Director, Platform Centre of Excellence

Carnival UK (P&O Cruises & Cunard); Southampton; Hybrid; GBP 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee discounts on cruises

Annual bonus

Hybrid work up to two days from home

Extensive learning and development

Pension scheme

Private medical insurance

Life assurance

Staff events and wellbeing programs

Job summary

Carnival UK (P&O Cruises & Cunard) seeks a Director, Platform CoE to steer technology direction across ships and Head Office. You will lead the Engineering, Test and Design Centres of Excellence, setting standards and enabling rapid, high-quality delivery across product domains.

You will build capability, align senior stakeholders and drive governance, balancing guest impact, business value, cost and risk in a data-led, strategic way. Hybrid working is available.

Qualifications

• Significant experience leading engineering, testing, quality engineering or design functions within complex digital and technology environments.
• Proven track record of establishing centres of excellence, defining enterprise standards and enabling high-quality technology delivery.
• Deep expertise in communities of practice, technical tooling and governance, with ability to balance enablement and enforcement of standards.
• A degree-level qualification in Computer Science, Technology, Engineering, Design or a related discipline, or equivalent relevant professional experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Engineering, Test and Design Centres of Excellence, setting technical, quality and design standards across product domains.
• Define and own the shared platform engineering strategy, ensuring product teams have tooling and standards to deliver with pace and quality.
• Build specialist capability across engineering, testing and design through consistent practices and communities of practice.
• Optimise CoE capacity, capability and performance using data and feedback to improve productivity and developer experience.

Skills

Executive leadership

Strategic decision-making

Data-led decisions

Stakeholder management

Communities of practice

Governance

Engineering leadership

Education

Degree in Computer Science or related discipline

Job description

Job Description

Join us in shaping the future of unforgettable holiday happiness across our P&O Cruises and Cunard ships & Head Office as a key senior management person within our Technology Department. At Carnival UK, we believe in the power of diversity to drive success, valuing a blend of backgrounds, experiences, and skills. If you're a technology professional with a strategic mindset and a track record of overseeing a technology department, let's talk. We're not just looking for qualifications on paper; we're searching for someone who can bring fresh ideas and a new perspective to our team.

The Role

As a Director, Platform CoE, you'll play a pivotal role in steering the technological direction of Carnival UK and our ships, ensuring we continue to deliver unforgettable holiday happiness. Your leadership will not only shape our technological advancements but also inspire a community of technology professionals to excel in their roles.

• Lead the Engineering, Test and Design Centres of Excellence, setting technical, quality and design standards across all product domains.
• Define and own the shared platform engineering strategy, ensuring product teams have the capability, tooling and standards needed to deliver with pace and quality.
• Build specialist capability across engineering, testing and design through consistent practices, professional standards, career pathways and communities of practice.
• Optimise CoE capacity, capability and commercial performance, using data and feedback to improve productivity, quality and the developer and designer experience.

Job Requirements

• Significant experience leading engineering, testing, quality engineering or design functions within complex digital and technology environments.
• A proven track record of establishing centres of excellence, defining enterprise standards and enabling high-quality technology delivery.
• Deep expertise in communities of practice, technical tooling and governance, with the ability to balance enablement and enforcement of standards.
• A degree-level qualification in Computer Science, Technology, Engineering, Design or a related discipline, or equivalent relevant professional experience.

About You

• A credible executive leader who can influence senior stakeholders and align colleagues around shared standards, capability investment and engineering excellence.
• A strategic and data-led decision-maker who balances guest impact, business value, quality, cost and risk.
• An inclusive leader who creates opportunities for specialist colleagues to develop their craft and progress into senior technical roles.
• A collaborative and adaptable professional who can navigate complex trade-offs, remove delivery friction and drive continuous improvement.

Why Join Us?

Positioned within our internal structure from CUK15 (entry level) to CUK1 (Brand President), this role is classified as a CUK05, offered as a full-time position, on a permanent basis, with an offering of hybrid work including up to two days from home.

We're more than just a holiday company; we're a community that values work-life balance, personal growth, and wellbeing. As part of our team, you'll enjoy:

• Employee Discounted Cruising plus Friends and Family offers
• Annual bonus
• A friendly welcome with help settling in
• Regular office events including live entertainment, lifestyle events and charity partner fundraisers
• Extensive learning and development opportunities
• Minimum 25 days leave, bank holiday allowance and holiday trading scheme
• Employee-led networks
• Employee Assistance and Wellbeing programmes
• Recognition scheme with prizes and awards
• Contributory Defined Contribution Pension scheme
• Company paid private medical and dental insurance and health assessment
• In-house Occupational Health help and access to digital GP
• Life Assurance
• Parental and adoption leave
• Employee Shares Plan
• Electric Car and Cycle to Work schemes
• Onsite restaurant offering range of healthy cooked and grab and go meals
• Discounted retail and leisure via discounts portal

Recruitment Journey

For more information on your recruitment journey, please visit our Candidate Journey Map.

Any offer of employment for this role will be conditional upon the satisfactory completion of a Basic DBS check. A criminal record will not automatically bar you from employment; any information disclosed will be considered fairly and proportionately in light of the responsibilities of the role.

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#Job Functions: Information Technology; Engineering; Management