Director/Senior Director, Attractions & Destination Experience Development

The Director/Senior Director of Attractions & Destination Experience Development oversees the planning, design coordination, development, installation, testing, and delivery of theme park attractions, rides, and entertainment experiences. This role manages multidisciplinary project teams and collaborates with internal stakeholders, consultants, ride vendors, architects, engineers, and operators to ensure projects are delivered safely, on schedule, within budget, and to international quality standards.

The role also supports strategic expansion, refurbishment, and enhancement of attractions and guest experiences across theme parks and entertainment destinations.

Job Responsibilities

Project Development & Delivery:

• Lead end-to-end delivery of attraction projects from concept design through commissioning and handover.
• Manage project schedules, budgets, procurement, contracts, and resource allocation.
• Coordinate ride system integration, show systems, themed environments, infrastructure, and guest flow requirements.
• Oversee design reviews and ensure compliance with operational, technical, and safety requirements.
• Monitor construction progress and resolve technical or site-related issues.

Theme Park & Ride Systems Coordination:

• Work closely with projects team, ride manufacturers, themed entertainment vendors, consultants, and engineering teams.
• Coordinate installation, testing, commissioning, and acceptance of rides and attraction systems.
• Ensure compliance with international ride safety standards and local regulatory requirements.
• Support ride refurbishment, upgrades, and lifecycle asset planning.

Stakeholder Management:

• Liaise with internal departments including operations, maintenance, safety, legal, finance, procurement, and creative teams.
• Manage communication with Universal & Destination Experience (UDX), external consultants, contractors, authorities, and project partners.
• Present project updates, risk assessments, and milestone reports to senior management.

Technical & Operational Oversight:

• Review technical drawings, specifications, and method statements.
• Ensure operational readiness, maintainability, and guest experience objectives are integrated into project delivery.
• Support operational training and transition during attraction opening phases.

Risk, Safety & Compliance:

• Ensure projects adhere to HSE requirements, ride safety regulations, and company policies.
• Conduct risk reviews and support mitigation planning throughout project execution.
• Monitor contractor safety performance and site compliance.

Budget & Commercial Management:

• Track project expenditures and cash flow against approved budgets.
• Support tender evaluations, contract negotiations, and change management processes.
• Identify cost optimization opportunities while maintaining quality and guest experience standards.

Job Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Architecture, Project Management, Construction Management, or related discipline.
• 8 to 12 years of experience in attractions, theme parks, entertainment developments, large-scale leisure projects, or related industries.
• Proven experience managing ride systems, themed attractions, or entertainment project delivery.
• Experience working with international ride vendors and multidisciplinary project teams.
• Familiarity with commissioning and operational handover processes.
• These qualifications would be an added advantage: Equivalent project management certification, and knowledge of ASTM, EN, or relevant amusement ride safety standards.