Operations Director

Operations Director Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Position: Operations Director (Contract)

Duration: Mid May 2025 to End of Jan 2026

Location: Based in Dubai office until October; must be able to go onsite from October/November to January

Role Overview

Lead the seamless delivery of a world-class festival, overseeing full operations lifecycle and ensuring a successful event.

About Us

[Insert company description]

Why You Should Join Us

• Lead the full operations lifecycle for one of the region's most anticipated events.
• Coordinate high-level leadership between teams, government stakeholders, and global vendors.
• Make a significant impact on guest experience, public safety, and event success.

About the Role

As Operations Director (Contract, Liwa)

Key Responsibilities

• Lead operational planning from pitch to post-event debrief.
• Manage government and stakeholder liaison, including day-to-day coordination with clients, authorities, vendors, and regulatory bodies.
• Manage teams and contractors, including recruitment, training, and management across key functional areas.
• Oversee live event delivery, including security, HSE, toilets, guest services, ticketing, crowd management, and vendor logistics.
• Run the MOC, overseeing main operations during the event and acting as the decision-making hub for operational control.
• Manage budgets and procurement, including forecasting and leading procurement cycles focused on value and efficiency.
• Implement HSE and risk protocols, collaborating to ensure safety compliance and emergency readiness.
• Produce event reports and learnings to feed into future projects and improve internal processes.

About You

• Senior operations leader with 10+ years of experience managing large-scale outdoor public events.
• Detail-oriented planner skilled in developing systems, workflows, and scalable event plans.
• Confident negotiator and communicator capable of managing multiple stakeholders and aligning diverse partners.
• Resilient under pressure, capable of leading live operations in remote and high-pressure environments.
• Collaborative leader known for motivating teams, managing complexity, and leading by example.

What You Need to Apply

• Minimum 10 years of event operations experience.
• Experience with festivals, mass participation events, or citywide activations.
• Proven ability to manage large teams, vendors, and logistics.
• Experience working in the Middle East.
• Advanced stakeholder management skills.
• Fluent in written and spoken English; Arabic highly desirable.
• Valid UAE driving license.
• Strong budgeting and procurement capabilities.