Director, Operations

Director, Operations | US & UK

The Director of Operations is responsible for overseeing the live entertainment daily operations product across all US and UK parks (7) including live shows, character meet and greets, production operations, special events and atmosphere entertainment. This role requires a detail-oriented leader with comprehensive experience and expertise delivering world-class guest experiences, operational excellence, safety compliance and alignment with brand standards and guidelines. The Director of Operations will lead a team of Live Experience Managers along with collaboration with producers, project / production managers, directors, technical teams, vendors and clients to deliver high-quality productions and experiences that align with the creative vision and operational requirements of each property.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategy and Leadership : Define and execute the operational strategy for entertainment, live shows, parades, costumed character programs, seasonal events and activities across all parks in conjunction with local park leadership and Live Experience Managers. Function as key member of RWS Global operations Leadership Team which creates, implements and drives business strategy, leads each of the park's values, and ensures high retention and motivation of staff.
• Relationship Management : Collaborate cross-functionally with corporate departments to ensure alignment across park operations, maintenance, safety & risk management, shared services (HR, Finance, Legal) to deliver seamless and integrated guest experiences.
• Production Planning & Scheduling : Develop detailed production schedules, timelines, and workflows for various projects, ensuring all elements are planned, organized, and executed on time and within scope.
• Continuous Improvement : Contribute to the continuous improvement of RWS Global operations by participating in global forums, workshops and training sessions. Maintain and continuously improve key performance indicators (KPIs) such as guest satisfaction scores (NPS), show uptime, production cost targets, guest service metrics, safety incident metrics across all parks.
• Budget Management : Drive the annual operating budget for the UK and US park entertainment operations to include : labor expense and staffing levels, operating expense management, vendor contracts, and monitoring respective financial KPI's to ensure budgets and profit margins meet established goals. Responsible for P&L creation, monitoring, management, and reporting.
• Quality Control : Ensure all park entertainment operations and productions meet the highest standards of show quality, creative intent and sustainment, and are in full compliance with all local and regional / country regulations, guidelines and laws.
• Risk Management : Identify and mitigate potential risks associated with production activities including employee activities and performances, developing contingency plans to address technical, operational, or compliance challenges. Ensure that entertainment operations meet safety, compliance and welfare standards across all activation areas.
• Flexible Schedule : Project locations span the globe and may require extended hours which include work over weekends and holidays and include international travel to project site locations as needed.

Qualifications & Skills

Character Attributes

Company Benefits

While this is intended to be an accurate description of the job, this is not necessarily an comprehensive list of all responsibilities, duties, skills, efforts, requirements or working conditions associated with the position, and may require that other or different tasks be performed as necessary and assigned.

DIVERSE IS WHO WE ARE

Way more than a box to check, diversity is core to RWS Global culture. We value it, promote it, protect it and hire it. All differences are welcome here. We know for a fact that each employee's individual background, life experiences, knowledge, self-expression, and capabilities are a contribution to our culture, as well as our reputation and achievements. So, bring all of who you are, no questions asked.