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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead strategic planning for global attractions and ensure alignment across diverse teams.
- Company: Join a leading global entertainment company focused on joy and connection.
- Benefits: Enjoy 33 days holiday, discounts, and a Merlin Magic Pass for free attraction access.
- Why this job: Shape growth strategies and connect teams globally while making unforgettable memories.
- Qualifications: Proven experience in senior marketing roles and strong strategic planning skills.
- Other info: Collaborative environment with opportunities for personal and professional growth.
The predicted salary is between 43200 - 72000 £ per year.
Our purpose
Bring joy, create connections, and make memories.
Our vision
To be the global leader in branded entertainment destinations and the greatest place to work and play.
The opportunity
We’re looking for a Global Planning Director to lead strategic planning and alignment across Merlin’s diverse portfolio of world-class attractions and brands. Sitting within our Global Insights & Strategy team, this role plays a critical part in shaping how our Growth function plans, prioritises and delivers impact across regions, brands and channels. You’ll act as the central connector between global Centres of Excellence (Brand, Marketing, Indirect Sales, Customer Proposition) and our regional and cluster go-to-market teams – with a particular focus on International markets. Your work will ensure our planning cadence is joined up, insight-led and aligned to key governance forums including CPC, CIC, Executive Team and Main Board agendas. This is a highly visible role for a strategic, data-driven leader who thrives in complex, fast-paced environments and knows how to turn long-term vision into executable plans that drive growth.
What you’ll be doing
- Strategic planning & alignment
- Lead the global go-to-market calendar, ensuring synergy across brands, regions and specialisms.
- Own the annual and multi-year go-to-market planning process, integrating global trends, insights and customer feedback.
- Align go-to-market strategies with Merlin’s wider business objectives and growth ambitions.
- Collaboration & leadership
- Act as the central hub for regional and local go-to-market teams, driving alignment and sharing best practice.
- Partner closely with commercial, operations, digital and insights teams to optimise go-to-market motion and delivery.
- Governance, rhythm & performance
- Coordinate global activity across key seasons, campaigns and product launches, ensuring timely, high-quality execution.
- Own the planning and trading rhythm, leading weekly, monthly and quarterly reviews.
- Track changes to plans and actions, ensuring visibility through digital tools and clarity for senior stakeholders.
- Monitor KPIs, challenge assumptions and recommend strategic course-corrections where needed.
Who you’ll work with
You’ll collaborate extensively across Merlin, including:
- Global, regional and local go-to-market leaders
- Global Brand teams
- E-commerce and Digital Marketing
- Communications, Partnerships and Sponsorship
- External media agencies
- Insights, Strategy, Commercial and Finance teams
Qualifications & Experience
What we’re looking for
- Proven experience in a senior marketing or planning leadership role within a global or multi-regional organisation.
- Strong strategic planning and programme management capability.
- Deep understanding of brand, digital marketing and campaign analytics.
- Experience leading complex stakeholder groups across cultures and geographies.
- A data-driven mindset with the ability to translate insight into action.
- Background in entertainment, tourism, hospitality or adjacent sectors.
- Degree-level education (or equivalent) in business, analytics or a related field preferred.
Skills & capabilities
- Ability to lead global planning cycles, from annual calendars to multi-year roadmaps.
- Strong influencing skills at executive and senior stakeholder level.
- Collaborative leadership style that brings global and regional teams together.
- Commercial acumen, connecting plans to revenue growth.
- Curious, innovative thinker who keeps pace with evolving planning tools and methodologies.
- Proven people leader who develops capability and builds high-performing teams.
How we lead at Merlin
At Merlin, our leaders are:
- Soulfully Curious – always learning, exploring new perspectives and asking great questions.
- Results Focused – clear on goals, accountable for outcomes and unafraid to course-correct.
- Extraordinary Teammates – collaborative, generous with knowledge and contributors to enterprise-wide success.
- Developers of People – coaches, mentors and champions of growth in others.
Why join us?
This is a rare opportunity to shape how a global entertainment business plans for growth, connects teams across continents and brings bold strategies to life. You’ll have real influence, global exposure and the chance to help millions of guests create unforgettable memories.
Benefits
We’re growing fast and alongside a fun and friendly environment, we offer a fabulous package and amazing prospects – ideal if you’re already fantastic and want to become even better. Benefits include Pension, Life Assurance, discretionary company bonus, 33 days’ holiday including bank holidays, a Merlin Magic Pass which gives you and your friends and family free admission to all of our attractions worldwide, an Enjoy the Ride pass which entitles you and 5 loved ones unlimited entry into your regional attractions, 25% discount in our retail shops and restaurants and 40% discount on LEGO, plus lots more!
Pay Range
Competitive
Global Planning Director employer: Merlin Entertainments - Corporate
Contact Detail:
Merlin Entertainments - Corporate Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Global Planning Director
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, attend events, and connect with potential colleagues on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its culture. Understand their values and how they align with your own. This will help you tailor your responses and show that you're genuinely interested in being part of the team.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! Be ready to explain how your skills and experiences make you the perfect fit for the Global Planning Director role. Keep it concise and impactful, focusing on how you can drive growth and collaboration across teams.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining our amazing team at Merlin.
We think you need these skills to ace Global Planning Director
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Strategic Side: When writing your application, make sure to highlight your strategic planning experience. We want to see how you've successfully led complex projects and aligned teams towards common goals. Use specific examples that demonstrate your ability to turn insights into actionable plans.
Be Data-Driven: Since this role is all about data-driven decision-making, don’t shy away from showcasing your analytical skills. Share instances where you've used data to influence strategy or improve performance. We love candidates who can translate numbers into meaningful actions!
Collaboration is Key: Emphasise your collaborative leadership style in your application. We’re looking for someone who can connect global and regional teams seamlessly. Mention any experiences where you’ve successfully partnered with diverse stakeholders to achieve a common objective.
Tailor Your Application: Make sure your application speaks directly to the job description. We appreciate when candidates take the time to align their skills and experiences with what we’re looking for. Don’t forget to apply through our website – it’s the best way to get noticed!
How to prepare for a job interview at Merlin Entertainments - Corporate
✨Know Your Numbers
As a Global Planning Director, you'll need to demonstrate your data-driven mindset. Brush up on key metrics and KPIs relevant to the role, and be ready to discuss how you've used data to inform strategic decisions in the past.
✨Showcase Your Strategic Vision
Prepare to articulate your long-term vision for global planning. Think about how you can align go-to-market strategies with broader business objectives and be ready to share examples of how you've successfully executed similar plans in previous roles.
✨Emphasise Collaboration Skills
This role requires extensive collaboration across various teams. Be prepared to discuss your experience working with diverse stakeholders and how you've fostered alignment and shared best practices in complex environments.
✨Be Ready for Scenario Questions
Expect questions that assess your ability to handle challenges in a fast-paced environment. Prepare examples of how you've navigated complex situations, made course corrections, and ensured timely execution of plans in your previous roles.
