Vice President of Reservations

COMPANY SUMMARY At Ama. Waterways, we believe meaningful careers begin with purpose, passion and a shared commitment to delivering unforgettable experiences. For those who value curiosity, connection and personal enrichment, Ama. Waterways offers the opportunity to help craft meaningful river journeys that invite travelers to follow their own current.

Built on a foundation of heartfelt hospitality, we treat our guests and each other with genuine care, warmth and respect. Ama. Waterways fosters a collaborative environment both onboard our ships and across our global network of offices, where team members grow together, support one another and take pride in upholding the high standards and thoughtful service our company is known for.

SUMMARY The Vice President of Reservations is responsible for leading Ama. Waterways’ global reservations operations, delivering a consistently exceptional experience for guests and travel advisor partners while driving sales performance, operational efficiency and continuous improvement. Reporting to the Chief Commercial Officer, this role oversees the strategy, performance and day-to-day execution of the Reservations function, ensuring teams have the leadership, processes, technology and support needed to deliver results.

The Vice President works closely with Sales, Revenue Management, Technology, Guest Services and other business partners to improve conversion, strengthen service delivery and create a more scalable and effective reservations operation. The ideal candidate is a hands-on, commercially minded leader with deep contact center experience, a strong understanding of sales and service operations, and a demonstrated ability to build high-performing teams in a dynamic, customer-focused environment.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Reservations Strategy and Operational Leadership

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for Ama. Waterways’ global Reservations function, including domestic and offshore teams.
• Establish clear operating standards, performance expectations and accountability across all reservations activities.
• Optimize staffing, scheduling, workforce management and resource allocation to align with business demand and service expectations.
• Oversee contact center capacity planning, call routing, queue management, escalation processes and service delivery.
• Identify opportunities to simplify workflows, eliminate inefficiencies and improve the effectiveness and scalability of the operation.
• Develop and manage departmental budgets, staffing plans and operating expenses. Sales Performance and Revenue Optimization
• Drive reservations sales performance through improved conversion, productivity, coaching and execution.
• Establish and monitor key performance indicators, including conversion rates, booking volume, revenue productivity, service levels, response times and quality.
• Partner with Sales and Revenue Management to align reservations strategies with commercial priorities, promotions, inventory availability and revenue opportunities.
• Ensure reservations teams are equipped to communicate product offerings, promotions and booking options effectively to guests and travel advisors.
• Partner with leadership to develop and administer performance-based incentive programs that reinforce individual accountability and business results.
• Use performance data and operational insights to improve sales effectiveness and overall revenue contribution. Guest and Travel Advisor Experience
• Champion a service culture that reflects Ama. Waterways’ commitment to exceptional guest experiences and strong travel advisor relationships.
• Ensure consistent, accurate and timely support across reservations channels and customer touchpoints.
• Establish clear escalation protocols and resolution standards for complex guest and travel advisor inquiries.
• Partner with Sales, Guest Services and other departments to address recurring service challenges and improve the end-to-end booking experience.
• Monitor quality assurance results, customer feedback and service trends to identify and implement meaningful improvements. Technology Systems and Process Improvement
• Partner closely with Technology to optimize reservations platforms, telephony, CRM, reporting tools and contact center capabilities.
• Identify and prioritize opportunities for automation, self-service and process improvements that enhance productivity and service quality.
• Lead operational adoption of new systems, tools and processes, ensuring effective change management and team readiness.
• Establish reliable reporting, dashboards and performance visibility to support data-driven decisions.
• Collaborate with cross-functional partners to improve system integration, data accuracy and operational workflows. People Leadership and Talent Development
• Build, develop and retain a strong leadership team capable of delivering consistent performance across locations and teams.
• Create a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement and team member engagement.
• Establish clear expectations for performance management, coaching, quality assurance and professional development.
• Partner with the People Team and Learning and Development to strengthen onboarding, training, leadership capabilities and ongoing skill development.
• Develop succession plans and strengthen the internal leadership pipeline.
• Lead organizational and operational changes with transparency, consistency and a focus on team member experience. Cross Functional Partnership
• Serve as a key business partner to Sales, Revenue Management, Technology, Marketing, Finance, Operations and Guest Services.
• Translate business priorities into actionable reservations strategies and operational plans.
• Provide leadership with timely insights into operational performance, emerging challenges and opportunities for improvement.
• Support business initiatives, new product launches, promotional campaigns and changes to reservations processes.
• Ensure effective coordination and accountability across internal teams and external service partners. SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES Directly leads the Reservations leadership team and oversees domestic and offshore reservations operations. Responsible for workforce planning, performance management, coaching, talent development and succession planning within the function, and for coordinating performance expectations with external service partners.

QUALIFICATIONS

AND EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Hospitality Management or a related field preferred; equivalent experience considered.
• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in reservations, contact center operations, sales operations or customer service, including significant experience leading managers and large teams.
• Demonstrated success leading complex, high-volume, sales-oriented contact center operations, preferably across multiple locations or geographies.
• Experience in the travel, hospitality, cruise or related service industry strongly preferred.
• Proven ability to improve sales conversion, service levels, productivity, operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.
• Strong understanding of workforce management, contact center technology, CRM platforms, performance reporting and quality assurance.
• Experience managing offshore operations, outsourced service providers or globally distributed teams.
• Demonstrated ability to lead organizational change, implement new technologies and improve operational processes.
• Strong financial acumen, including budget management, staffing optimization and performance-based resource planning.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, problem-solving and executive leadership skills. COMPETENCIES
• Commercial Acumen
• Understands the relationship between reservations performance, guest experience and revenue outcomes.
• Operational Excellence
• Builds disciplined, efficient and scalable operations with clear performance expectations.
• People Leadership
• Develops strong leaders, builds engaged teams and creates a culture of accountability.
• Guest and Partner Focus
• Consistently prioritizes the experience of guests and travel advisor partners.
• Data-Driven Decision Making
• Uses performance insights to identify opportunities, solve problems and drive results.
• Change Leadership
• Leads teams successfully through process, technology and organizational transformation.
• Collaboration and Partnership
• Builds productive relationships across functions and aligns stakeholders around shared priorities.
• Strategic Thinking
• Balances immediate operational requirements with long-term business objectives. PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT
• Ability to work in a professional office environment, including prolonged periods of sitting and working at a computer.
• Ability to communicate effectively through virtual meetings, telephone conversations and in-person interactions.
• Occasional domestic and international travel may be required.
• Ability to work flexible hours as needed to support global operations and business priorities. REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.