What you'll bring to the team

Role Overview

The Director of Partnerships – North America is a strategic leadership role responsible for driving the development, management, and expansion of Merlin’s partnership portfolio across North America.

This role focuses on delivering innovative and commercially successful partnerships through multi-channel activations including:

• Brand promotions

• Sponsorships

• Marketing collaborations

• Experiential partnerships

The Director will play a key role in accelerating partnership revenue, expanding marketing reach, strengthening brand equity, and enhancing the guest experience across Merlin attractions.

Working closely with the VP Go-To-Market NA, this role ensures regional partnership initiatives align with Merlin’s global partnership strategy, delivering high-impact programs that drive commercial growth and brand visibility.

Key Responsibilities

Partnership Strategy & Revenue Growth

• Partner with the VP Go-To-Market NA to define and execute the regional partnership sales strategy.

• Identify high-value partnership categories and brands to drive incremental revenue.

• Lead commercial negotiations and secure long-term strategic brand partnerships.

• Develop partnership models that enhance Merlin’s market presence and deliver measurable commercial impact.

Partnership Portfolio Management

• Lead and grow the North America partnership portfolio, delivering against revenue targets.

• Build deep strategic relationships with key partners and drive joint business planning initiatives.

• Expand partnership engagement across marketing, experiential, and promotional channels.

Creative Campaign Development

• Lead the development of innovative, high-impact partner activations that maximize earned media and commercial return.

• Collaborate with partners on major attraction launches and marquee events.

• Ensure strong integration of partner brands within Merlin’s experiences while maintaining brand integrity.

Global Collaboration & Best Practices

• Act as an active member of Merlin’s Global Partnerships community.

• Participate in global forums to share insights, best practices, and partnership opportunities.

• Ensure regional partnership strategies align with Merlin’s global objectives.

Commercial Alignment & Channel Strategy

• Work closely with the Revenue Management team to align partnership offers with pricing and distribution strategies.

• Ensure partnership campaigns maximize commercial value without impacting core revenue channels.

Performance Tracking & Optimization

• Define key performance indicators (KPIs) for partnership campaigns.

• Monitor campaign results and optimize strategies to improve ROI and engagement.

• Deliver insights and reporting to senior leadership on partnership performance.

Contract Governance & Compliance

• Oversee execution of partnership agreements and contractual deliverables.

• Work with Legal, Finance, and internal teams to ensure compliance, risk mitigation, and timeline adherence.

Agency & Vendor Management

• Manage agencies and external vendors supporting partnership delivery.

• Ensure projects are delivered on time, within budget, and aligned with strategic objectives.

Marketing & Sales Enablement

• Support the development of partnership sales materials including:

  • Pitch decks

  • Partner toolkits

  • Campaign assets

  • Activation materials

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, coach, and develop the North America partnerships team.

• Foster a high-performance, collaborative culture focused on innovation and results.

• Provide mentorship, training, and performance feedback to team members.

Key Stakeholder Interfaces

StakeholderPurpose of Collaboration Regional Partnership LeadsAlign on global partnership opportunities a