Assistant Production Manager – Events & Entertainment

WhiteCrow Research; Dubai; On-site; AED 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

WhiteCrow Research is seeking an Assistant Production Manager – Events & Entertainment for a premier Middle East retail theme park, reporting to the Senior Events and Entertainment Manager. You will manage daily entertainment programs, coordinate with internal teams, and ensure safe, engaging, high-value guest experiences across live shows and special events.

You will source resources, oversee production schedules, and drive vendor negotiations while maintaining compliant operations and budgets

Qualifications

• University Diploma – five years equivalent theme park, theatrical, cruise ship, entertainment experience in Production Management.
• Theatrical production management, stage managing, directing, designing, and/or acting experience.
• Stage craft and/or technical experience.
• Five years equivalent experience in Production Management.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily Entertainment Program for a state-of-the-art theme park entertainment department, ensuring high performance and production value for entertainment offerings.
• Source resources, manage bidding processes, negotiate contracts, handle scope changes, and maintain contracts.
• Lead and execute entertainment events, including marquee and seasonal celebrations and other events promoted by the company.
• Prepare progress reports, interface with other departments, and maintain vendor relationships.
• Manage and maintain entertainment-owned event assets across required facilities, including warehouses and back-of-house spaces.
• Liaise with Operations, Retail, Marketing, and other departments to identify project needs and impacts.

Skills

Theatrical production management

Stage managing

Directing

Designing

Acting experience

Production management

Education

University Diploma – five years equivalent theme park, theatrical, cruise ship, entertainment experience in Production Management

Job description

We are global talent research, insight, and sourcing specialists with offices in the UK, USA, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Dubai, and India. Our international reach has helped us to understand and penetrate specialist markets at a global level. In addition to this, our service is also extended to complement our client’s in-house talent acquisition teams.

About our client

Since its inception in 2000, our client has emerged as a prominent and fast-growing retail group serving markets across the Middle East. The organization partners with world-class fashion and lifestyle brands, delivering globally inspired products and experiences to discerning consumers throughout the GCC. Guided by a vision to become a leading regional gateway for international retailers, the company has successfully built a broad portfolio across diverse consumer categories. Its collaborative approach with global brand partners, combined with extensive market expertise and a customer-first mindset, has enabled sustained growth and ongoing expansion across the region. Today, our client remains well-positioned to capitalize on emerging opportunities within the dynamic Middle Eastern retail market.

As an Assistant Production Manager – Events & Entertainment, you will be responsible for...

• Working with Entertainment teams and interdepartmental partners as an active participant, ensuring a high level of performance and production value for entertainment offerings.
• Operating the daily Entertainment Program for a state-of-the-art and financially efficient theme park entertainment department, resulting in a seamless and exemplary guest experience.
• Sourcing resources, managing bidding processes, negotiating contracts, handling scope changes, and maintaining contracts.
• Providing management and operational coverage at entertainment events and external activations as required.
• Leading and executing entertainment special events, including marquee and seasonal celebrations and other events promoted by the company.
• Preparing progress reports, interfacing with other departments, and maintaining vendor relationships.
• Managing and maintaining entertainment-owned event assets across required facilities, ensuring tidiness of areas such as warehouses, green rooms, and other back-of-house Entertainment spaces.
• Assembling project/event production books and documentation for both operational use and historical archiving.
• Creating installation, de-rig, and event-run schedules as requested, maintaining schedules, and updating stakeholders when changes occur.
• Working with partner departments, including Operations, Retail, F&B, Marketing, HSE, etc., to identify and address project needs and impacts.
• Creating and updating Events & Entertainment asset inventories.
• Maintaining an event calendar and implementing systems that enable long-term planning and effective management of meetings, conferences, events, etc.
• Understanding and actively participating in environmental, health, and safety compliance.
• Preparing and presenting inputs related to organizational, departmental, and project budgets to the next reporting line.
• Developing and implementing policies, procedures, and processes, including SOPs, for the respective function/department and ensuring existing processes are continuously reviewed and updated as part of continuous process improvement.
• Interfacing with sister parks to develop innovative scheduling and utilization of talent and technology pools for the benefit of all Entertainment departments.
• Assisting with Marketing campaigns, including communications and promotions, by partnering with Marketing as appropriate.
• Setting objectives, KPIs, and milestones for the respective department/function and conducting appraisals for direct reportees through the Electronic Performance Management System.
• Ensuring team members are receiving learning and career development opportunities by identifying successors within the team, preparing them for next-level roles, and recommending them for external training in consultation with HR.
• Reporting directly to the Senior Events and Entertainment Manager and providing regular updates on project statuses.
• Liaising with suppliers, negotiating contracts, and actively participating in the installation and dismantling of marquee events.
• Preparing and managing rosters for the stage production team.
• Conducting weekly meetings to discuss production aspects of existing shows.
• Securing all necessary government permits for events, including DTCM, DCD, DCAA, etc.
• Conducting performance reviews with team members, including cast and crew.
• Ensuring risk assessments are being conducted for all entertainment venues and live shows.
• Acting as the Entertainment Manager on duty and performing other duties as assigned by senior management.

What you already have...

• University Diploma – five years equivalent theme park, theatrical, cruise ship, entertainment experience in Production Management
• Theatrical production management, stage managing, directing, designing, and/or acting experience
• Stage craft and/or technical experience
• Five years equivalent experience in Production Management