Director, Fleet Asset Management

Lindblad Expeditions; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

Equity

Job summary

Lindblad Expeditions seeks a Director, Fleet Asset Management to lead lifecycle strategies, ensure safe and cost-efficient vessel operations, and drive data‑driven maintenance across a global fleet. You’ll partner with shipboard and shore teams, implement reliability programs, and guide sustainability and decarbonization efforts.

You will oversee standards, forecasting, and CAPEX planning while advancing asset performance and modernization across vessels and systems in a dynamic expedition

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in marine engineering, Naval Architecture, Mechanical Engineering, or related field; advanced degree preferred
• 7–10+ years in maritime technical operations, fleet or asset management, or systems leadership
• Experience in passenger ship operations preferred
• Strong knowledge of maritime systems, maintenance methodologies, and regulatory/class requirements
• Experience with PMS platforms, inventory and procurement systems, fuel management, and drydock planning software preferred
• Background in asset lifecycle management, reliability engineering, and maintenance planning preferred
• Experience supporting fuel efficiency and decarbonization initiatives preferred
• Experience with data management and AI/ML is preferred

Responsibilities

• Lead fleet-wide asset management strategy for maritime systems and vessel equipment
• Partner with Director Technical Operations to drive fleet reliability and maintenance excellence
• Govern core maritime systems requirements (PMS, inventory, procurement, fuel management, dock planning)
• Define vessel equipment criticality frameworks for risk-based decisions
• Establish preventive and predictive maintenance strategies and spares provisioning
• Drive reliability initiatives like root cause analysis and failure trend monitoring
• Develop fleet equipment standards and vendor strategies for cost efficiency
• Oversee fuel management, energy efficiency, and decarbonization programs
• Collaborate with Supply Chain on forecasting, inventory controls, and spares
• Lead multi-year maintenance and CAPEX plans with stakeholders
• Support dry dock planning, major refits, lifecycle replacement
• Drive process standardization and performance across vessels and shore teams
• Participate in fleet decisions on asset acquisition and disposition

Skills

Strategic leadership

Cross-functional leadership

Communication

Travel readiness

Data-driven decision making

Project management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in marine engineering, Naval Architecture, Mechanical Engineering, or related field

Tools

PMS platforms

Inventory management software

Drydock planning software

AI/ML tools familiarity

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 now take 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”.

Role Overview

The Director, Fleet Asset Management provides strategic leadership for the lifecycle, performance, and optimization of Lindblad Expeditions’ global fleet vessels and maritime technical systems. This role ensures safe, reliable, cost‑effective, and sustainable vessel operations through standardized asset strategies, data‑driven maintenance planning, and continuous improvement across the fleet.

You will lead fleet‑wide asset management programs spanning equipment standards, maintenance and inventory optimization, reliability engineering, fuel management, and decarbonization initiatives, partnering closely with shipboard teams, shore‑side leaders, and external classification societies/flag states and non‑governmental organizations.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead fleet‑wide asset management strategy for maritime systems and vessel equipment, aligned with safety, regulatory, reliability, and performance goals
• Team with the Director Technical Operations to jointly drive fleet reliability, maintenance excellence, and long‑term asset performance across shipboard and shore‑side teams
• Provide governance oversight and set requirements for core maritime systems (PMS, inventory, procurement, fuel management, and dock planning), ensuring strong data standards and usability
• Define and maintain vessel equipment criticality frameworks to drive risk‑based maintenance, inventory, and investment decisions
• Establish preventive and predictive maintenance strategies, including required skills, maintenance actions/intents, spares provisioning, and inventory optimization
• Lead reliability initiatives such as root cause analysis, failure trend monitoring, and continuous improvement programs
• Develop and govern fleet equipment standards, specifications, and approved vendor strategies to drive consistency and cost efficiency
• Oversee fuel management, energy efficiency, and decarbonization programs supporting company sustainability objectives
• Partner closely with Supply Chain on demand forecasting, sourcing, inventory controls, and spares optimization
• Develop and guide multi‑year maintenance and CAPEX plans in collaboration with Technical Operations, Shipboard teams, Finance, Compliance, Marine, Hotel Operations, and senior leadership
• Support dry dock and wet dock planning, major refits, and lifecycle replacement programs
• Drive process standardization and performance improvement across vessels and shore‑side technical teams
• Participate in, and support, fleet decisions related to vessel asset acquisition, new build and disposition

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in marine engineering, Naval Architecture, Mechanical Engineering, or related field; advanced degree preferred
• 7‑10+ years of progressive experience in maritime technical operations, fleet or asset management, or systems leadership
• Experience in passenger ship operations and shipboard experience is preferred
• Strong knowledge of maritime systems, maintenance methodologies, and regulatory/class requirements
• Experience with planned maintenance system (PMS) platforms, inventory and procurement systems, fuel management solutions, and drydock planning software preferred
• Background in asset lifecycle management, reliability engineering, and maintenance planning strongly preferred
• Experience supporting fuel efficiency and decarbonization initiatives is preferred
• Experience with data management and emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning is preferred

Skills & Attributes

• Strategic, analytical leader with strong problem‑solving and decision‑making skills
• Proven ability to lead and influence cross‑functional, geographically distributed teams
• Excellent communicator able to translate technical concepts and important initiatives for senior leadership
• Ability to work closely with Chief Maritime Officer as required
• Strong project and change management capabilities
• Highly organized, adaptable, and effective in a dynamic operational environment
• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally as needed

Why This Is a Great Opportunity

• Strategic impact: Shape how a global expedition fleet is managed, modernized, and optimized for the future.
• Purpose‑driven work: Contribute directly to safety, sustainability, and environmental stewardship in expedition travel.
• Leadership visibility: Partner closely with senior leadership and influence long‑term capital and operational decisions.
• Innovation & transformation: Lead fleet‑wide system improvements, influence guest experience through innovation, reliability programs, and decarbonization initiatives.
• Unique environment: Combine deep technical leadership with adventure, exploration, and a mission‑driven culture.

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. 10% bonus and 5% equity.

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, analyzing 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 judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.