RIVER - Program Director

Program Director 

River – Europe

Viking was founded in 1997 and has grown to be the leading small ship travel company, offering destination-focused river, ocean and expedition voyages on all seven continents. Designed for experienced travelers with interests in science, history, culture and cuisine, Chairman Torstein Hagen often says Viking offers guests The Thinking Person’s Cruise® in contrast to mainstream cruises.

With more than 250 awards to its name, the company currently operates a fleet of state-of-the-art ships that have received numerous accolades since their launch from industry experts and travelers alike. For the second year in a row, Viking was voted the #1 River Line and the #1 Ocean Line by Condé Nast Traveler in the publication’s 2022 Readers’ Choice Awards. Viking was also named #1 for both Rivers and Oceans by Travel + Leisure in the 2022 World’s Best Awards making it the only cruise line to reach the top of its categories in both publications in the same year.

ROLE OVERVIEW

Part of our Senior Onboard Management team on our River vessels, the Program Director ensures fullest guest satisfaction, coordinate all shore-excursion activities, organize guest entertainment programs and comply with the product book and all included as well as optional programs and services, both on shore as well as on board.The Program Director reports to Hotel Manager, Corporate Enrichment and Program Manager.

WHAT YOU WILL DO ON BOARD

• Organize embarkation and manage transfers
• Handle reports, vendor vouchers, and onboard bookings
• Plan and present entertainment for guests
• Operate required IT programs and make public announcements
• Coordinate and accompany shore excursions, including liaison with local suppliers and ensuring quality control
• Handle guest complaints professionally

WHY JOIN VIKING? 

Elevate Your Career 
Regardless of where you are on your career journey, Viking can help you in reaching new destinations with: 

• Paid training program in skills and approach to premium hospitality services 

• On-the-job coaching to help you advance rapidly  
• A lifelong network of hospitality professionals from many different countries 
• Internal transfer opportunities to River, Ocean and Expedition ships 

On board our ship 

• Uniforms, laundry and unlimited Wi-Fi are free of charge for all crew members
• Lodging and meals are provided to you by Viking onboard
• Travel to/from the ship provided by Viking 
• Dedicated crew areas and activities 
• Sundeck area for crew use  

Employee benefits 

• Paid vacation 
• Referral program 
• Loyalty bonuses 

• No immediate tax deduction – potential for tax-free salary, depending on nationality 

ABOUT YOU

• Minimum 3 years of management experience in hotel/tourism industry
• International and ship experience is preferred
• Excellent English skills required, other languages are a plus
• Proficient in computer skills
• Positive, guest-focused, team player with excellent organizational and communication skills

APPLICATION AND JOB RELEVANT INFORMATION
Our roles will be subject to our appearance standards (including in relation to visible tattoos) and employees are expected to project a professional image at all times. Visible tattoos are not permitted. Tattoos concealed with make-up, skin-colored sleeves or any covering other than the company uniform will still be considered visible for the purposes of our appearance standards. Exemptions to this may be considered on a case-by-case basis where appropriate. Tattoo removal may not result in successful employment and therefore is not encouraged and is the candidate’s personal decision. Furthermore, any offer of employment is subject to you passing all mandatory medical examinations as required by the company.  For further information, please contact our recruiting team.

DISCLAIMER
As part of any recruitment process, Viking collects and processes personal data relating to job applicants. We are committed to being transparent about how we collect and use that data and to meeting our data protection obligations. If you would like to find out more about how your information will be used, please view the privacy notice on our careers page.