Senior Coordinator - Studio and Residency Programmes

Sharjah Art Foundation; Sharjah; On-site; AED 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Sharjah Art Foundation seeks a Senior Coordinator for Studio and Residency Programmes to provide senior operational oversight for artist residencies and studio programmes in Sharjah. You will act as the primary escalation point for artists, partners and internal teams, ensuring high standards of artist experience.

The role involves supervising Coordinators, coordinating onboarding, residencies, and offboarding; overseeing contracts, finances and reporting; and coordinating across departments to

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in arts administration, Cultural Management, Fine Arts, Humanities, or equivalent experience.
• 4-6 years’ experience in arts administration, residencies, cultural institutions, or related programmes.
• Strong organisational, administrative, and operational management skills.
• Experience overseeing contracts, invoices, stipends, and financial workflows.
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex operations and multiple stakeholders.
• Experience supervising or mentoring team members preferred.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively across departments (Comms, Editorial, IT, etc.).
• Proficiency in MS Office.
• Cultural sensitivity and adaptability when working with artists.
• Strong English required, Arabic or additional languages an advantage.
• Driving license desirable

Responsibilities

• Provide senior operational oversight for artist residencies and studio programmes across all phases.
• Act as the primary escalation point for artists, partners, and internal teams to resolve complex issues.
• Supervise and mentor Coordinators with guidance on quality control and workload.
• Oversee onboarding, in-residence support, and offboarding processes for cohorts.
• Review and quality-check itineraries, research trips, site visits, and engagements.
• Lead studio presentations and site visits for renters, partners, and stakeholders.
• Oversee contracts, invoices, stipends, and financial documentation; coordinate with Finance and Legal.
• Lead planning for residency schedules, milestones, and artist engagements.
• Coordinate communications with multiple departments to ensure timely and aligned information.
• Maintain databases and generate reports on occupancy, demand, and performance.
• Identify improvements to efficiency, utilization, and artist satisfaction.
• Represent the organisation in selected meetings and official visits as delegated.
• Manage compliance, risk, and cross-department coordination.

Skills

Strong organisational

Administrative skills

Operational management

Excellent communication

Interpersonal skills

Collaborative work across departments

MS Office proficiency

Cultural sensitivity

Arabic language advantage

Driving license desirable

Strong English

Education

Bachelor’s degree in arts administration or related field

Tools

MS Office

Job description

• Senior Coordinator - Studio and Residency Programmes

Senior Coordinator - Studio and Residency Programmes

Reporting to: Studio and Residency Programmes Manager
Job Location: Sharjah Emirate, United Arab Emirates
Expected starting date: as soon as possible
Application Deadline: The job is open until filled

Provide senior operational oversight for artist residencies and studio programmes, ensuring consistency, quality, and effective delivery across all phases. Act as the primary escalation point for artists, partners, and internal teams, resolving complex issues and ensuring a high standard of artist experience.

Roles and Responsibilities

Team Supervision & Coordination

Supervise and mentor Coordinators, providing guidance, quality control, and workload oversight. Ensure clear task allocation, adherence to standards, and timely delivery of responsibilities. Act as first-line escalation for operational matters before referral to the Manager.

Oversee artist onboarding, in-residence support, and offboarding processes to ensure consistency across cohorts. Review and quality-check itineraries, research trips, site visits, and institutional engagements. Step in directly for high-sensitivity cases or complex logistical situations.

Oversee studio spaces and residency apartments, ensuring readiness standards are met. Act as escalation point for facilities and maintenance issues, coordinating with internal operations teams and external vendors. Lead studio presentations and site visits for prospective renters, partners, and stakeholders.

Oversee contracts, invoices, stipends, and financial documentation related to studios and residency programmes, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and timely processing. Coordinate closely with Finance and Legal teams on approvals, reporting, and exceptions. Identify and improve operational workflows.

Planning, Scheduling & Stakeholder Coordination

Lead planning structures for residency schedules, programme milestones, and artist engagements. Resolve scheduling conflicts and anticipate logistical challenges. Represent the organisation in selected meetings, partner engagements, and official visits as delegated.

Coordinate across Communications, Editorial, Translation, IT, Website, and other departments to ensure accurate, timely, and aligned information for open calls, programme announcements, and reporting.

Data, Systems & Reporting

Maintain and oversee databases for residency applicants, studio renters, and programme alumni. Generate reports on studio occupancy, residency demand, and operational performance. Use insights to recommend improvements to efficiency, utilisation, and artist satisfaction.

Key Accountabilities

• Ensure consistent, high-quality delivery of artist residencies and studio programmes
• Supervise and support Coordinators, ensuring clarity of roles and quality of outputs
• Act as escalation point for complex artist, operational, and facilities issues
• Maintain operational compliance, accuracy, and risk mitigation across programmes
• Strengthen cross-department coordination and stakeholder relationships
• Improve systems, workflows, and reporting to support programme sustainability

Required Experience, Qualifications and Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in arts administration, Cultural Management, Fine Arts, Humanities, or equivalent experience
• 4-6 years’ experience in arts administration, residencies, cultural institutions, or related programmes
• Strong organisational, administrative, and operational management skills
• Experience overseeing contracts, invoices, stipends, and financial workflows
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex operations and multiple stakeholders
• Experience supervising or mentoring team members preferred
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to work collaboratively across departments (Comms, Editorial, IT, etc.)
• Proficiency in MS Office
• Cultural sensitivity and adaptability when working with artists
• Strong English required, Arabic or additional languages an advantage
• Driving license desirable

Conditions of Work

The role is a full-time position based in Sharjah, with working hours from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday to Thursday, and occasional evening or weekend work as needed.