Head of Park Experience and Leisure Operations

Haven; Spittal; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Dining discounts

Haven Holidays discounts

Facilities access

National brand discounts

Job summary

Haven in the United Kingdom seeks a visionary Head of Park Experience & Leisure Operations to own the guest and owner journey across activities, entertainment, retail revenue and experiences. You will lead a cross-functional team, shaping strategy to maximise engagement, dwell time and spend while upholding safety and service standards.

Reporting to the General Manager, you will drive revenue, control costs, champion wellbeing, and ensure consistent experience delivery across the park, with a

Qualifications

• Senior leadership experience in hospitality, leisure or retail with a proven track record in guest experience and commercial performance.
• Expertise in guest and owner experience management, including NPS and advocacy.
• Strong knowledge of Health & Safety regulation, compliance and people processes in complex operations.
• Financially astute with experience managing budgets, labour and costs.
• Data-driven leader skilled with insights platforms to drive improvement.
• Strategic and operational leader across multiple functions and central teams.
• Inspirational, inclusive people leadership with focus on coaching and succession.

Responsibilities

• Own and deliver the park-level guest and owner experience strategy, turning insights into action.
• Drive cross-functional collaboration to enhance experience, engagement and spend.
• Lead and develop Team Managers, maintaining high engagement and performance.
• Oversee end-to-end guest and owner journeys, driving advocacy and loyalty.
• Ensure brand standards across Experience, Activities, Entertainment and Events.
• Champion Health & Safety, ensuring compliance and checks across parks.

Skills

Senior leadership

Guest experience management

NPS advocacy

Health & Safety compliance

Budget & cost control

Data-driven leadership

Cross-functional leadership

Coaching & succession

Safety culture

Job description

Position: Head of Department – Head of Park Experience & Leisure Operations

Type: Full-Time/Permanent

Bonus: Up to 25% Annual Bonus

The Head of Park Experience & Leisure Operations is a key leadership role responsible for creating unforgettable moments for our guests and owners. The role leads a function spanning Activities & Leisure, Entertainment, Retail Revenue (including arcades), and the wider Guest, Owner and Team Experience, with a clear mission to deliver exceptional experiences that create memories to last a lifetime. This role leads the delivery of an outstanding guest and owner experience across all leisure, entertainment and retail areas on park. Managing Team Managers, it drives revenue, cost efficiency and consistent service standards while acting as the on-park authority for experience. The role champions team engagement, wellbeing, safety and compliance, working closely with the General Manager and leadership team to manage risks, trends and incidents. Using guest, owner and team insight, it supports high-quality events and activities and drives continuous improvement in experience and commercial performance.

Strategic & Commercial Leadership

Own and deliver the park-level guest and owner experience strategy, turning insight (NPS, Owner Advocacy, ENPS) into action. Drive cross-functional collaboration to enhance experience, engagement, dwell time and spend. Share best practice and insight with Central teams to support continuous improvement. Deliver revenue, cost and wage targets while optimising activities, scheduling and capacity.

Team Leadership

Lead, develop and inspire Team Managers, building strong pipelines of future talent. Drive high levels of engagement, retention and performance through coaching and development. Ensure full compliance across people processes, wellbeing, training and employment standards.

Guest & Owner Experience

Act as the senior on-park experience lead, supporting the GM during incidents or escalations. Take ownership of the end-to-end guest and owner journey, driving advocacy and loyalty. Oversee complaint resolution and insight-led improvements to maximise NPS and advocacy. Build strong relationships with owners, supporting forums, communications and experience plans.

Operating Standards & Brand

Ensure consistent delivery of brand standards across Experience, Activities, Entertainment and Owner Events. Maximise activity performance to support guest satisfaction and F&B/Retail revenue. Act as guardian of brand standards, park rules and licence compliance.

Health & Safety

Champion a safe, compliant and secure culture across all areas of the park. Own H&S frameworks, training, audits and escalation processes, particularly for leisure activities. Ensure all legal, safety and operational checks are completed and standards maintained.

Key Requirements

• Senior leadership experience in hospitality, leisure or retail, with a strong track record in guest experience and commercial performance.
• Proven expertise in guest and owner experience management, including NPS and advocacy.
• Strong knowledge of Health & Safety legislation, compliance and people processes within complex operational environments.
• Commercially astute, with experience managing budgets, labour and costs.
• Data-led leader, confident using insight and feedback platforms to drive improvement.
• Strategic and operational leader across multiple functions and central support teams.
• Inspirational, inclusive people leader with a focus on coaching, succession and performance.
• Resilient, adaptable and decisive in fast-paced environments.
• Passionate about safety, quality and delivering exceptional experiences.

What We Offer

• An inclusive, supportive work environment.
• Comprehensive training and ongoing support.
• Career development opportunities, including fully funded qualifications.
• Exclusive team perks, including up to 50% off on-park dining, 20% discounts on Haven Holidays and in-store purchases, free access to our facilities, savings at national brands and retailers, and so much more!