Director - Government

Confidential Jobs; Dubai; On-site; AED 600,000 - 1,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Confidential Jobs seeks a Director to lead a government office uniting humanitarian coordination with economic development in the Dubai region. The role bridges relief work with private-sector engagement, representing the office in government, diplomatic, and corporate settings, and overseeing strategy, operations, staff, and stakeholder relationships.

The candidate will drive strategic leadership, coordinate humanitarian efforts, foster PPP opportunities, manage budgets, and mentor a diverse

Qualifications

• 12–15+ years of progressive leadership in government, humanitarian orgs, or global business.
• Experience within government structures and large multi-million-dollar budgets.
• Proven ability to manage cross-sector partnerships and diverse teams.
• Experience with UN bodies, diplomatic missions, or multinational corporations.
• Fluency in local and international languages preferred.
• Strong negotiation and stakeholder management skills.
• Sound judgment in cross-cultural, high-visibility contexts.

Responsibilities

• Set and execute the office's strategic vision aligning humanitarian and economic priorities.
• Represent the office at senior government briefings, summits, and forums.
• Advise leadership on humanitarian trends, business development, and cross-sector partnerships.
• Oversee budget, staffing, and performance metrics.
• Ensure transparent reporting to government and international partners.
• Build and mentor a multidisciplinary team across humanitarian, business, legal, and comms.
• Liaise with government departments, missions, and private enterprise.
• Represent the government's humanitarian and economic diplomacy in engagements.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Stakeholder management

Negotiation

Public speaking

Cross-sector partnerships

Governance & budgeting

Diplomatic literacy

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree in International Relations, Public Policy, Business Administration, Development Studies, or related field

Job description

The Director will lead a government office responsible for advancing dual priorities of humanitarian coordination and economic/business development. The role bridges international humanitarian efforts with private-sector engagement, positioning the office as a hub connecting relief organizations, government policy, and business investment. The Director will represent the office in high-level government, diplomatic, and corporate settings, and will oversee strategy, operations, staff, and stakeholder relationships.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Set and execute the office's strategic vision, aligning humanitarian initiatives with broader economic and foreign policy priorities.
• Represent the office at senior government briefings, international summits, and business forums.
• Advise senior leadership on humanitarian trends, business development opportunities, and cross-sector partnerships.

Humanitarian Coordination

• Oversee relationships with UN agencies, NGOs, and international humanitarian organizations operating within the jurisdiction or through the office's networks.
• Coordinate emergency response logistics, humanitarian aid distribution, and disaster relief partnerships.
• Ensure compliance with international humanitarian law and relevant regulatory frameworks.

Business & Economic Development

• Drive initiatives that attract investment, support trade partnerships, and promote local businesses in sectors adjacent to humanitarian work (logistics, health, technology, finance).
• Build relationships with private-sector partners, chambers of commerce, and economic authorities to align business growth with humanitarian goals (e.g., public-private humanitarian financing, CSR-driven investment).
• Support public-private partnership (PPP) structuring for humanitarian and development projects.

Operations & Governance

• Manage the office's budget, staffing, and performance metrics.
• Ensure transparent reporting to government stakeholders and international partners.
• Build and mentor a multidisciplinary team spanning humanitarian affairs, business development, legal, and communications

Stakeholder & Government Relations

• Serve as primary liaison between the office, other government departments, international missions, and private enterprise.
• Represent the government's humanitarian and economic diplomacy agenda in bilateral and multilateral engagements.

Qualifications / Education

• Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree in International Relations, Public Policy, Business Administration, Development Studies, or related field strongly preferred.

Experience

• 12–15+ years of progressive leadership experience spanning government, humanitarian organizations, or international business.
• Demonstrated experience working within government structures.
• Track record of managing large teams, multi-million-dollar budgets, and cross-sector partnerships.
• Experience engaging with UN bodies, international NGOs, diplomatic missions, or multinational corporations.
• Deep understanding of government structure and international humanitarian systems.
• Strong network across business, diplomatic, and NGO sectors.
• Excellent negotiation, public speaking, and stakeholder management skills.
• Fluency in relevant local and international languages preferred.
• Sound judgment in politically sensitive, cross-cultural, and high-visibility contexts.