Director of Sourcing & Supply Chain - Food, Beverage & Hotel

Job Description

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”.

 

 

 

Job Summary:

 

This newly created leadership role will transform Lindblad Expeditions’ supply chain capabilities, advancing the organization toward a more strategic, integrated, and data-driven function. The Director will lead end-to-end supply chain operations for the Cruise Division, including demand and supply planning, strategic sourcing, category management, procurement operations, inventory strategy, supplier performance, and collaboration with Logistics to ensure the reliable and timely delivery of products to the fleet. Categories within the Director’s scope include food, beverage, hotel supplies, gallery and merchandising products, and medical supplies.

 

With responsibility for more than $20 million in annual spend, the Director will develop and execute category and sourcing strategies that improve cost, quality, availability, and supply continuity. Working closely with Hotel Operations, vessel-based Hotel Directors, Logistics, Finance, and other cross-functional partners, this leader will translate strategy into measurable improvements in forecasting, inventory management, supplier performance, and shipboard fulfillment.

 

Success in this role requires a strategic and analytical leader who remains closely connected to day-to-day operations and can build a resilient, scalable supply chain that supports exceptional onboard service and the overall guest experience.

 

Hybrid Schedule: This position follows a hybrid work model working Tuesday-Thursday in the Seattle office and 2 days per week working remotely.

 

 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

 

Essential Duties

Planning & Inventory Management

• Strengthen planning processes, including influencing demand forecasting, warehouse vs. cross-dock vs. ship-to-port, calendar of activities per season, and resource planning.
• Warehouse inventory management, including safety stocks, reorder points, MOQs, lead times, and par levels.
• Optimize inventory across the network, balancing service and working capital.
• Influence future onboard replenishment.

 

Strategic Sourcing & Category Management

• Strategy for global vs. regional/local sourcing.
• Define sourcing seasons and strategies across food (dry, frozen, and produce), beverage, and hotel categories.
• Execute seasonal sourcing, TCO analysis, and negotiations.
• Partner with MXP to improve quote analysis, particularly on dry goods.
• Develop category strategies for commodities such as beef, fish, and wine.
• Develop agreements, contracts, and long-term supplier relationships.

 

Operational Procurement Leadership

• Oversee purchase-order execution, fulfillment, delivery, and issue resolution.
• Standardize and streamline procurement processes.
• Partner with Logistics to ensure timely, cost-effective global distribution.

 

Team Leadership

• Lead and mentor team members.
• Manage performance through goals, reviews, and development.
• Drive a strong team culture and engagement.

 

Organizational Design

• Create a vision for the team and a roadmap to achieve it.
• Continuously assess workloads and adjust the organization.

 

Performance Management & Continuous Improvement

• Establish and track KPIs across service, inventory, cost, and lead times.
• Drive process improvements across planning, sourcing, and procurement.
• Collaborate on the systems and digital roadmap.

 

Stakeholder & Relationship Management

• Build strong partnerships with Hotel Operations and shipboard personnel.
• Proactively manage communications.
• Cultivate supplier and partner relationships.

 

 

QUALIFICATIONS 

 

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Business, Hospitality, or related field; Master’s preferred
• 10+ years of experience in supply chain, sourcing, or procurement with F&B or hospitality exposure
• Experience leading end-to-end supply chain including planning, sourcing, inventory, and operations
• Strong expertise in strategic sourcing, category management, and contract negotiations
• Experience with demand planning, inventory optimization, and supply chain analytics
• Proven leadership of high-performing teams including coaching and performance management
• Strong analytical and financial acumen
• Experience with ERP and procurement/inventory systems. MXP experience a plus
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills
• Ability to work in fast-paced environment
• Experience in cruise or hospitality preferred
• Travel expected at less than 25%

Annual bonus eligibility up to 10%

Equity 5%

Disclaimer Statement

This job description is intended only to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by an incumbent in this position. It is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills or abilities required of people so classified or assigned.

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, 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.