General Sports Senior Specialist JOB

Job Title: General Sports Senior Specialist

Sector: Tourism

Department: Abu Dhabi Events Bureau

Section: Sports Engagement

Job Purpose

Plan and develop sports events in Abu Dhabi ensuring the successful execution of high-quality, strategically aligned sports programming that supports Abu Dhabi’s tourism strategy, drives economic impact, and promotes an active lifestyle within the community. The incumbent works closely with internal departments and external stakeholders to ensure events are well-coordinated, innovative, and impactful.

Key Responsibilities

Sport Event Planning

• Lead on the end-to-end planning and operational execution of general sports events (e.g., community sports, emerging sports, or international sporting showcases).


• Coordinate event logistics and timelines, ensuring smooth delivery in collaboration with event organizers and delivery partners.


• Ensure alignment of sports events with Abu Dhabi’s broader tourism and events strategy.


• Contribute to the development of engaging and diverse sport event content that caters to residents, tourists, and international audiences.


• Integrate data-driven insights and international benchmarking to enhance event quality, audience engagement, and long-term impact on the destination brand.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Liaise with key stakeholders, including sports federations, private event organizers, sponsors, and government partners to facilitate coordination and ensure compliance with policies and objectives.


• Support relationship management with local and international sports organizations to identify opportunities for collaboration and event acquisition.


• Establish strategic partnerships with global sports entities to elevate Abu Dhabi’s positioning as a premier hub for international sporting excellence.

Shared Activities

• Ensure effective cascading of the functional strategy into unit business plans to ensure vertical alignment and horizontal integration with other interfacing sectional strategies. . 


• Manage the effective achievement of assigned objectives through the leadership of the unit by setting individual objectives, managing performance, developing and motivating staff to maximize performance.  


• Act as a role model and drive adherence to organizational values and ethics by employees of the assigned unit to foster a value driven culture within the organization.  


• Manage and ensure effective implementation of functional policies, procedures and controls covering all areas of assigned unit activity so that all relevant procedural/legislative requirements are fulfilled while delivering a quality, cost-effective service.  


• Lead the identification of opportunities for continuous improvement and sustainability of systems, processes and practices considering global standards, productivity improvement and cost reduction.  


• Ensure that all unit reports are prepared timely and accurately and meet DCT requirements, policies and quality standards. 

• Comply with all relevant EHS guidelines, policies and procedures, by reporting incidents and hazards on a timely manner, and reduce consumption of natural resources to support in protecting the environment and ensure a healthy and safe work environment.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Sports Management, Event Management, Business Administration, or a related field.


• 3-5 years of experience in planning or managing sports events, preferably within a government entity, sports organization, or large-scale event management firm.


• Experience coordinating with sports bodies, international federations, or rights holders is a plus.


• Strong understanding of the sports ecosystem in the UAE and internationally.

Skills

• Project and event management


• Sports event operations and logistics


• Stakeholder and partner management


• Budgeting and financial tracking


• Communication and negotiation skills


• Knowledge of sports licensing and regulatory requirements


• Ability to work under pressure and manage multiple events simultaneously