Act 4 Performance Manager in Ascot

Founded in 2007 by Mike and Alison Battle, Lapland began with a simple but powerful purpose: to honour the wonder of childhood at Christmas. Frustrated by the poor quality of festive experiences available for their own four boys, the Battles set out to elevate this moment of childhood and reimagine the Father Christmas myth through original storytelling, meticulous set design, and emotionally resonant live theatre. Their ground-breaking immersive show opened in 2007 and immediately captured the attention and hearts of parents nationwide.

Powered by their purpose, the couple partnered with Hollywood set designers and West End performance professionals to produce an experience of unprecedented quality and detail. With an NPS of 72 (outperforming industry icons in the entertainment space), Lapland’s customer loyalty is second to none and has now welcomed nearly 2 million ‘believers,’ with tickets selling out on release for what the press now terms ‘the Glastonbury of Christmas’. Today, the Lapland Group is a fast-growing purpose driven entertainment business spanning the three pillars of Live, Product and Studios.

In 2024, Lapland’s eCommerce revenues grew tenfold, driven by the launch of magical at-home products like personalised Letters from Lapland. These products extend the Lapland world into the home, deepening belief and connection beyond the physical experience. At the same time, our original story universe continues to scale through media. In 2023, Lapland launched its first podcast, Elfcast, which achieved No. 1 in the UK Family Charts and ranked in the global top 10 over Christmas. With plans to expand into audio and content year-round, our IP and characters are reaching audiences in new and emotionally resonant ways.

With immersive Live experiences, high-growth eCommerce, and a rapidly expanding original content, Lapland is on a mission to become the definitive global Christmas brand anchored in belief, storytelling, and the enduring magic of childhood.

Location: Ascot (Whitmoor Forest, Swinley Road, Ascot, Berkshire, SL5 8BD)

Reports to: Casting & Show Director

Role Overview: The Act 4 Performance Manager is responsible for safeguarding and elevating the performance quality of Father Christmas and Magic Elf visits, the pinnacle moment of the LaplandUK guest journey. This role is central to ensuring that every guest experiences a world-class, personalised, and emotionally resonant moment with Father Christmas, as promised by our story.

As a key part of the Performance Department, the Act 4 Performance Manager will be responsible for quality control, show integrity, and cast performance within FC Land, reporting directly into the onsite Performance Lead and the Show Directors. This dual reporting structure ensures alignment with company-wide performance goals while maintaining live-show responsiveness on site. Overseeing up to 90 Father Christmases and 240 Magic Elves, this role requires a calm, confident, and nurturing leader who can deliver feedback with clarity and compassion, champion a culture of support and pride, and maintain the highest standards of immersive theatrical delivery.

Key Responsibilities

• OPERATIONS

• Maintain a deep working knowledge of the FC Land operation to proactively support and problem-solve performance-related challenges.
• Monitor and uphold the artistic integrity and emotional delivery of each Father Christmas visit, ensuring alignment with LaplandUK’s storytelling and guest expectations.
• Work closely with Guest Relations and other stakeholders to address guest feedback related to performance; proactively identify and respond to patterns or issues.
• Support and advocate for LaplandUK’s Accessibility and Inclusion standards, ensuring compliance across all performance interactions.
• Lead clear, inspiring daily briefings to communicate operational and performance priorities to the cast in Act 4, working with the Operations team to align on clear briefings each shift change.

• Lead with empathy and professionalism, creating a performance culture rooted in pride, support, and emotional safety for cast members.
• Provide constructive, actionable, and encouraging performance feedback to Father Christmases and Magic Elves.
• Collaborate with the Act 4 People Manager and Magic Elf People Manager to manage underperformance and recognise excellence, using show notes and live reviews.
• Maintain high morale across teams through positive reinforcement, presence, and clear communication.
• Represent the performance standard of FC Land to senior stakeholders and act as a role model for the cast.

• Help design and deliver engaging, role-specific performance training for both new and returning cast members prior to, and during the season.
• Attend 'Train the Trainer' & management sessions and other internal development opportunities to maintain alignment with company training methods and values.
• Support continuous learning during the live season through ongoing coaching, in-the-moment feedback, and refresher sessions.

• Support the communication and requests of all VIP and PR guests as determined by the Golden Experience manager & team.

Role Requirements

• ESSENTIAL

• Experience in immersive performance or guest-facing theatrical settings.
• Proven ability to lead and motivate large teams in a live, high-pressure environment.
• Experience delivering constructive feedback in a positive, nurturing manner.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, and diplomacy skills.
• Working understanding of Health & Safety best practices.

• Familiarity with ticketing or scheduling systems (e.g. for managing Father Christmas visits).
• Comfort with analysing guest feedback and KPIs to guide performance decisions.
• Experience working across departments to deliver a seamless guest experience.

SKILLS

• Brings a calm and steady presence to fast-paced, high-pressure environments.
• Demonstrates emotional intelligence with a supportive and encouraging leadership style.
• Committed to delivering exceptional guest experiences through story and performance integrity.
• Organised and detail-oriented, with a proactive approach to resolving challenges.
• Maintains a positive, adaptable mindset and responds constructively to change.
• Aligned with LaplandUK’s mission to create meaningful, magical experiences for children and families.

Pay: £20.50 per hour, accommodation provided during the rehearsal & live show period, as well as for audition period.

Life at LaplandUK: At LaplandUK, we believe in the magic of collaboration, a steadfast commitment to excellence, and a team that's always willing to roll up their sleeves and get involved. Working with us means being part of a dynamic environment where collaboration brings out the best in everyone, diverse talents converge, and innovation thrives. Our commitment to excellence ensures that every team member is dedicated to achieving the highest standards, contributing to a workplace culture that values continuous improvement and outstanding results.

We're not just looking for employees; we want people who are excited to get involved, embrace challenges, and bring a hands-on approach to their work, creating a workplace full of positivity and collective success. Overall, working at LaplandUK offers a chance to be part of something truly special, where the wonder of childhood is celebrated by a team dedicated to making memories for over 40,000 families each year.

Passion for the Mission: We are in service to belief. We understand the importance of what we do and its legacy.

One Company: We only succeed together. We are a positive and caring group of people who embrace developing Lapland and ourselves.

Driven to Deliver Excellence: Belief is in the detail. Powered by our purpose we challenge and innovate to exceed expectations in everything we do.

Applicants must be authorised to work in the United Kingdom without the need for visa sponsorship. Lapland reserve the right to withdraw this advert at any time. Due to the high number of applications being received, we may not be able to respond to every applicant. Lapland is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace that seeks to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people from a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We therefore encourage applications from all genders, races, religions, ages and sexual orientations, as well as parents, veterans, people living with disabilities, and any other groups that could bring diverse perspectives to our business.