Manager - Festival Cultural Program

Qiddiya Investment Company 1; Riyadh; On-site; SAR 180,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

Qiddiya Investment Company invites a seasoned Festival Programmer to lead the planning and delivery of our Cultural Festival programming at scale. You will coordinate a dense calendar across zones, venues, and time slots, ensuring high-quality experiences for diverse audiences and partners.

With 6–10 years in large-scale event programming, you will manage performers, rehearsals, and real-time operations, driving visitor engagement and achieving on-time delivery while upholding safety and brand

Qualifications

• 6–10 years of experience in large-scale event programming.
• Proven ability to plan and deliver multi-day festivals.
• Experience managing live events with multiple venues.
• Strong team leadership and on-ground coordination.

Responsibilities

• Lead the planning and delivery of core Cultural Festival programming.
• Develop, produce, and manage a high-volume portfolio of festival programming (over 1,400 performances).
• Coordinate programming across zones and time slots.
• Oversee daily schedules, rehearsals, and technical requirements.
• Monitor real-time operations and optimize program delivery.
• Manage performers, participants, partners and stakeholders.
• Track attendance, engagement, and program performance.

Skills

Large-scale event programming

Coordination and execution

Live event delivery

Team leadership

Job description

Join us at Qiddiya, the future capital of entertainment, sports, and culture in Saudi Arabia. As one of the Kingdom’s most ambitious Vision 2030 giga-projects, Qiddiya is reimagining what's possible — from world-class theme parks and arenas to immersive arts, motorsports, and outdoor adventures. Our mission is to create unforgettable experiences while driving economic growth and national talent development. At Qiddiya, innovation meets purpose, and every role contributes to shaping a vibrant new lifestyle destination. We are building more than just a city — we are building a legacy for generations to come. If you're driven by impact, creativity, and challenge, there’s a place for you here. Explore our current opportunities and be part of something extraordinary.

Role Purpose

Lead the planning and delivery of the core Cultural Festival programming, ensuring a high-impact, large-scale cultural program that drives visitor engagement and aligns with asset objectives.

Key Responsibilities

Festival Program Planning

• Develop, produce, deliver, and manage a high-volume portfolio of festival programming, including coordination of over 1,400 performances, events, and cultural activities
• Structure programming across multiple zones and time slots to optimize flow and engagement
• Ensure alignment with overall programming strategy and visitor demand, in coordination with Commercial, Cultural Ecosystem, and Marketing teams
• Identify, engage, and manage third-party program experts, producers, and cultural partners to develop, produce, and deliver festival programming

Large-Scale Program Delivery

• Lead execution of all festival programming, ensuring coordination across multiple venues and activities
• Manage daily program operations, schedules, and real-time adjustments
• Ensure timely and seamless delivery of all performances and experiences

Performer & Participant Management

• Coordinate onboarding, scheduling, and management of performers, artists, and contributors including regional, international, and government-affiliated participants and partners
• Ensure readiness of all participants, including rehearsals, technical requirements and performance delivery
• Manage high-volume and diverse participant groups, ensuring seamless coordination and consistent quality

Real-Time Operations & Optimization

• Monitor program performance during the festival and adjust schedules dynamically
• Address operational challenges in real time in coordination with Operations
• Ensure continuity and quality under high-pressure conditions

Performance Monitoring

• Track attendance, engagement, and program effectiveness across the festival
• Identify high-performing and underperforming content
• Provide insights to improve future festival programming

Key Success Metrics

• Festival attendance and engagement
• On-time delivery of programming
• Visitor satisfaction
• Revenue performance of festival programming against budget targets
• Contribution of programming to overall asset financial performance

Required Skills & Competencies

• Experience in large-scale event programming
• Strong coordination and execution capability
• Ability to operate in high-pressure environments

Requirements

• 6–10 years of experience, with a strong background in large-scale event programming, festival management, or live event delivery
• Proven experience planning and delivering large-scale festivals, cultural events, or entertainment programs
• Experience managing multi-day, high-volume events with multiple simultaneous activities
• Strong understanding of event lifecycle management, from planning through live delivery
• Demonstrated experience in managing live event programming under real-time conditions
• Ability to oversee daily schedules, stage programming, and activity coordination
• Experience handling last-minute changes, disruptions, and operational challenges during live events
• Experience managing large numbers of performers, artists, and cultural contributors
• Ability to coordinate rehearsals, technical requirements, and performance schedules
• Experience ensuring readiness and smooth delivery across diverse participant groups
• Experience managing programming across multiple stages, zones, or venues simultaneously
• Ability to coordinate parallel activities while maintaining consistency and quality
• Strong understanding of crowd flow, timing, and programming distribution
• Experience leading teams, coordinators, and on-ground staff during live events
• Experience in major national events, festivals, or large public events
• Experience in cultural or entertainment programming environments
• Experience in pre-opening or launching large-scale events is an advantage