VP-Customer & Trade Experience

The Vice President, Customer & Trade Experience provides executive leadership, strategic direction, and operational oversight for the integrated contact centers, travel operations, and business systems functions supporting Disney Cruise Line, Adventures by Disney, and National Geographic Expeditions. This role leads Contact Center Operations, Travel Operations & Business Systems, and Business Integration & Communications to deliver exceptional Guest and Cast experiences while achieving world-class operational and financial performance.

Reporting to the Senior Vice President, Commercial Strategy, the Vice President will partner closely with senior leadership across Disney Signature Experiences and The Walt Disney Company to shape and advance the long-term guest experience strategy, enhance operational excellence, optimize technology, and drive revenue growth and profitability. As a member of Disney Cruise Line and Adventures & Expeditions Steering Committees, this leader will set long-term vision for sales/service performance, operational efficiency, and technology transformation across all travel services functions.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Vision

• Develop and lead a cohesive global travel and sales/service strategy that unites sales performance, contact center operations, travel logistics, technology platforms, and business communications under a single, integrated vision.

• Partner with senior executives across Disney Cruise Line, Adventures by Disney, National Geographic Expeditions, and The Walt Disney Company to define and achieve enterprise travel and sales goals.

• Serve as champion and executive sponsor for innovation and technology transformation, driving efficiency, automation, and enhanced Guest experiences across travel systems and operations.

Operational Excellence

• Oversee large-scale global contact center operations, ensuring exceptional service, efficiency, and financial performance.

• Guide operational teams managing global travel logistics, air/sea programs, group and event services, vendor relations, training, labor management, quality assurance, and guest services.

• Ensure effective emergency operations/communications, business continuity, risk management, and compliance with Safety Management System (SMS) and environmental standards.

• Lead continuous improvement initiatives that reduce operational costs, increase revenue, and enhance productivity while maintaining Disney’s high standards of service and safety.

Technology & Systems Integration

• Provide executive oversight for the reservation systems and other enterprise travel platforms supporting Disney Cruise Line and Adventures by Disney.

• Partner with technology teams to enhance automation, system performance, and data integration to improve service delivery and decision-making.

• Evaluate, justify, and champion investment cases for new technical projects and major system enhancements.

Financial & Business Management

• Oversee combined operating budgets across multiple organizations, ensuring fiscal accountability, cost optimization, and sustainable, scalable revenue growth.

• Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) related to sales conversion, service quality, efficiency, and Guest satisfaction.

Leadership & Organizational Development

• Lead, mentor, and inspire a diverse organization of over 700 salaried and hourly Cast Members, across multiple geographies, fostering a culture of collaboration, inclusion, and innovation that aligns with Disney’s values and leadership expectations.

• Build future leadership capacity through talent development, succession planning, and cross-functional alignment.

Partnerships & Collaboration

• Build strong relationships and serve as a trusted advisor and key liaison with enterprise leaders, ensuring consistency of standards, guest experience, and operational practices

• Represent Disney within the travel industry, maintaining partnerships and leveraging insights to shape best practices and competitive strategy.

Basic Qualifications

• Minimum of 3 years executive leadership experience, 10+ years of overall leadership experience in the travel industry, and minimum of 5 years leadership experience in an operational discipline

• Strong team building skills and ability to motivate large populations of Cast Members

• Substantial experience leading complex or multi-site operations or organizations

• Ability to drive organizational change and build infrastructure capabilities that effectively optimize operational efficiency and deliver innovative and agile solutions

• Demonstrated ability to advance critical work via an approach that is highly collaborative

• Proven ability to lead a team of highly capable leaders, anticipating the quickly changing business landscape and inspiring and aligning the team around a clear, achievable vision

• Proven ability to approach sensitive work with diplomacy and drive results in a collaborative fashion with a track record of successful negotiations

• Proven ability to establish relationships, trust and credibility and follow through on decisions

• Skillful and impactful verbal and written communicator with the ability to deliver presentations with poise, confidence and authentic style

• Strong vendor management and partner relations skills

• Strong understanding of financial management, budgeting and performance measurement

• Possess an entrepreneurial spirit and ability to drive effective risk-taking

• Demonstrated ability to invite diverse perspectives and promote an inclusive work environment

• Bachelor’s degree in business, hospitality, operations management, or related field

Key Competencies

• Strategic Vision and Execution

• Business and Financial Acumen

• Operational and Technological Agility

• Transformational Leadership

• Collaboration and Influence

• Innovation and Continuous Improvement

• Guest and Cast Experience Focus