Senior Executive - Planning & Operations

Dubai World Trade Centre; United Arab Emirates; On-site; AED 200,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

A premier event management organization in the United Arab Emirates is looking for an experienced Event Manager to oversee the planning and execution of various events. The role requires strong organizational skills, with a minimum of 3 years in the industry and fluency in English and Arabic. Responsibilities include managing event logistics, budgeting, and maintaining communications with clients and service providers. Candidates should have a degree in Events or Hospitality Management and familiarity with event management software.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3-year experience in the Event Management industry focusing on planning and delivering hospitality events.
• Participated in trainings/workshops essential to event management including project management and health & safety.

Responsibilities

• Planning, management and operation of weddings, catering and events.
• Establishing timelines, reserving the event location, acquiring permits.
• Maintaining effective relationships with clients and service providers.
• Forecasting service delivery costs and managing event budgets.
• Responsible for financial closure and reconciliation of event service orders.

Skills

Fluent in English (verbal and written)

Fluent in Arabic (verbal and written)

Computer literacy

Proficiency in Word, Excel, Outlook

Report Writing

Education

University degree in Events or Hospitality Management

Tools

EBMS

AutoCAD

Job description

• Planning, management and operation of weddings, Outside Catering, MICE events and consumer fairs (brand sales) assigned, acting as principle interface between the client and DWTC’s internal departments and contractors by:
• Taking detailed event handover from sales.
• Establishing timelines, reserving the event location, acquiring permits, planning catering details, coordinating transportation, arranging for activities, arranging for equipment and facilities
• establishing effective relationships with clients, instilling the confidence necessary for repeat business
• encouraging a high level of customer service awareness from all customer/public facing staff.
• taking ownership of allocated events, acting as principle point of contact, effectively meeting organiser and visitor needs, answering queries, monitoring the performance of service providers and effectively dealing with complaints.
• establishing effective relationships with external agencies (Police, DTCM, Transport providers) as required, maintaining excellent communications at all times with other members of the Planning & Operations team and service departments.
• Following and implementing the pre-prepared flow chart for essential event processes; floor plans; risk assessments; complex structures; temporary seating; DWTC Policies and Procedure, meeting the necessary Health & Safety and food hygiene requirements imposed on venues and events, in close association with the Health & Safety team and identifying the necessary documentation and the legal requirements which must be achieved for each event in order to plan and deliver events as per the required standards
• Preparing the event requirements through the EBMS Event Plan for each allocated event, detailing client product and service orders and other requirements, as discussed in pre-planning meetings, as well as essential event information in order to ensure that all orders are communicated clearly and accurately to the client and DWTC internal departments
• Forecasting service delivery costs and maintaining an event budget to track costs and ancillary revenue. Key objective to keep costs to a minimum and maximise revenue where possible. Promoting and demonstrating a sense of cost management throughout the event life cycle. Identifying up‑selling opportunities for all services offered by DWTC that are available at an event. Understanding the products, services and benefits offered by on‑site facilities, e.g. hotels, restaurants, etc. and promoting the use of all of these amenities in order to assist in reaching required budgets
• Responsible for the financial closure of an event. Reconciling the event service orders on EBMS directly after the event and providing Finance with the means to raise the final invoice in order to comply with the established Service Level Agreement
• Producing Management Information on each event and comprehensive understanding and reporting practice of key indicators of an event (including floor plan bookings, understanding of profit of an organiser, visitor registration patterns, final visitor count / Exhibitors’ lists, protocol information)
• Understanding the positioning of the event in the market sector (key publications, electronic commerce elements to the event, commercial environment within which the event is operating, threats and opportunities faced by each event) and demonstrating lateral thinking and the ability to assess the collective impact on other events and activities happening simultaneously in and around the Venue and its implications in order for the Venue to service all its customers to the same level and in order to provide relevant advice to the client
• Demonstrating an understanding of what makes a successful event and how the various customers involved will evaluate the success of an event (Organiser, exhibitors, visitors, delegates, internal customers and suppliers) in order to maintain high customer satisfaction and to Increase scope of event numbers and complexity with a goal to develop self
• Undertaking presentations and site tours in a knowledgeable and professional manner in order to showcase the Venue and assist with the sales process and secure customer’s
• Office based at 50%, the job requires a lot of onsite and offsite presence throughout the venues managed by DWTC and regular unsociable working hours (evenings, weekends and public holidays) as per each event’s operational requirements

Events are taking place mostly indoors however some elements may take place outdoor and some events take place in offsite venues managed by DWTC. Meetings may also take place at clients’ premises

Formal Education:

University degree level, preferably in Events or Hospitality Management

Work Experience:

• Minimum 3-year experience in the Event Management industry, focusing on planning and delivering hospitality events

Skills and Knowledge:

• Fluent in English (verbal and written)
• Fluent in Arabic (verbal and written)
• Computer literacy essential
• Proficiency in Word, Excel, Outlook, Internet and Email
• Knowledge of EBMS
• Report Writing
• Knowledge of Health & Safety / IOSH
• Knowledge of AutoCAD
• Participated in trainings/workshops essential to event management including project management, presentation skills, time management, health & safety and market intelligence