Senior Director

Company: Downtown Design, owned and managed by the Art Dubai Group

Location: Dubai Design District (d3)

About Us: The Art Dubai Group is a commercial public/private partnership established in 2007. The company owns and delivers the Middle East’s leading art and design fairs and festivals, convening audiences from across the globe, providing platforms for social and cultural connections, and contributing to the growth and prosperity of the local creative economy.

Job Description: We are seeking a highly motivated, senior individual to work alongside the Director of Downtown Design, the leading fair for high-quality, contemporary design in the Middle East. The role will be to help drive the growth of Downtown Design, with a focus initially on exhibitor recruitment and event management of the Dubai fair and helping to launch new fairs internationally from 2025.

Key Responsibilities:

• Exhibitor Recruitment: Assist in the exhibitor recruitment process, identifying and securing top-tier brands, manufacturers, and design studios to showcase their products and at our trade fairs.
• Relationship Management: Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with exhibitors, sponsors, industry associations, and other key stakeholders, ensuring a high level of satisfaction and engagement.
• Strategic Planning: Play a key role in developing and implementing strategic initiatives to elevate the fair and to drive exhibitor participation as well as attendee engagement.
• Event Management: Assist in all aspects of event planning and execution, including venue selection, budget management, logistics coordination, on-site operations, team management and stakeholder relations, to ensure seamless and successful delivery of each fair.
• Programme Development: Collaborate with the team to put together compelling programmes, activations, and special events that enhance the educational and cultural mandates of the fair, as well as networking opportunities for key audiences.
• Marketing Support: Assist the marketing team in developing and executing strategic marketing campaigns to promote the fair, increase brand visibility, and attract high-calibre visitors.
• Performance Analysis: Assist in conducting post-event evaluations to assess the success of each trade show, gather feedback from exhibitors and attendees, and identify opportunities for improvement and innovation.

Qualifications:

• Creative thinker with a passion for design, interiors and innovation.
• Exceptional track record of a career progression in previous roles
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in design related events, with a focus on working with exhibitors, or minimum of 5 years of experience in the design industry, developing relationship with quality driven design brands in another capacity.
• Strong network and relationships within the design industry, with a deep understanding of market dynamics, trends, and best practices.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build and maintain relationships with diverse stakeholders.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to contribute to the development and execution of comprehensive plans to achieve organizational objectives.
• Past experience of working in Europe, UK or America is essential, with experience in the Middle East preferred.

How to apply

To apply, please send your CV and cover letter by an email via the button below stating the following:

• Number of years of experience within the design industry
• In maximum 150 words, describe your career to date
• If any, briefly list your experience of working in creative industries and/or working in the UAE

Please note that only applications in this format will be considered.