Media Subject Matter Expert (SME)

Visionary Tech Services LLC; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 120,000 - 200,000; Part time

Job summary

A leading media consultancy in Abu Dhabi is seeking a Media Subject Matter Expert to support an AI Transformation Programme. The ideal candidate has over 10 years of experience in media operations and burgeoning knowledge in AI-driven content production. Responsibilities include advising on AI technologies and collaborating with teams to enhance workflows. This short-term contract lasts for 10 weeks. Strong communication skills and the ability to bridge creative and technical teams are essential.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in media or broadcasting.
• Proven experience in newsroom digital transformation.
• Strong understanding of end-to-end media workflows.

Responsibilities

• Support transformation sessions to capture current media workflows.
• Advise on AI technologies enhancing editorial and production processes.
• Collaborate with teams to validate NLP-enabled use cases.

Skills

Media operations expertise

AI-driven content production

Editorial planning

Communication skills

Data-driven audience insights

Tools

Media Asset Management (MAM / DAM)

Newsroom automation tools

Digital publishing platforms

Job description

We are undertaking a AI Transformation Assessment to define the strategic, financial, and operational foundations for becoming an AI-Empowered media organisation.

The assessment will evaluate the current state, identify high-value AI use cases across departments, quantify the investment and ROI, and deliver a Business & Investment Case supported by a prioritised Implementation Roadmap.

A multidisciplinary team — including business, financial, media, and technical experts — will collaborate with stakeholders to produce actionable insights, establish readiness for AI adoption, and guide the transition toward data-driven, automated, and scalable operations.

We are seeking a Media Subject Matter Expert (SME) with deep experience in media operations, newsroom transformation, and AI-driven content production to support a strategic AI Transformation Programme for a leading media organisation.

This role bridges media domain expertise and AI innovation , ensuring that the assessment captures the realities of modern media workflows while identifying opportunities where AI can enhance efficiency, creativity, and audience engagement.

The SME will work alongside business analysts, data scientists, and architects to provide industry context, validate AI use cases, and guide the design of future-state media processes.

Expected Outcomesof this role

• A set of validated and prioritised AI use cases for media functions.
• Clear mapping of current-state vs. AI-enabled (“to-be”) media workflows.
• Documentation of best practices and benchmarking insights from global media leaders.
• Contribution to the Business & Investment Case , quantifying the potential value of AI in media operations.

Key Duties & Responsibilities :

Domain Expertise & Workshops : Participate and Support the Transformation Lead and Project Team in discovery sessions to capture current media workflows (newsroom, content factory, digital publishing, etc.) and identify potential AI-driven improvements.

AI Opportunity Identification : Advise on how AI technologies (e.g., NLP - Natural Language Processing, video / audio analysis, content tagging, recommendation engines, newsroom automation) can enhance editorial, production, and distribution processes.

Collaborate with project team to validate and test NLP-enabled use cases for newsroom efficiency, automated metadata creation, and personalised content delivery.

Benchmarking & Best Practices : Provide insight into global media trends, newsroom digitisation, and AI adoption across leading broadcasters and publishers.

Use Case Validation : Evaluate proposed AI use cases to ensure they are operationally relevant, technically feasible, and aligned with media industry standards.

Stakeholder Engagement : Collaborate with editorial, production, and commercial teams to bridge the gap between creative, technical, and business stakeholders.

AI Capability Translation : Translate complex AI capabilities into practical applications for journalists, editors, and producers.

Documentation & Recommendations : Contribute to the development of the Business & Investment Case by defining expected benefits, success metrics, and transformation enablers for media operations.

Requirements

10+ years of experience in media or broadcasting, with strong understanding of newsroom, content production, or media technology environments.

Proven experience in newsroom digital transformation , content lifecycle optimisation , or media innovation projects .

Familiarity with AI applications in media , such as :

• Content personalisation and recommendations
• Video / audio transcription and tagging
• Automated metadata generation
• AI-assisted news writing or curation
• Data-driven audience insights and analytics

Strong understanding of end-to-end media workflows : editorial planning, production, asset management, publishing, and audience engagement.

Excellent communication skills and ability to engage with creative and technical teams.

Ability to identify, explain, and prioritise opportunities where AI adds tangible business or operational value.

Desirable Qualifications / Skills

Experience with Media Asset Management (MAM / DAM) systems, newsroom automation tools, or digital publishing platforms.

Exposure to AI tools and technologies such as Azure AI, OpenAI, or other GenAI / LLM-based solutions.

Business Consulting or advisory experience in media transformation projects.

Familiarity with data governance, media monetisation , or audience analytics.

Contractual Duration : Short-term contract for a period of 10 weeks, not exceeding 40 working days.