Description

Head Of Park Operations

Role Purpose

The Head of Park Operations is responsible for the safe, efficient and effective day-to-day operation of West Midlands Safari Park.

The role provides strategic and operational leadership across wildlife operations, commercial operations, engineering and maintenance services, grounds and estate management, health and safety, and guest-facing operational functions

As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, the postholder will ensure all operational departments work collaboratively to deliver outstanding guest experiences, maintain the highest standards of animal welfare and regulatory compliance, drive operational efficiencies, and support the achievement of the Park's long-term strategic objectives. The role will act as deputy to the Managing Director when required.

WMSP Direct reports: 4 – Head of Wildlife, Commercial Manager (Retail, Theme Park, Admissions & Guest Relations), Services Manager (Engineering, Grounds & Maintenance), Health, Safety & Environment Manager (CSR Officer, First Aiders & Facilities). Also encompasses Duty Management.

Hours worked: 40 hours, 5/7 as required, includes weekends and bank holidays.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the day-to-day operation of West Midlands Safari Park, ensuring all departments operate safely, effectively and in alignment with business objectives
• Provide leadership, direction and support to the Head of Wildlife, Commercial Manager, Services Manager and Health & Safety Manager, establishing a culture of accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement.
• Ensure the highest standards of animal welfare, guest experience, operational compliance, asset management and site presentation are maintained across the Park at all times.
• Develop and implement operational strategies, plans and objectives that support the Park's wider business strategy, growth ambitions and resort development programme.
• Lead the coordination of operational activities across wildlife, admissions, retail, rides, engineering, maintenance, grounds and support functions to ensure efficient delivery of services and resources.
• Establish and maintain effective governance frameworks including operational performance reporting, risk management, audit programmes, action tracking and departmental accountability measures.
• Monitor operational performance through agreed KPIs, ensuring measurable improvements in safety, guest satisfaction, operational efficiency, asset reliability and financial performance.
• Lead operational incident management, business continuity arrangements and emergency response activities, providing visible leadership during periods of disruption or crisis.
• Ensure compliance with all relevant legislation, zoo licensing requirements, company policies and recognised industry standards, promoting a proactive culture of safety and risk management throughout the organisation.
• Manage operational budgets and resources effectively, identifying opportunities to improve efficiency, optimise expenditure and deliver value without compromising safety, welfare or guest satisfaction.
• Lead operational improvement initiatives and major projects, ensuring new attractions, facilities, infrastructure investments and process improvements are delivered effectively and provide measurable business benefits.
• Work closely with the Managing Director and Senior Leadership Team to support strategic planning, organisational development and the delivery of key business objectives.
• Foster strong working relationships across all departments, encouraging cross-functional collaboration and ensuring operational decisions appropriately balance commercial performance, guest experience, animal welfare and regulatory requirements.
• Champion employee engagement, leadership development and succession planning across operational departments to ensure a high-performing and sustainable management structure.
• Act as deputy to the Managing Director on operational matters and provide leadership across the organisation in their absence. 

Requirements

Essential Requirements:

• Significant senior operational leadership experience within a complex visitor attraction, theme park, zoo, hospitality, leisure or tourism environment.
• Proven ability to lead multi-disciplinary operational teams.
• Strong commercial awareness and financial acumen.
• Experience managing large operational budgets.
• Strong understanding of health and safety legislation and compliance frameworks.
• Demonstrable experience delivering operational improvements and organisational change.
• Excellent leadership, communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to perform effectively under pressure and make sound operational decisions.

Key Performance Indicators:

Safety & Compliance

• Health & Safety audit performance
• Regulatory compliance outcomes
• Incident and accident trends

Guest Experience

• Guest satisfaction scores
• Complaint resolution metrics
• Attraction operational availability

Operational Excellence

• Engineering downtime metrics
• Preventative maintenance completion rates
• Site presentation standards

Financial Performance

• Payroll efficiency
• Operational cost control
• Budget adherence
• Revenue performance within relevant departments

People

• Employee engagement scores
• Staff retention
• Succession planning outcomes
• Management Team performance