Head of Shows

CNN Business Arabic | الاقتصادية CNN; Dubai; On-site; AED 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

CNN Business Arabic is seeking a Head of Shows to lead the development, production, and growth of its Originals portfolio. The role focuses on creator-led programming for builders, entrepreneurs, and business leaders, owning the shows slate, format strategy, and platform distribution.

You will manage Show Leads, Content Producers, and a creative team, driving audience growth across YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and other platforms while upholding editorial standards and brand alignment.

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading a shows, Originals, content, or creative function within a major media organisation.
• Strong understanding of creator-led content and the digital media ecosystem.
• Experience developing content strategies for platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and other digital platforms.
• Demonstrated ability to manage creative and production teams in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Oversee end-to-end development and production of shows, from concept to publication and optimization.
• Lead the Originals engine with a slate of creator-led shows for builders, entrepreneurs, and business leaders.
• Set format strategy, editorial purpose, tone, and platform-specific strategy for each show.
• Manage Show Leads, Content Producers, and the wider creative team with clear objectives and performance expectations.
• Ensure content aligns with editorial standards, cultural sensitivities, and brand positioning.

Skills

Leadership

Content strategy

Creator-led content

Digital platform expertise

Audience development

Project management

Job description

CNN Business Arabic is IMI's digital-first Arabic-language business news platform, operated in partnership with CNN International Commercial.

Launched in 2023, it delivers regional and global business, markets, technology and economic news through breaking coverage, analysis, podcasts, interviews and data-led storytelling. Combining CNN's global newsgathering capabilities with IMI's regional expertise, the platform aims to become the leading destination for Arabic-language business journalism, helping audiences understand the forces shaping the global economy.

Role Summary

The Head of Shows leads the development, production, and growth of the organization’s shows and originals portfolio, with a focus on creator-led programming for builders, entrepreneurs, business leaders, and audiences interested in business and innovation.

The role owns the shows slate, format strategy, creative standards, and overall performance, while managing Show Leads, Content Producers, and the creative team. The Head of Shows is also accountable for originals distribution and audience growth across YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and other relevant platforms.

Duties & Responsibilities

Shows & Originals Strategy

• Lead the Originals engine, with creator-led shows for builders, entrepreneurs, business leaders, innovators, and other influential voices representing the majority of output.
• Own and develop the overall shows slate, ensuring a strong pipeline of new concepts, returning formats, and priority programming.
• Define the overall format strategy and ensure each show has a clear audience proposition, editorial purpose, format, tone, and platform strategy.
• Identify emerging trends, audience interests, creators, talent, and storytelling opportunities to develop distinctive and relevant shows.
• Develop a balanced slate across short-form, long-form, episodic, social-first, and platform-specific formats.
• Ensure the shows portfolio evolves in response to audience behavior, platform trends, performance data, and strategic priorities.
• Establish clear creative standards and ensure consistency across all originals output.
• Set the creative vision and direction for Originals, ensuring content is distinctive, engaging, innovative, and aligned with the brand.
• Lead the development of show concepts from initial ideas through format development, pilot, launch, and ongoing production.
• Review and approve concepts, treatments, scripts, episode structures, visual identities, and key creative elements.
• Establish and maintain high editorial, creative, production, and storytelling standards across the show’s portfolio.
• Encourage experimentation and innovation while maintaining consistency in quality and brand positioning.
• Ensure content is appropriate for the target audience and adapted effectively for each platform.
• Work closely with creative, editorial, production, design, video, and social teams to deliver cohesive and high-quality programming.
• Lead and manage Show Leads, Content Producers, and the wider creative team.
• Set clear objectives, priorities, deliverables, and performance expectations for the team.
• Provide regular coaching, feedback, and creative direction to develop a high-performing shows team.
• Review team performance and identify opportunities for development, training, and capability building.
• Build a culture that encourages creativity, accountability, collaboration, experimentation, and continuous improvement.
• Ensure effective resource planning and allocation across the shows slate.
• Oversee workloads, production timelines, and competing priorities to ensure projects are delivered efficiently and to the required standard.
• Support recruitment and onboarding of creative and production talent as required.

Production & Editorial Oversight

• Oversee the end-to-end development and production of shows, from concept development through to publication and ongoing optimization.
• Ensure Show Leads and Content Producers have clear briefs, timelines, budgets, production requirements, and creative direction.
• Monitor production progress and intervention where required to resolve creative, operational, or resource challenges.
• Ensure content is accurate, responsible, culturally appropriate, and consistent with the organization’s editorial and brand standards.
• Work with editorial leadership to ensure Originals complement the wider news and content strategy.
• Ensure appropriate editorial review, approvals, and compliance processes are followed.
• Maintain high standards of storytelling, production quality, visual execution, and audience engagement.

Distribution & Audience Growth

• Own the distribution strategy and performance of Originals across YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and other relevant platforms.
• Develop platform-specific strategies to maximize reach, engagement, retention, and audience growth.
• Work closely with social, audience development, marketing, and digital teams to optimize the distribution and promotion of shows.
• Monitor audience performance, platform analytics, engagement metrics, retention, and other relevant KPIs.
• Use data and audience insights to inform format development, programming decisions, episode structure, publishing strategies, and creative optimization.
• Identify opportunities to repurpose and extend successful shows into clips, short-form content, social series, explainers, and other formats.
• Set and monitor audience and growth targets for the originals portfolio.
• Ensure the team continuously tests, learns, and adapts based on performance and audience behavior.

Stakeholder & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with senior editorial, commercial, brand, marketing, social, audience development, and production stakeholders.
• Present the shows slate, creative strategy, performance, and growth opportunities to senior leadership.
• Build strong relationships with creators, talent, production partners, and external creative contributors.
• Identify opportunities for collaborations and partnerships that strengthen the Originals portfolio.
• Coordinate with relevant IMI Group entities and internal teams to leverage talent, expertise, resources, and distribution opportunities where appropriate.
• Ensure clear communication across all stakeholders throughout the development and production lifecycle.

Governance & Standards

• Ensure all shows and Originals comply with applicable editorial, legal, regulatory, brand, and platform requirements.
• Maintain high standards of accuracy, fairness, integrity, and responsible storytelling.
• Ensure content respects cultural sensitivities and the social and moral standards of the UAE and the markets served.
• Uphold the organization’s brand reputation and ensure content aligns with its strategic direction.
• Identify and elevate significant editorial, legal, reputational, or operational risks to the appropriate leadership.
• Promote an inclusive and respectful working environment and uphold the organization’s commitment to diversity and anti-discrimination.

Qualification

• Proven experience leading a shows, Originals, content, or creative function within a major media organisation, digital publisher, production company, or comparable organisation.
• Demonstrated experience developing and launching successful original shows and scalable content formats.
• Strong understanding of creator-led content and the digital media ecosystem.
• Proven experience developing content strategies for platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and other digital platforms.
• Strong understanding of audience development, platform algorithms, content performance, and digital growth strategies.
• Demonstrated experience managing creative and production teams, including senior creative professionals.
• Strong creative judgment with the ability to identify compelling concepts, formats, talent, and storytelling opportunities.
• Strong knowledge of digital storytelling, video production, social-first content, and multimedia formats.
• Strong understanding of audience analytics and the ability to use data to inform creative and programming decisions.
• Excellent leadership, communication, influencing, and stakeholder-management skills.
• Strong commercial awareness and understanding of the media and digital content landscape.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities in a fast-paced environment.