Magic Elf People Manager (Manchester)

Reports to Act 4 People Manager / People Operations Manager (Manchester)

Role Overview

This role manages a team of up to 240 ‘Magic Elves’ who work in the ‘Father Christmas Land’ (Act 4) operation, part of the ‘Lapland’ experience. It requires strong people management, protecting guest experience and delivering an efficient operation.

Key Responsibilities

• OPERATIONS
  • Manage a large team strictly in line with approved policy, processes, and instruction.
  • Ensure a complete and up-to-date working knowledge of procedures, consulting with Head Office on any required review or revision, ensuring a consistent and efficient operation.
  • Have a thorough working knowledge of the relevant areas of operation to effectively troubleshoot and problem solve.
  • Act as a champion for the ‘Lapland Accessibility and Inclusion’ policies, working with colleagues and direct reports to ensure all are trained and working in accordance with the relevant processes.
  • Attend to (and follow up) guest feedback, working closely with the Guest Relations team (and other relevant stakeholders) to proactively address recurring problems within the Magic Elf cohort.
  • Work closely with the Performance Managers to monitor feedback & performance of the Magic Elf team, providing support throughout the live shows.
  • Conduct daily registers, follow up with absences & no shows; produce & distribute daily call sheets for each day in advance.
  • Deliver daily briefings to teams if required, communicating key safety, operational, experiential, and departmental information in a timely manner.
  • Cover the duties of Act 4 People Manager on their days off; including producing hut allocation sheets for Father Christmas’s.
• TEAM MANAGEMENT
  • Ensure that the Magic Elf staffing is consistently at the right level.
  • Pro‑actively address and resolve instances where staffing levels fall below the required matrix for operation.
  • Establish, lead, and maintain a professional and positive working culture within the Magic Elf team, always acting as a role model.
  • Ensure that team attendance is high, managing absence in a timely and effective manner in accordance with company policy, addressing any reoccurring absence trends.
  • Work closely with HR and Resourcing colleagues on any recruitment requirements both before and during the live event.
  • Manage poor performance and attendance in a timely and effective manner, in accordance with company policy.
  • Recognise and promote good performance and attendance utilising the reward & recognition tools available.
• HEALTH AND SAFETY
  • Ensure a safe and secure environment for both colleagues and guests.
  • Assist the Management team in the coordination of any emergency procedures, always ensuring the safety and wellbeing of visitors and colleagues.
  • Report any health and safety accidents or near‑misses into Event Control, inclusive but not limited to trip hazards, emergency issues, cleaning, site repairs.
• TRAINING
  • Deliver pre‑approved training courses to both new and existing colleagues before and during the event; working with Act 4 Performance Manager to deliver any role or HR information to the Act 4 team.
  • Attend required training courses as determined by the business.
  • Conduct delegate training assessments and validations, having overall accountability that all team members within the operation are trained effectively with the required documentation complete.
• VIP & PR GUESTS
  • Support the communication and requests of all VIP and PR guests as determined by the VIP manager / team.

Skills / Knowledge

• Excellent communication, interpersonal and diplomacy skills.
• Bright with a strong sense of initiative.
• Confident with technology & various staffing software systems.
• Flexibility of approach to working environment needs.
• Ability to work well in a team environment.
• Positive attitude throughout to ensure a good morale is sustained onsite.
• Organisational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to work under pressure in a busy environment.

£18.50 per hour

Benefits

• Flexible hybrid working until early November, when the role is then based on‑site.
• Holiday paid at 12.07% at the end of contract.
• Free daily on‑site meal once based‑on‑site for the live show.
• Staff car parking & shuttle bus service.

Applicants must be authorised to work in the United Kingdom without the need for visa sponsorship. 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.