About the company 

LaplandUK is a purpose driven entertainment company that was conceived in 2007 by Mike & Alison Battle, a couple with a passion to reimagine the Father Christmas myth and create the ultimate immersive Christmas experience where families could celebrate the wonder of childhood and specifically, their children’s precious fleeting years of belief.

Frustrated by multiple experiences of the poor treatment of their own sons’ ‘belief’, Mike and Alison Battle, embarked on a 17-year journey to elevate this special moment of childhood through their original storytelling world and so bring it to life: Lapland. Their ground-breaking immersive show opened in Tunbridge Wells in 2007 and immediately captured the attention and hearts of parents nationwide. Powered by their purpose to ‘honour childhood together,’ the couple partnered with Hollywood set designers and West End performance professionals to produce an experience of unprecedented quality and detail. The show moved to Ascot in 2013 and has now welcomed over 1.5 million ‘believers,’ with tickets selling out on release for what the press now terms ‘the Glastonbury of Christmas’.

During 2023, the Battles strengthened their senior leadership team with the recruitment of a proven Live Show Director from IMG who is preparing the launch of a second live show in Cheshire, UK in 2025. The opportunity to continue show expansion is material, both domestically and internationally, through 1st party and 3rd party (franchise) operation, with plans to launch a first international show in 2026/27.

Alongside plans for the live expansion, Lapland has also turned its attention to two additional channels to reach parents and children outside of the live event itself. Firstly, the consumer product opportunity based on their story IP, and how they could bring the authentic magic of the LaplandUK live show into the home via eCommerce. In 2024 Lapland launched a number of initiatives (personalised Letters from Lapland, Christmas Eve Boxes and more), which drove their eCommerce revenues by x10 in 2023.

Secondly, more attention was spent on Lapland’s Story IP, with the launch of their Elfcast (podcast), which hit number 1 in the UK Family Charts (and top 10 podcasts worldwide) over Christmas. The content team are now exploring options to bring their characters and stories to life through more audio and video throughout the year, resulting in greater connection to both parents and children yearlong.

The combination of our Live, commerce & content/IP verticals sets Lapland on the path to become the definitive, global Christmas brand for the 21st Century.

In early 2024, LaplandUK commenced a strategic review with proven growth consultancy The Growth Foundation to codify a plan and help guide LaplandUK’s expansion, with particular attention to requirements in their executive, senior operational team, technology and systems architecture and tactical plans in eCommerce to enable and unlock their huge growth potential. The growth plan sees the upgrade of LaplandUK’s system architecture with new ERP, Single Guest (Customer) View and material improvements in Lapland’s digital front end (website & app to allow Ticketing, eCom & Content to be accessed in one place) as well as investment in new strategic / leadership and tactical / execution roles across all business functions.

About the role 

This is a career-defining role and allows the right candidate to make their mark and work to propel LaplandUK into a global multi-channel, international brand from the solid foundation built to date.

Lapland UK operates across multiple channels, including live shows, eCommerce, and digital content, each with its own set of supporting systems and technologies. To deliver a seamless and magical experience for our guests, it's crucial that these systems work together flawlessly. As our Systems Manager, you will play a vital role in ensuring the smooth operation and continuous improvement of our integrated systems architecture. You will be passionate about connecting the dots between different vendor systems and optimising their performance to support Lapland UK's growth and ambitions.

Systems Integration and Optimisation:

• Analyse and evaluate existing systems architecture, identifying opportunities for improvement and increased efficiency.
• Lead the integration of new systems and technologies into the existing architecture, ensuring seamless data flow and interoperability.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders and external vendors to optimise system performance and resolve any integration issues.
• Develop and maintain system documentation, including data flow diagrams, system maps, and API specifications.
• Implement monitoring tools and processes to track system performance and identify potential issues proactively.

Data Management and Analysis:

• Oversee the flow of data between different systems, ensuring data integrity and accuracy.
• Develop and implement data governance policies and procedures.
• Collaborate with business stakeholders to understand their data needs and provide relevant reports and insights.
• Utilise data analysis techniques to identify trends, patterns, and opportunities for improvement.

Vendor Management:

• Build and maintain strong relationships with key technology vendors.
• Negotiate contracts and service level agreements to ensure optimal value for Lapland UK.
• Stay informed about new technologies and vendor offerings that could benefit the organisation.

Security and Compliance:

• Ensure that all systems comply with relevant security standards and regulations.
• Implement and maintain security measures to protect sensitive data.
• Conduct regular security audits and risk assessments.

Success looks like

In 6-months

• Developed a deep understanding of Lapland UK's systems architecture and identified key areas for improvement.
• Successfully integrated a new system or technology into the existing architecture.
• Improved data flow and interoperability between key systems.
• Established strong relationships with key vendors.
• The Senior Leadership Team and Board are overheard saying ‘what did we ever do without insert your name here.

In 24-months

• Lapland’s finance, ops and overall systems architecture is ready to launch new sites in international markets, with the flexibility to allow potential 3rd party operators to franchise / licence Lapland’s IP and operate successfully;

About you 

Our ideal candidate is a self-motivated, passionate, performance-driven individual with a strategic mindset, with a minimum of 5 years' experience in leading similar projects within the entertainment or related industry, with a proven track record of successful on time & budget delivery, with very satisfied internal & external stakeholders. We are looking for missionaries not mercenaries.

• Proven experience (5+ years) as a Systems Manager or similar role, with a focus on systems integration and optimisation.
• Strong understanding of enterprise systems architecture and integration patterns.
• Experience with data management and analysis techniques.
• Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• A passion for technology and a commitment to continuous improvement.

We would love to respond to every application however due to the volume of applications we receive this isn't always possible. If you have not heard within 2 weeks of applying, please assume on this occasion that your application has not been shortlisted. We may retain your CV to contact you about future employment opportunities that are being managed by The Growth Foundation Talent.

The Growth Foundation Talent is deeply committed to building a diverse & inclusive workplace and welcomes applications from all sections of the community.