Event Controller

We are most famous for our award-winning event, buried deep in the Crown Estate near Ascot. 17 years ago, Mike & Alison Battle created the event out of their own desire to take their children somewhere that would celebrate the pure, commercially unsullied, magic of Christmas. Now, with the help of Hollywood set-designers, West-End actors and more than a sprinkling of magic, the event is keeping the magic of Christmas alive for thousands of children every year.

LaplandUK celebrates and honours the values, imagination and wonderment of childhood through our magical world, rich storytelling and immersive memory making experiences.

This is an exciting period of growth for us, as we look for new ways to bring the Lapland experience to a global audience through media, publishing, live shows and eCommerce channels.

The Event Controller is accountable for overseeing the delivery of the entire show and ensuring that all departments work cohesively together onsite. The role will report directly into the Live Show Operations Manager and will involve working closely and cohesively with each of the Area Managers. This multi-faceted role requires a strong balancing of the demands of people management and protecting the guest experience, whilst also delivering an efficient and safe operation.

The role consists of delivering the operational processes across the site which are aligned with the SOP’s and overall Event Management Plan, communicating any feedback with procedures from guests and staff to stakeholders for approval.

• On a rostered basis, work as the Event Controller for the live period of the event, to coordinate and ensure a safe and world-class experience.
• Delegate responsibilities (but never overall accountability) as necessary to achieve the show’s KPI’s and objectives under the remit from the Management team.
• Drive and maintain a consistent NPS across the event, monitoring department-level performance and proactively reporting on any departments not achieving NPS at the expected level to the Live Show Manager
• Monitor queue times, travel times and show times throughout each operational day, flagging any inconsistencies or deviations to the Live Show team promptly
• Authentically lead the various teams onsite by positive example and outstanding energy.
• Proactively and systematically monitor, measure and report on show readiness and operations.
• Maintain thorough and accurate operational logs throughout each shift, capturing incidents, guest feedback, staffing issues, and any deviations from SOPs, ensuring all records are complete and ready for escalation
• Ensure a consistent and accurate daily report at the end of each day to the Live Show Manager, clearly summarising operational performance, recurring issues, and any actions taken or required
• Take full ownership of emergency procedures onsite, acting as the senior lead in any emergency situation , ensuring all teams are trained, briefed, and able to respond swiftly and effectively in line with the Event Management Plan and relevant SOPs.
• Act as the conduit between the onsite operation and the Live Show Management Team proactively reviewing feedback and directives received, and ensuring that any changes or improvements requested by Head Office are communicated, implemented, and followed up in a timely manner
• Treat the daily log-report-implement cycle as a core accountability of the role, identifying issues on the ground, escalating them accurately and promptly, and closing the loop by executing the resulting guidance or changes from Head Office
• Ensure that suppliers are adhering to Service Level Agreements and are following LUK Standard Operating Procedures.
• Coordinate site teams and champion a collaborative culture.
• Ensure that all communications are cascaded promptly and effectively across site.
• Senior escalation point for any complaints or issues on site.
• 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 upon guest feedback, working closely with the Area Managers…