River Cruise Product Development Manager

The Travel Corporation

England

Hybrid

GBP 70,000 - 90,000

Full time

14 days+

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Job summary

A travel industry leader is seeking a River Cruise Product Development Manager to design and launch its new river cruise portfolio. This role involves strategic development of itineraries and collaboration with various teams to ensure exceptional guest satisfaction. Candidates should have significant product development experience in the cruising industry and a deep knowledge of European destinations. The position offers a salary range of £70,000 – £90,000 and operates on a hybrid working model.

Qualifications

Significant experience in product development within the cruising industry.
Deep knowledge of European destinations and waterways.
Proven ability to translate brand identity into guest-centred product design.

Responsibilities

Develop strategic framework and roadmap for new river itineraries.
Design and develop a portfolio of river itineraries.
Collaborate with marketing and contracting teams for product success.

Skills

Adaptability

Attention to detail

Collaboration

Service Orientation

Tools

Excel

Job description

River Cruise Product Development Manager

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Our philosophy at The Travel Corporation (TTC) is simple, we create enriching experiences for travellers by combining an unbeatable mix of exceptional service and quality at great value.

As a global business with over 100 years of experience in the travel industry, our ethos of “Driven by Service” ensures we keep our values of passion, people and purpose at the heart of everything we do – designing and running immersive, innovative and responsible travel experiences for our guests across 70 countries. Join us in creating life-changing moments for every guest across our award-winning brands and experience the TTC difference.

OUR VALUES

Driven by service
An inherent passion for travel
Commitment to our customers and to our people
Commitment to social responsibility and our 5-year sustainability strategy

POSITION SUMMARY

We’re seeking a dynamic and strategic Product Development Manager to design, launch, and continuously refine Trafalgar’s new River Cruise portfolio, creating immersive journeys that bring Trafalgar’s signature connection to people, places, and culture to life on the water. The focus of this role will be on shore experiences, extensions, and optional experiences. It will work closely with other teams responsible for hospitality, onboard entertainment, operations, ship design, and marketing.

This is an exciting opportunity to play a pivotal role in shaping a brand-new product line that will redefine how guests experience river cruising, combining Trafalgar’s renowned storytelling and local expertise with the comfort and charm of life aboard a river vessel.

In this role, you will own the product vision and lead the end-to-end development of Trafalgar’s River itineraries, from concept and design to launch and ongoing optimization.

You’ll collaborate closely with regional teams, operations, marketing, and commercial stakeholders to ensure each journey delivers exceptional guest satisfaction, strong financial performance, and seamless operational execution.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Develop the strategic framework and roadmap for Trafalgar River, defining itineraries, inclusions and the guest experience philosophy in alignment with Trafalgar’s brand.
Design and develop a portfolio of river itineraries, including the Rhine, Main Danube and Seine Rivers and others to be added soon, that reflect Trafalgar’s ethos of genuine connection, cultural discovery, and ease of travel.
Lead the creative and commercial development process from concept to launch, covering routing, sailing times, shore experiences, inclusions and day‑by‑day design.
Partner with marketing and content teams to ensure products are compelling, distinct and market ready.
Partner with Hospitality and Nautical teams to deliver a cohesive guest experience across on‑board and on‑shore touchpoints, ensuring alignment and collaboration across all three areas.
Undertake ongoing competitive analysis and market research to identify emerging trends and opportunities for differentiation.

Commercial & Contracting Partnership

Collaborate closely with Tracoin, Uniworld and other contracting teams to identify and secure the right river cruise partners and shore experience suppliers.
Provide clear direction on itinerary structure, inclusions, optional experiences and cost targets to support effective negotiations and margin optimisation.
Work in partnership with Revenue Management, Yield and Commercial teams to inform pricing, deployment, and load factor strategies.

Guest Experience & Quality

Define the Trafalgar River shore‑based guest experience, including the balance of comfort, connection, and discovery.
Work with Operations to ensure onshore delivery meets Trafalgar’s standards for quality, service and storytelling.
Establish quality assurance processes, guest feedback loops, and continuous improvement frameworks.
Partner with internal training and content teams to brief Cruise Directors, on‑board staff and marketing content creators on the product vision.

Cross Functional Collaboration

Act as the central bridge between Product, Contracting, Operations, and Marketing for all Trafalgar River initiatives.
Collaborate within Travel Experiences‑Tracoin‑Operations (TETO) structure to ensure agile delivery and aligned accountability.
Maintain transparent communication with senior stakeholders, providing regular progress updates and risk assessments.
Support brand positioning and readiness for launch through detailed briefing, storytelling, and operational documentation.

ROLE SUCCESS CRITERIA

Launching new itineraries on new vessels in line with our Value Creation plan that will be competitive, innovative and drive passenger growth.
Modify existing itinerary to drive sales and guest satisfaction.
Demonstrate strong commercial acumen, working with the finance team to model costs, assess ROI, and drive profitable growth.
KPIs on Sales targets and NPS targets will be set with the successful applicant in line with business expectations.

KEY INDIVIDUAL TRAITS

1. Adaptability: Demonstrates the ability to adjust effectively to changing environments, priorities, and challenges. Embraces new ideas and approaches with flexibility and openness.

2. Attention to detail: Carefully reviews work to ensure accuracy, quality, and completeness. Adheres to rules and procedures.

3. Boldness: Approaches tasks and decisions with confidence and a proactive mindset, willingness to speak up and challenge the status quo.

4. Collaborative: Builds strong relationships and works cross‑functionally with a consultative, co‑creative approach to influence and align others in a fast‑paced environment.

5. Curiosity: Driven by lifelong learning, actively seeks new knowledge, skills, and perspectives to enhance performance and personal growth. Embraces continuous learning as a core value.

6. Resilience: Remains calm and effective under pressure, persistent through challenges, and driven to achieve long‑term goals.

7. Service Orientation: Strives to deliver exceptional service with empathy, responsiveness, and a solutions‑focused approach.

YOUR EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE

Deep knowledge of (in particular, European) destinations and waterways, including routing, port logistics, and excursion feasibility.
Significant experience in product development or contracting within cruising industry (global experience advantageous).
Proven ability to translate brand identity into guest‑centred product design.
Excellent collaboration skills, working effectively across multiple functions and stakeholders.
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, able to convey clear vision and inspire cross‑functional alignment.
Entrepreneurial mindset, motivated by building and scaling a new product category.
Strategic thinker with meticulous attention to operational detail.
High proficiency in Excel for costing, itinerary management, and product tracking.
Creative and culturally curious, with a passion for connecting travellers to the heart of each destination.
Collaborative and approachable, embodying Trafalgar’s warm and human brand spirit.
Committed to responsible tourism and the TTC goal to Make Travel Matter®.