Director of Operations

Location: London
Reports to – COO

Job purpose:

KMJ Entertainment partners with major global IP rights holders to create and deliver world‑class ticketed visitor experiences. The Director of Operations is responsible for shaping and executing the operational strategy for the business, ensuring all sites operate to consistently high standards, and that commercial, customer, and operational performance targets are met or exceeded.

This role will lead multi‑site operations, build scalable operational capability for growth, and ensure exceptional delivery of live, immersive, and visitor‑experience events. It requires a hands‑on, financially astute and strategic operator, able to balance day‑to‑day excellence with long‑term planning, systemisation, and continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities:

1.       Operational Strategy & Leadership

  • Develop and lead the operational strategy for all KMJ visitor experiences, ensuring alignment with long-term business goals.

  • Design and implement the operating model, SOPs, governance frameworks, and performance standards for all sites.

  • Provide strategic oversight of event delivery, capacity planning, staffing models, and operational workflows across multiple venues.

  • Build organisational capability, ensuring the business is able to scale effectively into new formats, new locations, and new partner opportunities.

2. Event & Experience Delivery

  • Oversee the end-to-end operational planning and execution of all events and experiences, ensuring timely, high-quality, and commercially successful delivery.

  • Lead senior site teams in delivering exceptional visitor experience, operational efficiency, and safety standards.

  • Act as the senior operational lead during critical launches, complex builds, and high-impact live periods.

3. Commercial & Financial Management

  • Take ownership of operational P&L performance, ensuring strong cost control, margin optimisation, and accurate forecasting.

  • Manage budgets across events, venues, staffing, suppliers, and logistics; approve expenditure within agreed limits.

  • Work with Finance to analyse performance, identify areas of underperformance, and initiate corrective action.

4. Team Leadership & People Development

  • Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing operations team, including senior managers, site leads, and event delivery teams.

  • Establish clear expectations, KPIs, and a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

  • Shape team structure, succession planning, recruitment, and performance management processes.

5. Cross-Functional Leadership

  • Partner closely with Commercial, Creative/Production, Marketing, Finance, and HR to ensure cohesive planning and execution.

  • Represent Operations at senior leadership level, contributing to company-wide planning, risk assessments, and strategic decisions.

  • Act as the operational lead in discussions with licensors, IP partners, landlords, and external stakeholders.

6. Growth & New Business Delivery

  • Support the Group COO and Managing Director in evaluating and operationalising new event formats, partnership opportunities, new venues, and international expansion.

  • Lead operational due diligence and feasibility assessments for new projects, ensuring operational readiness before launch.

  • Drive innovation in event formats, operational technology, and customer experience solutions.

7. Risk, Compliance & Safety Governance

  • Ensure all events and sites operate safely, legally, and in full compliance with licensing, H&S, and regulatory requirements.

  • Own crisis management planning, incident response processes, and escalation procedures across all locations.

  • Embed a rigorous safety culture across all teams with consistent reporting, audits, and compliance standards.

8. Systems, Data & Operational Excellence

  • Oversee operational technology, including ticketing systems, scheduling tools, CRM usage, reporting platforms, and site operational systems.

  • Drive a data-led approach to decision making, focusing on customer insights, throughput, performance metrics, and operational efficiency.

  • Embed continuous improvement principles, reviewing performance and delivering measurable enhancements to cost, quality, and customer satisfaction.

Key Skills, Experience & Behaviours:

Experience

  • Significant senior operational leadership experience within ticketed visitor experiences, live events, immersive experiences, attractions, or related industries.

  • Proven track record managing multi‑site operations and large operational teams.

  • Demonstrable experience delivering major launches, large-scale events, or complex operational programmes.

  • Strong commercial acumen with experience managing budgets, P&L responsibility, and commercial contracts.

  • Experience working with tier‑one IP owners, licensors, or major brand partners (desirable but advantageous).

  • Experience building processes, governance frameworks, and systems for a scaling business.

 

Skills & Behaviours

  • Strategic thinker who can translate business objectives into operational plans and performance frameworks.

  • Exceptional leadership ability: inspires confidence, builds strong teams, and develops future leaders.

  • Highly analytical with strong skills in data interpretation, reporting, and using insights for continuous improvement.

  • Excellent communicator with the ability to influence at senior leadership, board, and partner level.

  • Calm, decisive, and pragmatic under pressure, with outstanding problem‑solving capability.

  • Collaborative and cross-functional in approach, with a strong sense of ownership and accountability.

  • Open-minded, innovative, and comfortable in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment.

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To apply, please send a CV and cover letter to careers@kmjents.com