AVP – Head of Events & Partnerships

Mackenzie Jones Middle East; Dubai; On-site; AED 420,000 - 700,000; Full time

Job summary

Mackenzie Jones Middle East is partnering with a leading UAE bank to recruit an AVP - Head of Events & Partnerships. The role focuses on shaping and delivering the events and partnerships strategy, strengthening brand presence and market visibility within the UAE.

The ideal candidate will have a strong background in events, partnerships, corporate communications, and stakeholder engagement, with a proven track record in government, business, and financial services partnerships.

Qualifications

• 7-8 years of relevant experience is required.
• Background in events, partnerships, corporate communications, marketing, stakeholder engagement, or a related discipline.
• Track record of building and managing strategic partnerships across government, business, community, sustainability, innovation, or financial services.
• Solid grasp of partnership and event governance activation, stakeholder management, and performance measurement.
• Comfortable working with agencies, media partners, suppliers, government bodies, and other external stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Shape and drive the bank's overall events and partnerships strategy, ensuring it supports brand priorities, commercial goals, Islamic banking positioning, and presence in the market.
• Spot untapped opportunities to build greater visibility, relevance, and stakeholder engagement, generating meaningful market presence.
• Grow and maintain a strong pipeline of partnerships spanning government, Islamic finance, Emirati-focused, SME, sustainability, innovation, community, and broader business platforms.
• Assess potential events and partnerships against brand alignment, audience relevance, commercial value, reputational impact, cost, visibility, and overall strategic fit.
• Establish clear governance around how events and partnerships are selected and approved, including activation planning, defined stakeholder roles, risk controls, and structured post-event evaluation.
• Work closely with internal teams, event organizers, agencies, partners, and suppliers to ensure every activation is delivered consistently and represents the brand well.
• Monitor how events and partnerships perform visibility, engagement, stakeholder sentiment, reputational impact, and business results and turn that into clear reporting and recommendations.
• Run structured reviews after each event or partnership to capture lessons learned, measure return against objectives, and continuously sharpen governance, partner selection, and stakeholder engagement.

Skills

Events & Partnerships

Stakeholder engagement

Corporate communications

Marketing

Governance activation

Reporting

Job description

We are working with a leading bank in UAE that is looking to hire a AVP - Head of Events & Partnerships This is an exciting opportunity to join a highly respected bank with a strong presence in the UAE. The role will focus on leading the Banks events and partnerships strategy along with setting clear governance to strengthen their visibility, relevance, and positive market presence.

Responsibilities:

• Shape and drive the bank's overall events and partnerships strategy, ensuring it supports brand priorities, commercial goals, Islamic banking positioning, and presence in the market.
• Spot untapped opportunities to build greater visibility, relevance, and stakeholder engagement, generating meaningful market presence.
• Grow and maintain a strong pipeline of partnerships spanning government, Islamic finance, Emirati-focused, SME, sustainability, innovation, community, and broader business platforms.
• Assess potential events and partnerships against brand alignment, audience relevance, commercial value, reputational impact, cost, visibility, and overall strategic fit.
• Establish clear governance around how events and partnerships are selected and approved, including activation planning, defined stakeholder roles, risk controls, and structured post-event evaluation.
• Work closely with internal teams, event organizers, agencies, partners, and suppliers to ensure every activation is delivered consistently and represents the brand well.
• Monitor how events and partnerships perform visibility, engagement, stakeholder sentiment, reputational impact, and business results and turn that into clear reporting and recommendations.
• Run structured reviews after each event or partnership to capture lessons learned, measure return against objectives, and continuously sharpen governance, partner selection, and stakeholder engagement.

Experience & Education

• 7-8 years of relevant experience, minimum.
• Background in events, partnerships, corporate communications, marketing, stakeholder engagement, or a closely related discipline.
• Track record of building and managing strategic partnerships across government, business, community, sustainability, innovation, or financial services.
• Solid grasp of partnership and event governance activation, stakeholder management, and performance measurement.
• Comfortable working with agencies, media partners, suppliers, government bodies, and other external stakeholders.