Director, Visitor Experience

Welcome to Warner Bros. Discovery... the stuff dreams are made of.
Who We Are...
When we say, "the stuff dreams are made of," we're not just referring to the world of wizards, dragons and superheroes, or even to the wonders of Planet Earth. Behind WBD's vast portfolio of iconic content and beloved brands, are the storytellers bringing our characters to life, the creators bringing them to your living rooms and the dreamers creating what's next...
From brilliant creatives, to technology trailblazers, across the globe, WBD offers career defining opportunities, thoughtfully curated benefits, and the tools to explore and grow into your best selves. Here you are supported, here you are celebrated, here you can thrive.
Primary Purpose of the Job:

• Lead the Visitor Experience department to deliver the highest levels of customer service and engagement. Ensure that the visitor experience, from the first contact point to the last, excites our visitors, exceeds their expectations and encourages repeat visits..
• Forward plan to ensure that the Visitor experience strategy is met and developed, bringing the Tour to life, including seasonal activities and events to create a marketing story and a reason to re-visit.
• Manage a large and diverse group of staff and optimize operational efficiency. This role is the primary management position for running the Tour operation and will be based at the Tour full time including evenings and weekends.

Essential Job Functions:
Customer

• Ensure that the experience at WBSTT exceeds visitor expectations by delivering consistent, high levels of presentation, through both the staff and the exhibit (internal and external, including signage and way finding)
• Set service level standards/agreement across WBSTT functions and monitor delivery to standard ensuring operational readiness of all aspects of the experience.
• Project management for specific, WB sponsored projects to drive the experience forward and secure repeat visits.
• Ensure a professional, friendly and helpful bookings service to trade and consumer clients. Handle all visitor enquiries and complaints correspondence to a high standard of customer satisfaction and within set timescales
• Benchmark the visitor experience externally, bringing new learning and setting industry leading standards within the Tour.
• Network and promote WBST within the local tourism community and the visitor attraction industry.
• Champion the needs of the customer in all areas and across all departments of the WBSTT and Warner Bros. Studios operation.
• Lead the creative development of the Tour, channelling the best ideas from brainstorm, concept to delivery as a visitor experience.

Operation

• Staff recruitment, motivation, training, development and performance management
• Support and develop managers and ensure that all Visitor Experience functions are delivered to service standards, including interpretation, bookings service, customer care, car parking, wardrobe etc.
• Work closely with Director, Facilities and Health & Safety to ensure the facilities and show experience technology work smoothly to enhance visitor experience
• Work closely with colleagues in the senior management team of WBSTT and across the WB organisation in Burbank and Leavsden
• Reporting of all Visitor Experience activities to pre-determined key performance indicators, including recommendation, planning and implementation for continual improvement.

• Work with Finance team to ensure accuracy of all reporting.
• Responsibility for till reconciliation and cash control from Visitor Experience activities.
• Work within WB processes and procedures.
• Develop communication procedures across the team and Tour. Everyone should feel well informed.

Management

• Provide support to the Head of Visitor Experience to run a rota for Visitor Experience Duty Management and Studio Tour Management team duty cover. Visitor Services will provide daily Duty Management cover to the WBSTT.
• Provide Duty Management training to other departmental managers.
• Management reporting of incidents to relevant external authorities and WB management through a set communications tree
• Provide support to the Customer Service Manager and develop the Call centre, ensuring the best level of response times and customer care
• Manage and develop departmental managers.
• Emergency Procedures including building evacuation, incident management and first aid provision.
• Management and development of attraction security inclusive of asset and set protection.
• Manage third party contracts including but not limited to; cleaning and transport,
• Work with Security to ensure the third party security contract is managed effectively to meet the Tours requirements.
• Working alongside HR to recruit, develop and train all staff in the above mentioned departments.
• Management of music licences
• Work alongside Corporate Archive to maintain sets, props and costumes.
• Manage operational/visitor related projects in relation to show (experience)
• Champion Diversity & Inclusion for WBSTT
• Champion Sustainability
• Working closely with the WBSTT Marketing department and WBSL

Finance

• Manage Visitor Experience and admissions income budgets, delivering outcomes within budget. Plan and report on budgets and forecasts.

• Ensure the ticketing procedure and policy allows maximum ticket yield.
• Manage all V.E expenditure budgets.
• Manage staffing budget to ensure attraction is appropriately staffed for the visitor numbers, profitable and targets are met.
• Management of operational capex.

Commercial (these duties may form part of the role in the future)

• Work with Senior Manager, F&B & Events to develop event calendar and commercial strategy
• Work with the F&B partner to drive strong per caps, visitor satisfaction and value for money ratings across all food and drink outlets
• Align with the global Visitor Experience leadership teams to align food & beverage standards across all locations
• Oversee the commercial P&L for events, F&B, paid photography and digital guides
• Lead the strategic development of secondary spend options throughout the Studio Tour

Selection Criteria
Relevant Previous Work Experience

• The applicant will have held a senior management role in the tourism, leisure, attraction or heritage industry.
• Experience with show creation or production would be beneficial
• Customer service, working in an operational environment with significant numbers of the general public
• Commercial experience particularly in the area of ticketing and sales
• Experience generating new concepts and content ideas with full end-to-end development
• Leadership and development of staff
• Project management
• Proven experience of effectively managing H&S

Skills Required

• Personal skills to handle situations involving the general public and build and motivate a strong team of staff.
• Media training, experience of emergency situations including medical, fire etc.
• Organizational, planning, excellent Microsoft office skills including Excel
• Demonstrates commercial ability including growing primary and secondary income
• Demonstrates creativity in approach
• Ability to communicate effectively both in Japanese and English

Education/Qualifications

• Educated to degree level
• Management qualification would be an advantage

The role will require regular working during evenings, weekends and during the school holidays which are the peak times.
How We Get Things Done...
This last bit is probably the most important! Here at WBD, our guiding principles are the core values by which we operate and are central to how we get things done. You can find them at www.wbd.com/guiding-principles/ along with some insights from the team on what they mean and how they show up in their day to day. We hope they resonate with you and look forward to discussing them during your interview.
Championing Inclusion at WBD
Warner Bros. Discovery embraces the opportunity to build a workforce that reflects the diversity of our society and the world around us. Being an equal opportunity employer means that we take seriously our responsibility to consider qualified candidates on the basis of merit, regardless of sex, gender identity, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marital status, pregnancy, parenthood, disability or any other category protected by law.
If you're a qualified candidate with a disability and you require adjustments or accommodations during the job application and/or recruitment process, please visit our accessibility page for instructions to submit your request.