Charter Manager

Lindblad Expeditions; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Travel benefits

Voyage of Discovery trips

Health insurance

401(k) plan

Long-Term Disability

Flexible Spending Account

Pre-Tax Commuter Benefit

Paid Holidays

Floating Holiday

Vacation days

Parental Leave

Sick/personal days

Pet Insurance discount

Job summary

Lindblad Expeditions seeks a Charter Account Manager to own end-to-end management of a portfolio of full-ship charter partnerships. You will serve as the primary relationship manager for charter clients, coordinating contract implementation, customization, financials, and on-board execution with shipboard teams and internal stakeholders.

You will lead planning meetings, negotiate terms, and ensure charters are delivered on time and to client expectations, while fostering long-term partnerships

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree preferred.
• 5+ years in maritime or cruise industry.
• Experience supporting charter operations or events.
• Proven ability to manage complex client relationships.
• Strong project management and organizational skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication; able to interact with senior leaders.
• Willingness to travel ~40% domestically and internationally.

Responsibilities

• Cultivate relationships with assigned portfolio of Lindblad Expeditions charter partners.
• Serve as the primary contact for charter clients and respond to inquiries and requests.
• Manage the implementation of full-ship charter terms and provisions.
• Negotiate charter provisions with clients and internal stakeholders to reach mutually agreeable options.
• Interface with operating units to address charterer inquiries and customization needs.
• Lead internal meetings, including with senior executives, to discuss planning and issues.
• Escort full-ship charters and provide onboard representation, acting as liaison between charterer and ship’s management.
• Prepare charter onboard memos in collaboration with charter operation colleagues and other units.
• Assist the Charter Sales Director in preparing charter proposals and contractual agreements.

Skills

Relationship management

Contract negotiation

Project management

Stakeholder management

Written & verbal communication

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Who We Are

Lindblad Expeditions is a true pioneer in Expedition Travel. From taking the first citizen explorers to Antarctica in 1966, opening the Galapagos and Easter Island to tourism in 1967, leading the first tourist expedition through the Northwest Passage in 1984, and launching our innovative partnership with National Geographic in 2004, we're now taking almost 30,000 guests a year to some of the world’s most remote and pristine locations on our fleet of 20 ships, and are committed to ensuring our guests experience the "Exhilaration of Discovery".

Position Summary

The Charter Account Manager is responsible for the end-to-end management and successful execution of an assigned portfolio of Lindblad Expeditions full-ship charter partnerships. Serving as the primary relationship manager for charter clients, this role oversees contractual implementation, cross-functional planning, customization, financial coordination, and onboard execution. The Charter Account Manager works closely with internal stakeholders, senior leaders, shipboard teams, and charter partners to deliver exceptional charter experiences, resolve complex client needs, and support strong, long-term partner relationships and repeat business.

Essential Duties

• Cultivate strong working relationships with assigned portfolio of Lindblad Expeditions charter partners
• Serve as the primary point of contact for charter clients, responding to inquiries and requests in a timely, professional, and solution-oriented manner
• Manage the successful implementation of the terms, conditions and provisions of full-ship charter agreements for Lindblad Expeditions
• Administer extensive and complex provisions of charter party agreements with the ability to negotiate with the client and with internal stakeholders to reach mutually agreeable options and solutions
• Interface with individual operating units to address charterer inquiries and requests for customization, ensuring that charters are executed according to the terms and conditions of the executed charter party agreement
• Organize and confidently lead internal meetings, at times with senior executives, to discuss planning and/or issues
• Escort full-ship charters providing on-site corporate representation; to serve as liaison and at times, negotiator between charterer and ship’s management paving the way for repeat charters. Able to independently host and entertain charterers when escorting
• Manage the preparation of charter onboard memos for each charter in collaboration with charter operation colleagues, the vessel, the charterer and individual operating units within the company
• Assist the Charter Sales Director in preparing charter proposals and contractual agreements

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree preferred
• 5+ years of relevant experience within the maritime or cruise industry, including shoreside and/or shipboard operations; experience across both shoreside and shipboard environments strongly preferred. Experience supporting charter operations, account management, or group/incentive travel is highly desirable
• Demonstrated experience managing complex client relationships and coordinating high-touch programs or events involving multiple internal and external stakeholders
• Strong project management and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously while maintaining exceptional attention to detail
• Strong negotiation and problem-solving skills, including the ability to build internal consensus and develop solutions that balance client expectations, contractual commitments, and operational requirements
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with confidence interacting with clients, senior leaders, and cross-functional stakeholders
• Ability to independently represent Lindblad Expeditions with clients and partners in both business and social settings
• Proactive, collaborative, and solutions-oriented approach with the ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team
• Ability to travel approximately 40% domestically and internationally

Our Benefits

• Travel benefits for employees and their family
• Voyage of Discovery trips for employees to travel as guests
• Health insurance including Medical, Dental, Vision
• 401(k) plan with employer match
• Long-Term Disability, Life & AD&D Insurance
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA) to be used for out-of-pocket medical and dependent care
• Pre-Tax Commuter Benefit
• 7-8 Paid Holidays
• 1 Floating Holiday Options
• Up to 15 days of vacation (pro-rated per anniversary year)
• Parental Leave
• Sick/personal days per city & state ordinance
• Pet Insurance discount

Hybrid Work Schedule

Positions based in our New York and Seattle offices follow a hybrid work schedule, requiring employees to work in the office Tuesday through Thursday, with the option to work remotely Monday and Friday. Candidates must reside within reasonable commuting distance of their designated office.

Communication Skills

Using the English language, this person must have the ability to read, write, and comprehend policies, legal guidelines, correspondence, and memos. Must also possess the ability to effectively communicate--both in writing and orally--with a professional demeanor.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit, talk and hear. The employee will also be required to write and type. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, and reach with hands and arms.

Compensation Statement

Lindblad Expeditions determines the pay for positions using local, national, and industry-specific survey data. We evaluate external equity and the cost of labor/prevailing wage index in the relative marketplace for jobs directly comparable to jobs within our company. Our posted salary range is based on national data and may be refined for a candidate's region/town/cost of living. For new hires, we strive to make competitive offers allowing the new employee room for future growth. Salaries will be based on the applicant’s location, level of experience, education, and specialized knowledge and skills. An employee/candidate with a stronger skill set will receive higher pay.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER STATEMENT

At Lindblad Expeditions, we simply could not do our work without the diverse kaleidoscope of humanity that creates and delivers our remarkable offerings across the planet. As a Company that respects and celebrates the inherent diversity in the places we explore, we recognize the need to mirror that same diversity and all the interconnected perspectives within our organization. We are committed to building a community of different genders, races, ages, sexual orientations, chosen identities, and countries of origin where every person brings their whole self to work and whose skills, talents, and abilities are valued. We believe we can explore further and in a more meaningful way by actively creating a more diverse and inclusive organization where everyone feels they belong.

Lindblad Expeditions is an equal opportunity employer. Individuals seeking employment at Lindblad Expeditions are considered without regard to race, sex, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, genetics, marital status, pregnancy, unemployment status, sexual orientation, citizenship status, or veteran status.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analysing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgement. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.

Bonus Target 7.5%