Director, Fleet Asset Management

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”. **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.