Company Overview
We are most famous for our award-winning event, buried deep in the Crown Estate near Ascot. 17 years ago, Mike & Alison Battle created the event out of their own desire to take their children somewhere that would celebrate the pure, commercially unsullied, magic of Christmas. Now, with the help of Hollywood set-designers, West-End actors and more than a sprinkling of magic, the event is keeping the magic of Christmas alive for thousands of children every year.
LaplandUK celebrates and honours the values, imagination and wonderment of childhood through our magical world, rich storytelling and immersive memory making experiences.
This is an exciting period of growth for us, as we look for new ways to bring the Lapland experience to a global audience through media, publishing, live shows and eCommerce channels.
Role Overview:
As a Toy Factory Roaming Elf, you will be part of our immersive storytelling team located in the heart of the Lapland Toy Factory. This unique role bridges the worlds of performance and guest experience, contributing to the magic that defines a visit to our World-renowned Toy Factory. From the moment guests enter the Toy Factory you'll engage with families and small folk as a fully realised character, drawing from your own assigned Elf name and given backstory. While this role is not scripted, it is deeply immersive and relies on strong improvisational skills, the ability to respond authentically in character, and a firm understanding of the narrative rules and world-building that underpins the Lapland universe. Your presence supports both the scripted performance and operational moments within the Toy Factory by creating atmosphere, assisting with Toy Building, and keeping the spirit of Lapland alive between formal scenes. You will work closely with both the Front of House and Performance teams to ensure seamless guest interaction, uphold believability, and help deliver a consistent, magical experience for every guest. This role is ideal for individuals with an acting or immersive theatre background who are confident in unscripted environments and capable of intuitively reading and responding to a multitude of guests. Quick thinking, warmth, and world-loyal improvisation are key to success in this position.
Key Responsibilities:
* Bring your assigned Elf character and backstory to life through consistent, in-world improvisation and physical presence throughout the Toy Factory.
* Engage with guests - especially small folk - in a warm, magical, and believable way, sustaining the Lapland
* world.
* Support the operational delivery of guest-facing experiences in the Lapland ToyFactory.
* Respond intuitively to live interactions with charm, quick thinking, and sensitivity to emotional cues.
* Maintain seamless atmospheric energy between scripted scenes, supporting the flow of the guest journey.
* Observe and adapt to real-time cues from the environment, guests, and fellow performers to enhance immersion and resolve operational issues.
* Ensure the magic and integrity of the world is protected at all times by adhering to internal lore and creative
* guidelines given to you by Resident Directors.
* Collaborate closely with Front of House and Performance teams to maintain timing, spatial awareness, and
* operational flow. Reporting operational concerns to both Stage Management and Company Management.
* Assist with crowd control in character, guiding families gently while maintaining immersive storytelling.
* Support accessibility, inclusion, and emotional safety standards for all guests during your interactions.
* Embody and reflect the values of LaplandUK in all guest-facing moments with professionalism, joy, and care.
Required Experience:
* Background in immersive theatre, live performance, or interactive guest-facing roles.
* Strong improvisation skills with the ability to stay in character and adapt to guest interactions.
* Confident working within a fictional world and maintaining believability throughout.
* Experience engaging warmly with families and children in high-footfall environments.
* Able to read guest energy and tailor interactions with emotional sensitivity.
* Comfortable on your feet for long periods, navigating busy spaces with ease.
* Team-oriented, adaptable, and reliable, with flexible availability during peak season.
Qualifications:
* Previous experience in a FOH role is beneficial.
* Strong conversational skills, particularly good at listening to details and retaining such information.
* Strong improvisational ability and confidence interacting with guests in character.
* Excellent verbal communication and storytelling skills.
* Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively in fast-paced, team-oriented environments.
* Outstanding organisational and time management skills.
Desirable Skills:
* Bright with a strong sense of initiative.
* Formal training or relevant experience in acting, immersive theatre, or performance-based roles.
* Flexibility of approach to working environment needs.
* Positive attitude throughout to ensure a good morale is sustained onsite.
* Ability to work under pressure.
* Experience in immersive or site-specific theatre environments.
* Strong understanding of character development and world-building within performance.
* Confidence maintaining character while managing guest queries or unexpected scenarios.
* Familiarity with improvisation frameworks or interactive storytelling techniques.
* Ability to adapt tone and energy for different audience types and age groups.
* Understanding of Lapland's World, tone, and values (or willingness to quickly learn and embody them).
Life at LaplandUK:
At LaplandUK, we believe in the magic of collaboration, a steadfast commitment to excellence, and a team that's always willing to roll up their sleeves and get involved. Working with us means being part of a dynamic environment where collaboration brings out the best in everyone, diverse talents converge, and innovation thrives. Our commitment to excellence ensures that every team member is dedicated to achieving the highest standards, contributing to a workplace culture that values continuous improvement and outstanding results.
We're not just looking for employees; we want people who are excited to get involved, embrace challenges, and bring a hands-on approach to their work, creating a workplace full of positivity and collective success. Overall, working at LaplandUK offers a chance to be part of something truly special, where the wonder of childhood is celebrated by a team dedicated to making memories for children and families.
Passion for the Mission.
We are in service to belief. We understand the importance of what we do and its legacy.
One Company
We only succeed together. We are a positive and caring group of people who embrace developing Lapland and ourselves.
Driven to Deliver Excellence
Belief is in the detail. Powered by our purpose we challenge and innovate to exceed expectations in everything we do.
Benefits:
EVENT ONLY:
* Meal or Meals provided per shift – subject to shift length
* Free staff parking and shuttle bus service to and from site from local stations and car parks
* 20% discount on retail items on selected dates
* Holiday paid at the end of the contract
* Employee engagement events and perks throughout the season
Applicants must be authorised to work in the United Kingdom without the need for visa sponsorship.
LaplandUK reserve the right to withdraw this advert at any time. Due to the high number of applications being received, we may not be able to respond to every applicant.
LaplandUK is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace that seeks to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people from a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We therefore encourage applications from all genders, races, religions, ages and sexual orientations, as well as parents, veterans, people living with disabilities, and any other groups that could bring diverse perspectives to our business.
Job Type: Fixed term contract
Contract length: 8 weeks
Pay: £13.25 per hour
Benefits:
* Casual dress
* Company events
* Company pension
* Employee discount
* Free flu jabs
* Free parking
Application question(s):
* Please confirm you are aware that this is a temporary season role for Lapland - Manchester
* Please confirm you have good availability from October through to December 2025
Work Location: In person