Events Senior Projects Manager JOB

Job Title: Events Senior Project Manager

Sector: Tourism

Department: Abu Dhabi Events Bureau

Job Purpose

Shape and deliver high-impact initiatives that reinforce Abu Dhabi’s position as a premier global destination for sports, entertainment, and culture. This role blends strategic commercial insight with deep expertise in event operations to secure, design, and execute special projects of critical importance. Supports in driving decision-making, ensuring seamless operational delivery, and optimizing return on investment in-line with the approved objectives.

Key Responsibilities

Advisory & Strategic Projects

• Provide expert input into strategic planning and decision-making processes.


• Deliver insights and commercially viable solutions to complex challenges.


• Lead commercial assessments, ROI analyses, and business cases for strategic events and initiatives.


• Develop innovative partnership and sponsorship models that deliver long-term value.


• Optimize the event portfolio to maximize financial and reputational impact in collaboration with the relevant teams.


• Manage high-profile projects and flagship initiatives with significant strategic importance.

Event Operations & Delivery

• Oversee end-to-end planning, budgeting, procurement, and delivery of major events.


• Translate commercial agreements into actionable execution plans, ensuring operational excellence.


• Act as senior on-site authority to guarantee seamless delivery and resolve issues in real time.

Stakeholder & Partner Engagement

• Represent the Director in senior meetings with internal teams, government entities, promoters, and international partners.


• Negotiate commercial and operational terms to secure advantageous outcomes for Abu Dhabi.


• Build strong, long-term relationships to unlock future opportunities.

Performance, Risk & Operational Excellence

• Monitor financial and operational KPIs, ensuring accountability and transparency in collaboration with the relevant teams.


• Identify risks and implement mitigation measures to protect ROI and delivery timelines.


• Streamline workflows for approvals, contracting, and execution to enhance efficiency.

Shared Activities

• Manage the preparation and recommend the budget and monitor financial performance versus the budget while ensuring all activities are conducted in line with the approved guidelines.


• Manage and ensure effective implementation of functional policies, procedures and controls covering all areas 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.


• Adhere to the DCT Occupational Safety and Health policy, regulations, and laws, and provide help to the Corporate EHS in executing the OSHMS.


• Report any incidents, near misses, occupational illnesses, unsafe practices, and conditions immediately to the concerned person and participate in the investigation of OSH incidents, as required.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Event Management, Marketing, or a related field (Master’s degree preferred).


• 6-8 years of experience in event management, commercial project delivery, preferably in large-scale events, sports, or entertainment.


• Proven track record of managing large-scale, high-profile events and strategic projects with significant financial and reputational impact.


• Experience in negotiating partnerships, sponsorships, and commercial agreements.


• Familiarity with Abu Dhabi’s events ecosystem and/or international event standards is an advantage.

Skills

• Expertise in event planning, budgeting, procurement, and vendor management.


• Excellent stakeholder engagement and negotiation skills with both public and private sector partners.


• Strong risk management capabilities and ability to implement mitigation strategies.


• Proficiency in project management tools and MS Office Suite (PowerPoint, Excel, Project).


• Ability to thrive under pressure and manage multiple projects concurrently.


• High level of professionalism, integrity, and discretion when handling sensitive projects.


• Strategic thinker with a results-driven mindset.


• Exceptional communication and presentation skills.