[Hiring] Onboard Sales Specialist @Lindblad Expeditions

Role Description

We are seeking a dynamic and enthusiastic Onboard Sales Specialist to join our team onboard our National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions ships. This role will involve engaging with guests onboard to inspire and sell future expeditions, sharing our mission and exciting destinations, while ensuring that travelers understand the value and uniqueness of our offerings. The Onboard Sales Specialist will work closely with the onboard expedition team and the ship's hospitality staff to promote future voyages and maintain exceptional customer relationships.

Essential Duties

• Sales & Promotion: Actively promote and sell future trips to guests onboard the ship by leveraging personal engagement, storytelling, knowledge of upcoming expeditions, promotional booking offers, and the extraordinary experiences offered by National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions.
• Guest Engagement: Consistently seek opportunities to engage with guests, such as dining with guests and actively participating in shore excursions. Provide personalized information about future journeys, destinations, and experiences.
• Product Knowledge: Stay well-informed about upcoming expeditions, new itineraries, special offers, and other opportunities for travelers.
• Onboard Presentation: Conduct informative and engaging presentations and one-on-one consultations to share details about future trips.
• Onboard Marketing: Promote future expeditions and offers, ensuring promotional campaigns are displayed/executed correctly on the ship.
• Bookings & Follow-up: Handle bookings directly while ensuring smooth coordination with the reservations and sales teams ashore. Follow up on potential leads, ensuring timely communication and providing excellent customer service.
• Collaboration: Work closely with the Expedition Leader, Hotel Manager, and shoreside teams to ensure seamless coordination of sales and guest engagement activities throughout the voyage.
• Market Intelligence: Gather feedback and insights from guests to help shape future offerings and refine sales strategies.
• Reporting: Track sales metrics and provide regular updates to the sales and management teams on guest interest, sales conversions, and feedback on potential bookings.
• Other Duties: Conduct other duties as needed, as per instruction by the Hotel Director.

Shipboard Responsibilities and Duties

• Help and remove all guest surveys and keys upon conclusion of previous voyage.
• Remove outdated collateral and deliver onboard sales in-cabin collateral to each cabin prior to guest embarkation.
• Assist the Hotel Director with cabin upgrade inquiries from guests.
• Help and deliver guest name tags to each respective cabin prior to guest embarkation.
• Complete the voyage recap report for shoreside leadership team, analyzing bookings, data, and revenue trends from guests.
• Support the guest check-in process on embarkation day.
• Upon embarkation, assist the Receptionist, Hotel Director, and Purser at the reception desk, assisting with guest questions.
• Support the base camp operations, including assisting guests with donning a life jacket and crowd control for biosecurity.
• Participate in all mandatory drills and follow all safety duties as instructed by the Safety Officer.
• Work with the Expedition Leader onboard to be introduced on Day 1 or Day 2.
• Assist with guest questions related to the LEX-NG fund.

Qualifications

• 4 Year college degree or equivalent experience.
• 2+ years of sales experience with proven success in a customer-facing sales role, preferably in the travel, tourism, or adventure sectors.
• Excellent verbal communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to inspire and engage a diverse group of guests.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to prioritize tasks.
• Strong service-oriented mindset with an ability to tailor conversations to individual guest interests and needs.
• Ability to work independently and meet sales targets while maintaining a positive attitude and professionalism.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with onboard staff, expedition teams, and shoreside departments.
• Comfortable working in a dynamic, fast-paced environment and living onboard a ship for extended periods.
• Proficient computer skills including Microsoft PowerPoint, Word, Excel, and Outlook.
• Knowledge of Seaware (cruise reservations system) and Salesforce (CRM) highly preferred.
• Deep enthusiasm for expedition-style travel and a genuine passion for the destinations and experiences that National Geographic-Lindblad offers.

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous experience working onboard ships or in the travel/tourism industry.
• Familiarity with National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions’ offerings and its unique style of travel.
• Experience working for National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions.
• Experience with public speaking, presentations, or educational outreach.

Licenses/Certifications

• Valid Passport, US Passport or Permanent Resident Card preferred.
• Medical Certificate — required.
• Maritime Security Awareness — required.

Work Schedule

• Rotational Schedule Ranges from 2 to 4 months depending on ship assignment.
• You will work shifts of varying hours daily, averaging out to 10 hours per day over the course of a 7-day work week.

Living Conditions

• You will be assigned a single cabin with no roommate for the full duration of your rotation.
• The vessel operates in some remote locations with limited or no port access between expeditions.
• You must bring a sufficient supply of any prescription medications, as refills cannot be obtained while underway.

Physical Demands

• Ability to live and work onboard for a total duration of 8 months within the year.
• Willingness to travel to remote and challenging locations.
• Ability to stand for extended periods, move between decks, and occasionally participate in field excursions.

Benefits

• Room and board when scheduled.
• Travel Day Pay.
• Travel Expenses Paid.
• Travel benefits for employees and their family.
• Uniforms Provided.
• Training Opportunities.
• $200 - $200 a day.
• This role is also eligible for the Sales Bonus plan.