Manager, Food & Beverage Operations

WHO WE ARELindblad Expeditions is a pioneer in the Expedition Travel space, with a legacy of exploration and discovery spanning decades. From taking the first citizen explorers to Antarctica in 1966, to opening the Galápagos and Easter Island to tourism, to launching our innovative partnership with National Geographic in 2004, our mission has always been to connect travelers with the world’s most extraordinary places.Today, our fleet of 16 ships takes nearly 25,000 guests annually to some of the planet’s most remote and pristine locations. At Lindblad Expeditions, we do whatever it takes to ensure our guests experience the “Exhilaration of Discovery.”
JOB SUMMARYThe Manager, Food & Beverage Operations, is responsible for delivering outstanding dining and service experiences across Lindblad’s fleet. This role combines innovation and leadership with a focus on cost innovation, revenue enhancement, and operational efficiency. By applying data-driven insights, the Manager ensures that onboard food and beverage programs embody Lindblad’s passion for the extraordinary while driving guest satisfaction and long-term financial sustainability.

Essential Duties

• Lead all aspects of beverage, service and bar operations across the Lindblad Expeditions fleet, ensuring consistent delivery of exceptional guest experiences.
• Develop and manage annual beverage budgets, including cost control, revenue targets, and financial forecasting.
• Partner with finance to monitor fleet-wide performance, reconcile results, and guide shipboard teams toward operational efficiency.
• Design and implement revenue-generating programs and events, ensuring effective onboard execution.
• Create and evolve bar and wine programs aligned with guest preferences, trends, and itineraries.
• Collaborate with supply chain, vendors, and logistics teams to source quality products and optimize purchasing, warehousing, and shipping processes.
• Support Hotel Managers in all areas of F&B service, providing guidance, quality control, and performance oversight in dining, lounge, and bar operations.
• Oversees public health compliance across all assigned areas, with particular emphasis on bars and restaurants, by aligning operations with company policies and regulatory standards such as USPH and PHAC, while also driving training initiatives and awareness programs for shipboard teams.
• Identify and implement service enhancements, propagate best practices, and ensure high standards through SOP development, audits, and continuous improvement.
• Stakeholder in hiring and training of beverage, service and bar personnel, participating as appropriate.
• Coordinate fleet-wide beverage, service and bar training programs, ensuring needs are identified and delivery is consistent onboard.
• Contribute to new vessel start-ups, including planning, training, and operational readiness.
• Ensure professional presentation and appearance of service staff, including uniform standards.
• Manage profit center performance, ensuring both quality delivery and profitability.
• Work with Hotel Operations leadership to align maintenance, capital projects, drydock, and newbuild initiatives related to beverage, service and bar areas.
• Monitor guest feedback from multiple channels, ensuring timely corrective actions and recognizing shipboard successes.
• Partner with IT and finance to develop and manage reporting tools and systems that support data-driven decision making.
• Oversees MXP POS operations, ensuring proper setup and effective usage through team training and regular audits
• Perform additional duties as assigned by the Senior Director, Hotel Operations.

General Qualifications

• Education/Experience: Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality, Tourism, or a related field (or equivalent experience), with a minimum of 5 years of management experience in the hospitality or cruise industry. Prior shipboard or maritime experience is preferred.
• Communication Skills: Proficiency in English is required, with the ability to read, write, and understand policies, legal guidelines, correspondence, and memos. This role also requires exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to influence and persuade effectively.
• Other Skills/Abilities: Proficiency in Windows-based computer systems is required, including word processing, spreadsheet applications, and standard POS, PMS, and inventory management systems. Excellent customer service skills are essential, along with strong abilities in leadership, time management, multitasking, prioritization, and meeting deadlines. The role also demands the capacity to work effectively both independently and as part of a team, as well as the willingness and ability to travel regularly.

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