Deputy Director, Professional Services

The Caribbean Tourism Organization seeks a Deputy Director, Professional Services to lead tourism workforce development, quality assurance, and service excellence across the Caribbean region.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title: Deputy Director, Professional Services

Department: Resource Mobilization and Development

Reports to: Director of Resource Mobilization and Development

Job Summary:

The Deputy Director, Professional Services will be responsible for leading the planning, execution, and evaluation of regional people development initiatives for the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO). With a core focus on tourism education, workforce development, capacity building, quality assurance, professional advancement, and service excellence, the Deputy Director will play a pivotal role in strengthening the region’s human capital. Reporting to the Director of Resource Mobilization and Development, this role will work collaboratively with stakeholders to design and implement strategic programmes that enhance the capacity and professionalism of the tourism workforce across CTO member countries.

The successful candidate will be expected to, among other key activities, deliver scalable, data-informed learning solutions that support human capital development, enhance member engagement, and contribute meaningfully to CTO’s financial sustainability and brand reputation.

This role therefore requires a motivated, highly organized strategic leader who can design and operationalize training, certification, quality assurance, youth initiatives and standards in line with CTO’s Strategic Plan. It will position the CTO as a driver of human capital excellence and professional service innovation in tourism across the Caribbean, integrating policy, strategy, programme management, and stakeholder engagement.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Strategic Leadership and Programme Development

• Lead the development and execution of programmes that enhance the capacity of tourism professionals in CTO member states.
• Operationalize relevant pillars of the CTO’s Strategic Plan related to workforce development, quality assurance, and education.
• Serve as a key advisor on policy and programmatic strategies to promote sustainable, inclusive Human Capital Development (HCD) in Caribbean tourism.
• Monitor trends and issues in global tourism HCD and integrate best practices into CTO programmes.
• Lead the design and execution of professional services programmes that enhance service excellence, leadership, and innovation in the industry.

2. Human Capital and Workforce Development

• Identify skills gaps and training needs across CTO member states through research, stakeholder engagement, and labour market analysis.
• Design and manage training programmes, webinars, workshops, and certification initiatives that are strategically aligned with CTO’s regional tourism development priorities and capacity-building objectives.
• Create interventions that not only address industry skills gaps and emerging trends but also be structured to generate revenue and strengthen stakeholder value.
• Work with regional and national stakeholders to establish and strengthen national tourism HCD initiatives.
• Promote and facilitate internships, mentorships, exchange programmes and various types of outreach initiatives for tourism students and young professionals.

3. Quality Assurance and Professional Services

• Manage and expand the Hospitality Assured Caribbean programme, including stakeholder engagement, assessments, and promotion of service excellence standards.
• Develop and implement new professional development frameworks and certifications for the tourism workforce.
• Establish partnerships with training institutions and quality assurance bodies to align curricula and standards with CTO benchmarks.
• Encourage the use of technology-enabled learning and virtual knowledge platforms.
• Explore professional services revenue streams (consultancy, specialized training, technical advisory, etc.) to strengthen CTO’s sustainability.

4. Programme Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting

• Establish metrics for assessing the impact of human capital development and professional development programmes.
• Produce quarterly and annual reports on the effectiveness and reach of all initiatives.
• Maintain databases and information systems for tracking participants, training outcomes, and programme beneficiaries.

5. Partnership Building and Stakeholder Engagement

• Liaise with ministries of tourism, education, labour, and private sector partners to implement joint initiatives.
• Represent the CTO at regional and international fora focused on HCD, education, and service quality.
• Support resource mobilization by developing proposals and assisting with donor engagement related to HCD initiatives.

6. Organizational Contribution

• Support the Director in the development of annual work programmes and budgets related to the HCD portfolio.
• Provide supervision and mentorship to staff or consultants engaged in HCD projects.
• Participate in internal planning, strategic reviews, and organizational capacity-building initiatives.

Education, Experience and Training:

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Capital/Resource Development, Tourism Management, Tourism Education, Organizational Development, Workforce Development or a related field. A Master's degree is preferred.
• Additional certifications in project management, quality management, training & development, or leadership coaching would be an asset.

Experience:

• At least 8-10 years of progressive professional experience in human capital development, workforce planning, professional services or related fields.
• Proven experience managing workforce development initiatives across multiple stakeholders and jurisdictions.
• Proven track record in designing, implementing, and evaluating regional or multi-country capacity-building programmes.
• Experience working with government agencies, tourism boards, educational institutions, and international organizations.
• Strong exposure to policy development, stakeholder engagement, and multi-stakeholder collaboration.
• Familiarity with Caribbean tourism development issues and institutional frameworks is highly desirable.

Training/Professional Development:

• Formal training in Leadership & Change Management to navigate regional complexities.
• Certification or advanced training in Instructional Design, Adult Learning, or Training of Trainers (ToT).
• Exposure to digital learning platforms and emerging technologies for workforce development.
• Training in Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) frameworks and impact measurement.
• Continuous professional development in tourism trends, service excellence, and quality standards.

Specific Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Strategic leadership and programme management.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English. (Proficiency in French is an asset.)
• Strong analytical and research skills to inform policy and workforce initiatives.
• Excellent communication and facilitation skills, with the ability to engage stakeholders across diverse cultural contexts.
• Financial and project management acumen, including budgeting and reporting.
• Good knowledge of the global and regional tourism industry and ability to innovate and adapt in a rapidly evolving global tourism landscape.
• Advanced interpersonal skills, with the ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders.
• Demonstrated commitment to service excellence and professional standards in tourism.
• High proficiency in MS Office and virtual collaboration tools.

Working Relationships:

• Internally: Collaborates closely with senior management, staff, and support personnel.
• Externally: Engages with ministries of tourism, education and labour; national tourism authorities; educational institutions; private sector associations; international development partners; and training providers; among others.

REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS

Director of Resource Mobilization and Development and Secretary General & Chief Executive Officer

WORKING CONDITIONS

• The incumbent will be expected to perform the essential functions and duties of the job under normal working conditions and standard business working hours within Barbados.
• Flexibility to work overtime beyond the normal work hours such as in the evenings and/or weekends as necessary to complete required duties and functions and meet deadlines.
• Willingness and ability to travel throughout the Caribbean and internationally as required.
• In person and virtual meetings with clients and stakeholders.
• A dynamic working environment
• Hybrid Work

APPLICATIONS

If you meet the criteria outlined above and are interested in this exciting career opportunity, please submit a letter of interest along with your curriculum vitae. Your CV should include the names and contact information of two referees. All applications should be addressed as follows:

Application for the post of

Deputy Director, Professional Services

Attention Rohan Malone - Senior Associate

Profiles Caribbean Inc., Belmont Road, P.O. Box 687, St. Michael, Barbados

The deadline for the receipt of applications is Friday, 12 September 2025

*Kindly note that only those persons selected for

interviews will be acknowledged.