River Cruise Product Development Manager

River Cruise Product Development Manager

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Our philosophy at The Travel Corporation (TTC) is simple, we create enriching experiences for travellers by combining an unbeatable mix of exceptional service and quality at great value.

As a global business with over 100 years of experience in the travel industry, our ethos of “Driven by Service” ensures we keep our values of passion, people and purpose at the heart of everything we do – designing and running immersive, innovative and responsible travel experiences for our guests across 70 countries. Join us in creating life-changing moments for every guest across our award-winning brands and experience the TTC difference.

OUR VALUES

• Driven by service
• An inherent passion for travel
• Commitment to our customers and to our people
• Commitment to social responsibility and our 5-year sustainability strategy

POSITION SUMMARY

We’re seeking a dynamic and strategic Product Development Manager to design, launch, and continuously refine Trafalgar’s new River Cruise portfolio, creating immersive journeys that bring Trafalgar’s signature connection to people, places, and culture to life on the water. The focus of this role will be on shore experiences, extensions, and optional experiences. It will work closely with other teams responsible for hospitality, onboard entertainment, operations, ship design, and marketing.

This is an exciting opportunity to play a pivotal role in shaping a brand-new product line that will redefine how guests experience river cruising, combining Trafalgar’s renowned storytelling and local expertise with the comfort and charm of life aboard a river vessel.

In this role, you will own the product vision and lead the end-to-end development of Trafalgar’s River itineraries, from concept and design to launch and ongoing optimization.

You’ll collaborate closely with regional teams, operations, marketing, and commercial stakeholders to ensure each journey delivers exceptional guest satisfaction, strong financial performance, and seamless operational execution.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop the strategic framework and roadmap for Trafalgar River, defining itineraries, inclusions and the guest experience philosophy in alignment with Trafalgar’s brand.
• Design and develop a portfolio of river itineraries, including the Rhine, Main Danube and Seine Rivers and others to be added soon, that reflect Trafalgar’s ethos of genuine connection, cultural discovery, and ease of travel.
• Lead the creative and commercial development process from concept to launch, covering routing, sailing times, shore experiences, inclusions and day‑by‑day design.
• Partner with marketing and content teams to ensure products are compelling, distinct and market ready.
• Partner with Hospitality and Nautical teams to deliver a cohesive guest experience across on‑board and on‑shore touchpoints, ensuring alignment and collaboration across all three areas.
• Undertake ongoing competitive analysis and market research to identify emerging trends and opportunities for differentiation.

Commercial & Contracting Partnership

• Collaborate closely with Tracoin, Uniworld and other contracting teams to identify and secure the right river cruise partners and shore experience suppliers.
• Provide clear direction on itinerary structure, inclusions, optional experiences and cost targets to support effective negotiations and margin optimisation.
• Work in partnership with Revenue Management, Yield and Commercial teams to inform pricing, deployment, and load factor strategies.

Guest Experience & Quality

• Define the Trafalgar River shore‑based guest experience, including the balance of comfort, connection, and discovery.
• Work with Operations to ensure onshore delivery meets Trafalgar’s standards for quality, service and storytelling.
• Establish quality assurance processes, guest feedback loops, and continuous improvement frameworks.
• Partner with internal training and content teams to brief Cruise Directors, on‑board staff and marketing content creators on the product vision.

Cross Functional Collaboration

• Act as the central bridge between…