Director Event Planning

Jacobs; Riyadh Region; On-site; SAR 900,000 - 1,500,000; Full time

Job summary

Jacobs is seeking a Director, Event Planning to lead the development and execution of integrated planning for major sporting, entertainment, cultural, and civic events in Saudi Arabia, including a focus on 2028 milestones. The role requires overseeing governance, budgets, schedules, and readiness across city-wide operations in a high-profile environment.

You will manage cross-functional teams, coordinate with venues, operators, and government agencies, and drive readiness and post-event

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; master’s preferred.
• 18+ years in major event planning or related fields, including 8+ years in senior leadership.
• Proven track record delivering complex sporting, entertainment, cultural, or civic events in high-profile environments.
• Strong expertise in operational readiness, scheduling, governance, risk management, procurement, budget control, and executive reporting.
• Preferred experience within Saudi Arabia, the GCC, giga-projects, major destinations, organizing committees, venues, or large-scale event environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead the major events planning framework, governance, standards, and assurance processes.
• Develop integrated multi-year event portfolio plans, aligning priorities, resources, and operational requirements.
• Oversee end-to-end event planning from concept through delivery, readiness, and post-event evaluation.
• Integrate cross-functional operational plans, including mobility, security, guest experience, logistics, communications, and emergency response.
• Manage citywide operational concepts, service overlays, temporary infrastructure, and venue interfaces.
• Establish readiness, assurance, risk management, testing, rehearsals, and contingency planning programs.
• Support live event operations through planning integration, issue resolution, and operational coordination.
• Lead stakeholder engagement with event owners, operators, government agencies, emergency services, and delivery partners.
• Oversee event planning budgets, procurement strategies, supplier performance, and cost management.
• Build and develop a high-performing event planning team, fostering collaboration, capability development, and continuous improvement.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic planning

Stakeholder management

Budget oversight

Risk management

Governance

Cross-functional coordination

Education

Bachelor's degree in Event Management, Business Administration, Operations, Project Management, Hospitality, Tourism, or related field

Job description

At Jacobs, we're challenging today to reinvent tomorrow by solving the world's most critical problems for thriving cities, resilient environments, mission-critical outcomes, operational advancement, scientific discovery and cutting-edge manufacturing, turning abstract ideas into realities that transform the world for good.

Your impact

At Jacobs, we push the limits of what’s possible to make the world smarter and more connected. We are a key delivery partner on one of Saudi Arabia’s flagship giga projects and a central pillar of Vision 2030, located approximately 45 km southwest of Riyadh. Designed as the Kingdom’s future capital of entertainment, sports, and culture, this landmark development aims to diversify the economy and enhance quality of life through a mix of world-class attractions, residential communities, and natural landscapes, while generating significant employment and enabling long-term, sustainable growth.

About The Opportunity

The Director, Event Planning leads the development and execution of integrated planning for major sporting, entertainment, cultural, and civic events. The role translates the strategic event portfolio into coordinated, deliverable plans by overseeing governance, budgets, schedules, operational requirements, stakeholder commitments, and readiness activities. Acting as the City Operations planning lead, the position ensures alignment across districts, venues, delivery partners, and operational functions, with a particular focus on major events in 2028. The role manages citywide planning dependencies and operational integration while maintaining clear accountability boundaries with event owners, venue operators and asset operators responsible for event delivery.

Role Responsibilities

• Lead the major events planning framework, governance, standards, and assurance processes.
• Develop integrated multi-year event portfolio plans, aligning priorities, resources, and operational requirements.
• Oversee end-to-end event planning from concept through delivery, readiness, and post-event evaluation.
• Integrate cross-functional operational plans, including mobility, security, guest experience, logistics, communications, and emergency response.
• Manage citywide operational concepts, service overlays, temporary infrastructure, and venue interfaces.
• Establish readiness, assurance, risk management, testing, rehearsals, and contingency planning programs.
• Support live event operations through planning integration, issue resolution, and operational coordination.
• Lead stakeholder engagement with event owners, operators, government agencies, emergency services, and delivery partners.
• Oversee event planning budgets, procurement strategies, supplier performance, and cost management.
• Build and develop a high-performing event planning team, fostering collaboration, capability development, and continuous improvement.

Here's what you'll need

Role Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Event Management, Business Administration, Operations, Project Management, Hospitality, Tourism, or a related field; Master’s degree and relevant professional certifications are preferred.
• Minimum 18 years of experience in major event planning, event operations, programme management, or related fields, including 8+ years in senior leadership roles.
• Proven track record delivering and integrating complex sporting, entertainment, cultural, or civic events in high-profile environments.
• Strong expertise in operational readiness, scheduling, governance, risk management, procurement, budget control, and executive reporting.
• Preferred experience within Saudi Arabia, the GCC, giga-projects, major destinations, organizing committees, venues, or large-scale event environments.
• Strong capabilities in event planning, stakeholder management, operational integration, command and control, contract management, multi-agency coordination, and planning technology tools.

Jacobs. A world where you can. From our inclusive employee networks to our positive mental health champions – we’re committed to driving a culture of caring where you can be you. Joining Jacobs not only connects you locally but globally - and together, our diverse perspectives and unique backgrounds power our collective strength.

With safety and flexibility always top of mind, we’ve gone beyond traditional ways of working so you have the support, means and space to maximize your potential. You’ll uncover flexible working arrangements, benefits, and opportunities to do good too – from participating in our global giving and volunteering program, to exploring new and inventive ways to help our clients make the world a better place.

Start your Jacobs career with a company that inspires and empowers you to deliver your best work so you can evolve, grow and succeed – today and into tomorrow.

From our inclusive employee networks to our positive mental health champions – we’re committed to driving a culture of caring where you can be you. Joining Jacobs not only connects you locally but globally - and together, our diverse perspectives and unique backgrounds power our collective strength. We collaborate and share! By supporting one another, we all succeed.

With safety and flexibility always top of mind, we’ve gone beyond traditional ways of working so you have the support, means and space to maximize your potential. You’ll uncover flexible working arrangements, benefits and opportunities to do good too – from participating in our global giving and volunteering program, to exploring new and inventive ways to help our clients make the world a better place.

No matter what drives you, you’ll discover how you can cultivate, nurture and achieve your goals – all at a single global company.

Onsite employees are expected to attend a Jacobs Workplace on a full-time basis, as required by the nature of their role.

Your application experience is important to us, and we’re keen to adapt to make every interaction even better. If you require further support or reasonable adjustments with regards to the recruitment process (for example, you require the application form in a different format), please contact the team via Careers Support.