex information into actionable recommendations
• Strong presence, stakeholder management skills, senior level written and verbal communication, and comfort with ambiguity
• Proven ability to lead initiatives without formal authority

About Us

Carnival Corporation & plc is the world’s largest leisure travel company. Our mission is to deliver unforgettable happiness to our guests through our diverse portfolio of leading cruise brands and island destinations, including Carnival Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, and Seabourn in North America and Australia; P&O Cruises and Cunard Line in the United Kingdom; AIDA in Germany; Costa Cruises in Southern Europe.

Join us and embark on a career that offers not only the chance to grow professionally but also the opportunity to be part of a global community that makes a difference.

In addition to other duties/functions, this position requires full commitment and support for promoting an ethical and compliant culture. More specifically, this position requires integrity, honesty, and respectful treatment of others, as well as a willingness to speak up when they see misconduct or have concerns.

Carnival Corporation & plc and Carnival Cruise Line is an equal employment opportunity/affirmative action employer. It does not discriminate against any qualified individual on the basis of sex, race, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, mental, physical or sensory disability, or any other classification protected by applicable local, state, federal, and/or international law.

Carnival |

Carnival |

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