Director of Hotel Operations (f/m/d)

Avalon Europe Crew; Basel; On-site; CHF 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Avalon Europe AG, a leading river cruise brand, seeks a Director of Hotel Operations to unify and elevate hotel operations across the fleet. You will report to senior leadership, shape standards, and drive guest satisfaction, service excellence, and financial discipline while building organizational capability for future growth.

The role requires strategic hospitality leadership, multi-site oversight, and the ability to influence across shipboard and shore-side teams, with extensive travel

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years in senior leadership roles in river/ocean hospitality.
• Proven multi-site management of international teams.
• Fluent English; additional European languages a plus.

Responsibilities

• Own and drive fleet-wide hotel operations performance.
• Ensure brand standards, health & safety compliance.
• Develop governance structures and sustainable processes.
• Monitor KPIs and coordinate corrective actions.
• Lead Corporate Hotel Managers and develop leadership.

Skills

Senior leadership

Stakeholder management

Strategic mindset

Financial acumen

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Education

Higher education in hospitality

Job description

Lead Hotel Operations Across an Award-Winning River Cruise Fleet

Avalon Europe AG is seeking an hospitality leader to join our executive team as Director of Hotel Operations.

This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of hotel operations across one of Europe’s leading river cruise fleets. Reporting to senior leadership, you will oversee operational performance, guest satisfaction, organizational effectiveness, and service excellence while driving continuous improvement across the fleet.

If you are a strategic hospitality professional who combines operational expertise with strong leadership capabilities, we invite you to become part of our journey.

About Avalon Waterways:

Avalon Waterways is an award-winning global river cruise company recognized for redefining the river cruising experience. Operating throughout Europe’s most iconic waterways, Avalon is known for innovative ship design, exceptional guest service, outstanding culinary experiences, and consistently high guest satisfaction ratings.

At Avalon Europe AG, we are committed to delivering memorable journeys through operational excellence, empowered teams, and a culture of continuous improvement. Our people are at the heart of everything we do, and we strive to set the benchmark for service and innovation within the river cruise industry.

The Opportunity

As Director of Hotel Operations, you will provide strategic leadership and oversight for all hotel operations across the fleet. You will work closely with Corporate Hotel Managers and senior stakeholders to strengthen operational performance, ensure consistency of service delivery, and build organizational capability for future growth.

The role combines commercial acumen, hospitality expertise, and people leadership to ensure exceptional guest experiences while maintaining operational efficiency and financial discipline.

Your Responsibilities:

Operational Leadership

• Own and drive fleet-wide hotel operations performance.
• Ensure compliance with brand standards, health & safety requirements, and operational procedures.
• Develop governance structures, operational standards, and sustainable processes.
• Monitor operational KPIs and coordinate corrective actions where needed.
• Maintain a consistent framework for operational execution across the fleet.

Guest Experience & Continuous Improvement

• Analyze guest feedback, cruise reports, audits, and operational reviews.
• Identify opportunities to enhance service delivery and operational effectiveness.
• Lead the development and implementation of new hotel concepts, processes, and best practices.
• Support innovation initiatives that elevate the overall guest experience.

Leadership & Organizational Development

• Lead and develop Corporate Hotel Managers.
• Foster accountability, collaboration, and professional growth throughout the organization.
• Strengthen leadership capabilities through talent development and succession planning.
• Promote transparent communication and strong partnerships between shipboard and shore-side teams.
• Contribute to hotel operations budgets and resource planning.
• Monitor performance against financial targets and operational objectives.
• Identify risks, opportunities, and efficiency improvements.
• Support sustainable and commercially sound decision-making across the fleet.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key suppliers and service partners.
• Ensure suppliers meet quality, reliability, and performance expectations.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to align operational strategies with broader business objectives.

What You Bring:

Experience

• Minimum 5 years of senior leadership experience within river cruising, ocean cruising, hospitality, hotel operations, or comparable service industries.
• Proven success managing multi-site operational environments.
• Experience leading diverse, international teams.
• Strong understanding of operational excellence, guest satisfaction, and organizational performance.
• Strong ability to influence without direct authority, particularly across senior and cross-functional stakeholders.
• Strategic mindset with the ability to translate vision into execution.
• Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders and drive change.
• Strong business and financial acumen.
• Advanced analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and presentation abilities.
• Ability to operate effectively in a dynamic international environment.

Qualifications

• Higher education in hospitality, business administration, operations management, or a related discipline, or equivalent senior operational experience.
• Fluent English is required; additional European languages are an advantage.
• Willingness to travel extensively throughout Europe and regularly visit vessels.

Why Join Avalon?

• Executive leadership role with one of the world’s most respected river cruise brands
• Opportunity to influence hospitality standards across an entire fleet
• International working environment with talented professionals
• High level of autonomy and strategic impact
• A culture focused on excellence, innovation, teamwork, and continuous improvement

Ready to Shape the Future of River Hospitality?

If you are passionate about operational excellence, leadership, and delivering extraordinary guest experiences, we would love to hear from you.