Application Open:
Full-Time
Job Purpose:
The Senior Events Specialist is responsible for the end-to-end delivery of complex, high-profile external events that support MBZUAI’s communications, engagement, and institutional visibility objectives. Reporting to the Director of Events, the role provides senior-level execution capability across regional conferences, trade shows, and hosted partner programs, while leading production for proprietary events. This position brings additional senior execution depth to the Events function, enabling confident decision-making during live delivery and supporting the successful execution of MBZUAI’s growing external and flagship event portfolio.
Key Responsibilities:
Event Delivery & Production Leadership
- Lead the end-to-end planning and execution of complex external events, including regional conferences, trade shows, and partner-hosted programs.
- Act as production lead for select proprietary MBZUAI events, ensuring quality, consistency, and alignment with overall event objectives.
- Provide senior-level operational support to institutional events during peak delivery periods, serving as escalation point and execution backup.
- Oversee detailed production timelines, run-of-show development, vendor coordination, and on-site execution to ensure seamless delivery.
- Escalate risks, dependencies, and decisions appropriately to the Director of Events.
Team Enablement & Quality Assurance
- Guide and support junior team members by setting clear planning standards, execution frameworks, and quality benchmarks.
- Provide hands-on coaching during complex event builds and live delivery phases to ensure consistent performance and professional growth.
- Contribute to embedding best practices in event planning, production workflows, and post-event evaluation across the team.
Stakeholder & Vendor Management
- Manage relationships with external agencies, production partners, and vendors, ensuring clear scopes, timelines, and deliverables.
- Operate confidently with senior internal stakeholders and external partners, addressing issues decisively during live delivery and high-pressure moments.
- Apply strong judgment and problem-solving skills to navigate ambiguity, last-minute changes, and operational risks.
Budget, Compliance & Reporting
- Manage event budgets, contracts, and supplier agreements, ensuring cost control and compliance with MBZUAI procurement policies.
Track delivery milestones, risks, and outcomes, providing clear updates and post-event reporting to the Director of Events, and relevant stakeholders as needed.
Contribute to continuous improvement through structured post-event reviews and operational insights.
Other Duties
- Perform all other duties as reasonably directed by the line manager that are commensurate with these functional objectives.
Academic Qualification:
- Bachelor’s degree in Event Management, Hospitality, Marketing, Communications, or a related field or equivalent professional experience.
- Postgraduate qualifications may be considered but are not essential.
Professional Experience:
Essential
- 8+ years of experience delivering complex, external-facing events, including conferences, trade shows, summits, and hosted partner programs.
- Proven ability to lead end-to-end event production, including venue sourcing, vendor management, budgets, timelines, and on-site execution.
- Experience delivering events in the UAE or region, including familiarity with local vendors, venues, permitting, protocol, and production workflows.
- Strong track record managing multiple stakeholders across internal teams, agencies, and external partners.
- Demonstrated ability to make sound decisions and resolve issues in fast-paced, high-pressure environments.
- Experience working with production vendors, AV teams, and agencies.
- Strong project management and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple workstreams simultaneously.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- Proficiency with event management tools and standard productivity software tools, as well as standard office productivity software (e.g., MS Office).
Preferred
- Global event experience across multiple geographies.
- Background in higher education, technology, research, or similarly complex institutional environments.
- Background in agencies, technology, corporate, or large-scale public and cultural events.
