Associate Program Director, (Cruise), Smithsonian Journeys

Application Deadline: 8 April 2026

Department: Smithsonian Enterprises

Location: Washington, DC

Compensation: $100,000 - $110,000 / year

Description

OPEN DATE: March 25, 2026
CLOSING DATE: April 8, 2026
POSITION TYPE: Trust Fund
APPOINTMENT TYPE: Indefinite
SCHEDULE: Full Time
DUTY LOCATION: Washington, DC


Position sensitivity and risk: Low

Open to all qualified applicants

What are Trust Fund Positions?
Trust Fund positions are unique to the Smithsonian. They are paid for from a variety of sources, including the Smithsonian endowment, revenue from our business activities, donations, grants and contracts. Trust employees are not part of the civil service, nor does trust fund employment lead to Federal status. The salary ranges for trust positions are generally the same as for federal positions and in many cases trust and federal employees work side by side. Trust employees have their own benefit program, which may include Health, Dental & Vision Insurance, Life Insurance, Transit/Commuter Benefits, Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance, Annual and Sick Leave, Family Friendly Leave, 403b Retirement Plan, Discounts for Smithsonian Memberships, Museum Stores and Restaurants, Credit Union, Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center (Child Care), Flexible Spending Account (Health & Dependent Care).

Conditions of Employment

• Pass Pre-employment Background Check and Subsequent Background Investigation for position designated.
• Complete a Probationary Period.
• Maintain a Bank Account for Direct Deposit/Electronic Transfer.
• The position is open to all candidates eligible to work in the United States. Proof of eligibility to work in U.S. is not required to apply.
• Applicants must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.
  
  

OVERVIEW

This position is part of the Smithsonian Travel group, reporting into the Vice President, Programming & Revenue Management. Working as a member of the Smithsonian Travel team, this person assists in the development and execution of a travel strategy designed to build Smithsonian Journeys business. The candidate shares ongoing responsibility with members of the Smithsonian Travel team for preparing, monitoring, and achieving the annual budget for their assigned product portfolio, and for making recommendations to strengthen Smithsonian Travel’s overall program standards.


DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES


Cruise Product Strategy & Portfolio Management:

• Manage a diverse portfolio of international and domestic cruises, including product design, pricing strategy, inventory management, quality control, and competitive positioning.
• Oversee the full lifecycle of select cruise products, ensuring they meet strategic goals and align with organizational priorities.
• Monitor trip performance, sales trends, and market conditions to optimize departures, allocations, and product mix for maximum revenue and guest satisfaction.
• Collaborate with and support fellow programming team members with the development and management of cruise and land programs.
  
  

Financial Performance & Revenue Optimization:

• Responsible for achieving or exceeding financial targets for a select portfolio of cruise products, including gross revenue, operating margin, and fill rate.
• Identify opportunities to enhance financial performance by adjusting inventory, modifying itineraries, or creating new departures when warranted.
  
  

Cruise Partner & Supplier Relationship Management:

• Manage relationships with a portfolio of cruise lines, tour operators, airlines, and destination management companies.
• Serve as a primary point of contact between select cruise partners and Smithsonian Journeys to ensure service quality, operational alignment, and contractual compliance.
• Address performance issues and follow up with providers on improvements based on evaluations and feedback.

Cruise Product Development & Proposal Oversight:

• Direct all aspects of the cruise and tour proposal process—soliciting proposals, reviewing submissions, assessing quality/value, and recommending selections.
• Develop and refine cruise itineraries, pricing structures, departure schedules, and agreement compliance.
• Identify opportunities to integrate educational or mission‑driven programming into cruise itineraries, enhancing the guest experience and aligning with Smithsonian values.

Market Analysis & Competitive Insights:

• Conduct competitive analyses to benchmark cruise programs against industry offerings and identify areas for improvement or differentiation.
• Evaluate marketplace trends, consumer preferences, and competitor activity to support strategic decision‑making.

Trip Execution, Quality Assurance & Guest Experience:

• Review and approve all pre‑trip materials and communications generated by travel service providers.
• Manage trip quality by analyzing customer evaluations, staff feedback, and industry developments; use insights to recommend and implement enhancements.

Marketing Collaboration & Brand Alignment:

• Partner with the Marketing team to shape branding, messaging, promotional strategies, and sales initiatives for cruise offerings.
• Support development and review of marketing collateral to ensure accuracy and alignment with product design and target audiences.
  
  

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

Education and Experience: To qualify for this position, applicants must possess Bachelor’s degree (B.A. or B.S.) with MBA preferred and 10–15 years of experience in the travel industry, with strong preference for experience in the cruise sector.

• Minimum of 7 years of working experience working with high‑profile travel or hospitality brands, including demonstrated leadership and P&L responsibility.
• Proven success in managing travel programs and products, ideally including cruise programs.
• Experience in travel product development, including itinerary design, vendor sourcing, or trip development.
• Strong budgeting, financial analysis, and financial management skills.
• Ability to build and maintain strong relationships with cruise lines, tour operators, destination management companies, and internal Smithsonian stakeholders.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong negotiation skills with experience managing complex vendor agreements.
• Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple major projects simultaneously in a fast‑paced environment.
  
  

Education completed outside the United States must be deemed equivalent to higher education programs of U.S. Institutions by an organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials. This documentation is the responsibility of the applicant and should be included as part of your application package.

Any false statement in your application may result in rejection of your application and may also result in termination after employment begins.

Join us in "Inspiring Generations through Knowledge and Discovery."

Resumes should include a description of your paid and non-paid work experience that is related to this job; starting and ending dates of job (month and year); and average number of hours worked per week.

What To Expect Next: Once the vacancy announcement closes, a review of your resume will be compared against the qualification and experience requirements related to this job. After review of applicant resumes is complete, qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager.

Relocation expenses are not paid.

The Smithsonian Institution provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation should contact SECareers@si.edu. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. To learn more, please review the Smithsonian’s Accommodation Procedures.

The Smithsonian Institution is an Equal Opportunity Employer. To review The Smithsonian's EEO program information, please click the following: https://www.si.edu/oeo