Construction Manager – Fixed-Term (4 years)

About the role

The Construction Manager will lead the end‑to‑end delivery of Disney Cruise Line new‑build projects at the Papenburg shipyard. This fixed‑term position (until December 2030) requires strategic leadership, budget and schedule oversight, and close coordination with shipyards, contractors, and internal Disney teams.

Key responsibilities

• Drive overall construction strategy for multiple new‑build cruise ships, ensuring compliance with SOLAS, USPH, and Disney standards.
• Lead communication and coordination with shipyard, outfitters, vendors, consultants, and project planners.
• Manage critical path, schedule, key milestone (KSM) compliance and elevate issues to senior leadership.
• Participate in Factory Acceptance Testing at contractor/vendor sites.
• Prepare weekly logs of contractor activities and resolve shipyard and contractor issues.
• Provide constructability analysis and value‑engineering recommendations.
• Oversee shipyard activities, contractor performance, and outfitting operations to meet milestones.
• Attend inspections with Project Management, Marine & Technical, Creative/Design, and Entertainment teams to ensure design compliance.
• Develop and implement QA/QC programs in close coordination with the shipyard.

Required profile

• Proven experience in shipbuilding or large‑scale construction project management.
• Strong leadership and stakeholder‑management skills.
• Ability to manage budgets, schedules, and critical‑path activities.
• Familiarity with maritime safety regulations (SOLAS, USPH).
• Detail‑oriented with a focus on quality, safety, and compliance.

Required skills

• Project scheduling and critical‑path management
• Construction compliance (SOLAS, USPH)
• Value‑engineering analysis
• QA/QC program development
• Constructability analysis