Senior Director Entertainment

Confidential; Riyadh; On-site; SAR 800,000 - 1,600,000; Full time

Job summary

Confidential is seeking a Senior Director – Entertainment to lead strategic development, commercial growth, and execution of immersive entertainment experiences and family-oriented attractions in Saudi Arabia.

The role requires a commercially driven leader with 15+ years in themed entertainment, proven ability to translate concepts into profitable businesses, and strong cross-functional team leadership. You will build partnerships and drive growth across our entertainment portfolio.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of senior leadership in themed entertainment or family-oriented entertainment.
• Proven track record in strategic planning and commercial performance management.
• Experience delivering large-scale entertainment concepts, attractions, or experiential projects.
• Strong experience in partnerships, negotiations, and stakeholder management.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams and complex initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the entertainment business strategy in alignment with long-term objectives.
• Identify growth opportunities, emerging market trends, and expansion areas.
• Lead development of innovative entertainment concepts, attractions, and family formats.
• Evaluate market opportunities and competitive positioning to strengthen presence.
• Oversee development and production of experiences and attractions.
• Lead cross-functional collaboration with creative, engineering, and design teams.
• Assess emerging tech to boost customer engagement and experience.
• Ensure concepts meet quality, commercial, and brand standards.
• Drive revenue growth, profitability, and commercial performance.
• Oversee business plans, budgets, forecasts, and investment proposals.
• Identify opportunities to optimize operations and returns.
• Monitor KPIs and drive corrective actions toward targets.
• Establish clear performance expectations and accountability.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Business development

Entertainment industry knowledge

Stakeholder management

Team leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering or Business

Master's degree preferred

PMP certification advantageous

Job description

A leading investment and entertainment organization is seeking an accomplished Senior Director – Entertainment to lead the strategic development, commercial growth, and execution of innovative entertainment experiences and family-oriented attractions.

The successful candidate will drive the development of immersive entertainment concepts, themed attractions, interactive experiences, and family entertainment offerings, ensuring alignment with the organization's strategic objectives, commercial ambitions, and customer experience standards.

This executive leadership role requires a commercially driven and strategically minded professional with extensive experience in the entertainment industry, a strong understanding of market dynamics, and a proven ability to translate innovative concepts into commercially successful entertainment businesses.

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategic Leadership & Business Development

• Develop and execute the entertainment business strategy in alignment with the organization's long-term objectives.
• Identify new business opportunities, emerging market trends, and potential areas for growth and expansion.
• Lead the development of innovative entertainment concepts, attractions, interactive experiences, and family-oriented entertainment formats.
• Evaluate market opportunities and competitive positioning to strengthen the organization's presence in the entertainment sector.
• Oversee the conceptualization, development, acquisition, and production of entertainment experiences and attractions.
• Lead cross-functional collaboration with creative teams, designers, engineers, and technical specialists to deliver high-quality entertainment projects.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and innovative entertainment formats to enhance customer engagement and experience.
• Ensure entertainment concepts meet quality standards, commercial objectives, and brand requirements.
• Drive revenue growth, profitability, and commercial performance across entertainment initiatives.
• Develop and oversee business plans, budgets, financial forecasts, and investment proposals.
• Identify opportunities to optimize operational efficiency, maximize returns, and improve business performance.
• Monitor key performance indicators and implement corrective actions to achieve agreed business targets.

4. Strategic Partnerships & Stakeholder Management

• Establish and maintain strategic partnerships with international entertainment brands, intellectual property owners, licensing partners, and experience design companies.
• Lead commercial negotiations and agreements related to themed attractions, ride manufacturing, entertainment installations, and branded experiences.
• Develop partnerships that enhance the organization's entertainment portfolio and competitive advantage.
• Maintain effective relationships with internal business units, external partners, and relevant government and regulatory entities.

5. Customer Experience & Market Positioning

• Develop customer-centric entertainment experiences tailored to children, families, and diverse audience segments.
• Utilize market research, customer insights, and performance data to guide strategic decisions.
• Monitor industry developments and competitor activities to identify opportunities for differentiation.
• Collaborate with marketing and commercial teams to enhance audience engagement, brand positioning, and revenue generation.
• Lead, develop, and motivate multidisciplinary teams to achieve strategic and operational objectives.
• Establish clear performance expectations, accountability frameworks, and measurable business targets.
• Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, commercial discipline, and continuous improvement.
• Build organizational capabilities to support business expansion and long-term sustainability.

Qualifications & Experience

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business Administration, or a related field.
• A master's degree in Business Administration or a relevant discipline is preferred.
• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification is an advantage.

Professional Experience

• 15+ years of professional experience, including significant senior leadership experience within themed entertainment, attractions, leisure, or family-oriented entertainment.
• Proven track record in entertainment business development, strategic planning, and commercial performance management.
• Demonstrated experience developing and delivering entertainment concepts, attractions, or large-scale experiential projects.
• Strong experience in strategic partnerships, commercial negotiations, and stakeholder management.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams and managing complex business initiatives.

Core Competencies

• Strategic Leadership and Business Planning
• Commercial Acumen and Financial Management