Senior Communications Manager - Thorpe Park

What you\’ll bring to the team

Applications close: Monday 21st July 09:00

Are you ready to unleash the power of storytelling at one of the UK’s most thrilling destinations? Thorpe Park Resort is on the lookout for a seasoned Senior Communications Manager to lead and shape our external PR strategy, protect our brand reputation, and drive positive engagement with the public, media, stakeholders, and employees alike.

This is a key senior role within Merlin Entertainments’ UK Corporate Affairs Team, reporting directly into the Communications Director for the UK and working hand-in-hand with the Marketing team at Thorpe Park. You\’ll be the voice of our resort, leading public relations campaigns, managing reputational issues, and ensuring that our communications land with impact, excitement, and purpose.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and deliver the full communications strategy for Thorpe Park, aligning local plans with Merlin’s broader corporate affairs vision.
• Drive standout PR campaigns that bring Thorpe Park’s incredible experiences to life in the media.
• Act as the resort’s guardian of our reputation, leading proactive and reactive media responses.
• Manage issues and crisis communications, including participation in Merlin’s UK-wide out-of-hours on-call rota.
• Support with strategic stakeholder engagement – including local authorities, MPs, community groups, and regional organisations – to amplify the park’s positive impact on the community.
• Communicate at site level Global internal communications that engage and inspire our Thorpe Park team, in line with Merlin’s global internal comms strategy.
• Build and nurture strong relationships with national and regional media, maintaining a best-in-class press office function.
• Work collaboratively with PR agencies and the wider UK Communications Team on cross-portfolio campaigns and initiatives.

Qualifications & Experience

• You’re a senior communications professional with experience in PR, corporate affairs or media relations – ideally in a high-profile, fast-paced, customer-facing environment.
• You bring a proven track record of handling media proactively and confidently, with sound judgement and integrity.
• You’re calm and composed under pressure, with solid experience in issue and crisis management.
• You have excellent writing and verbal communication skills, with a knack for compelling storytelling and strategic thinking.
• You’re collaborative by nature, with the ability to influence senior stakeholders and work cross-functionally.
• Experience within leisure, entertainment, tourism, or hospitality sectors is a big plus.

Why Join Us?

At Merlin, we do things differently. From launching record-breaking coasters to engaging local communities and everything in between, no two days are ever the same at Thorpe Park. You’ll be part of a passionate team in a business where fun, creativity, and collaboration are core to everything we do. And with Merlin’s global reach, you’ll find real opportunities to grow your career in one of the world’s most exciting entertainment companies.

If you’re ready to shape the voice of one of the UK’s most exhilarating theme parks – and have a lot of fun along the way – we’d love to hear from you.

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 (our magic can help here). 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!

#LI-MC1 #LI-Onsite

Pay Range

From GBP £38,000.00/Yr. #J-18808-Ljbffr