Talent Acquisition Delivery Senior Manager (Hybrid)

Merlin Entertainments Group; Basingstoke; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in the entertainment industry is seeking a Talent Acquisition Delivery Senior Manager to transform hiring practices across its UK attractions. In this pivotal role, you will lead high-impact recruitment efforts, design scalable processes, and ensure a world-class candidate experience while fostering a high-performing team culture.

Benefits

Merlin Magic Pass

'Enjoy the Ride' Merlin Annual Passes

Performance-Based Company Bonus

Private Pension Scheme

LEGO Perks

Learning & Development opportunities

Qualifications

• Demonstrated success in high-volume recruitment and leadership in shared services.
• Deep knowledge of full-cycle recruitment and employer branding.
• Exceptional communication and collaboration skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead a high-performing team of recruiters.
• Design scalable volume recruitment strategies.
• Oversee recruitment tools and vendor relationships.

Skills

Stakeholder engagement

Recruitment technology

Data analytics

Process improvement

Education

Degree in HR, Business Administration or similar

Professional certifications (CIPD, SHRM, etc.)

Tools

iCIMS

SuccessFactors

Workday

Job description

What you'll bring to the team

Role Summary

Step into a pivotal leadership role where you’ll transform how we hire at scale across Merlin’s dynamic attraction portfolio. As the Talent Acquisition Delivery Senior Manager, you’ll lead the development and delivery of a high-impact recruitment service within our UK-based People Shared Services model—driving operational excellence and delivering a seamless, world-class candidate experience.

You’ll play a central role in designing scalable processes, leveraging cutting-edge recruitment technology, and building strong partnerships across the business to help us attract, engage, and retain top talent. Your work will directly shape the way we hire across our B2-level roles and below, impacting the experience of thousands of candidates each year.

This is a career-defining opportunity for an experienced recruitment leader ready to drive change, embed best practices, and inspire a team to deliver at pace.

Key Accountabilities

Team Leadership

• Inspire, develop, and manage a high-performing team of recruiters and specialists.

• Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous learning.

• Oversee onboarding, coaching, and performance management, ensuring alignment with shared services standards.

• Act as the key escalation point for complex queries across the recruitment delivery team.

Service Delivery

• Design and scale volume recruitment strategies that align with business priorities.

• Streamline sourcing, screening, and hiring processes to drive efficiency and consistency.

• Champion the candidate journey by ensuring every interaction reflects our employer brand.

• Partner with Employer Branding teams to position Merlin as a destination employer.

• Oversee recruitment tools and vendor relationships, maximizing ROI and performance.

• Lead strategic workforce planning and build pipelines for future talent needs.

• Drive internal mobility and succession strategies across key roles.

• Deliver robust recruitment data, insights, and reports to support decision-making.

• Continuously improve the recruitment tech stack, tracking the impact of updates and innovations.

Collaboration & Stakeholder Engagement

• Build strong relationships with hiring managers, People Business Partners, and senior stakeholders.

• Align with Center of Excellence on compliance, DEI, and policy integration.

• Collaborate with the Digital & Data team to optimize technology and user experience.

• Act as a trusted partner to leadership teams across our attractions and corporate functions.

Critical Interfaces

• Local Attraction People Teams – Align recruitment initiatives with local needs and drive seamless service delivery.

• Other Shared Services Teams – Identify cross-functional process enhancements to elevate the candidate and employee experience.

• Group COEs – Leverage enterprise-wide expertise to improve TA strategy and outcomes.

• VP of Ops / VP of People Business Partners – Collaborate on strategic hiring plans, escalations, and service optimization.

• Legal and Compliance – Ensure all recruitment processes meet local employment laws and regulations.

• Digital & Data – Shape future-ready systems and tech enhancements.

Qualifications & Experience

Experience & Qualifications

• Degree in HR, Business Administration, or similar; professional certifications (CIPD, SHRM, etc.) a plus.

• Demonstrated success leading high-volume and specialized recruitment in a shared services or centralized model.

• Deep knowledge of full-cycle recruitment, employer branding, and recruitment technology (e.g., iCIMS, SuccessFactors, Workday).

• Strong process improvement experience and the ability to implement scalable hiring solutions.

• Exceptional stakeholder engagement and communication skills.

• Proficiency in data analytics and recruitment reporting.

• Familiarity with compliance standards and DEI best practices in a multi-regional or global setting.

Leadership Behaviors

Soulfully CuriousYou seek out new ideas, ask insightful questions, and stay open to learning—bringing fresh energy and perspective to every challenge.

Results FocusedYou set clear goals, stay agile in execution, and take ownership to deliver impactful results.

Extraordinary TeammateYou collaborate generously, celebrate others, and build strong relationships across teams and functions.

Develops PeopleYou’re a coach at heart—elevating others through feedback, mentorship, and by creating growth opportunities.

Benefits

Just Some of the Magic You’ll Enjoy:

• Merlin Magic Pass – Enjoy 20 complimentary tickets each year for you, your family, and friends to experience Merlin attractions around the world—rising to 40 after one year of service.

• ‘Enjoy the Ride’ Merlin Annual Passes – Receive 6 exclusive annual passes (1 for you and 5 to gift to loved ones), giving unlimited fun across our attractions.

• Performance-Based Company Bonus – Celebrate your achievements with potential annual bonuses aligned to performance.

• Private Pension Scheme – Plan for your future with our competitive pension offering.

• LEGO Perks – Receive 40% off LEGO online and 25% off in our on-site retail shops and restaurants.

• Learning & Development – Take your career further with ongoing training, development programs, and growth opportunities.

• And So Much More… – From wellness initiatives to team events, get ready to enjoy the perks of being part of the Merlin magic.

Pay Range

Competitive