Operations Director (Contract)
Mid May 2025- End of Jan 2026
Based in Dubai office until October
Must be able to go on site from October/November- Jan
Lead the Seamless Delivery of a World-Class Festival
About Us
At LINKVIVA, we don’t just create events—we craft unforgettable experiences that leave a lasting impact. As one of the Middle East’s leading experiential agencies, we are renowned for delivering large-scale festivals, immersive activations, and landmark public events. Our legacy is built on precision, creativity, and operational excellence.
Why You Should Join Us
🚧 Be at the Helm of a Major Festival – Lead the full operations lifecycle for one of the region’s most anticipated events.
🧠 High-Level Leadership – Drive coordination between teams, government stakeholders, and global vendors.
📍 Make an Impact – Your work will directly affect guest experience, public safety, and event success.
About the Role
As Operations Director (Contract – Liwa), you will take ownership of all event operations, leading the end-to-end delivery of a multi-zone, month-long public festival. Reporting to the Project Director, you’ll lead a large cross-functional team and be responsible for infrastructure, safety, guest services, logistics, and stakeholder alignment. Your role is crucial to ensuring smooth, compliant, and impactful operations in a remote and high-pressure environment.
What You’ll Do
- Lead Operational Planning – Own the full event operations lifecycle, from pitch through to post-event debrief.
- Government & Stakeholder Liaison – Manage day-to-day coordination with clients, authorities, vendors, and regulatory bodies.
- Team & Contractor Management – Recruit, train, and manage internal teams and external contractors across key functional areas.
- Oversee Live Delivery – Lead real-time event operations including security, HSE, toilets, guest services, ticketing, crowd management, and vendor logistics.
- Run the MOC – Oversee the Main Operations Centre during the event, acting as the decision-making hub for operational control.
- Manage Budgets & Procurement – Own the operations budget, forecast accurately, and lead procurement cycles with a focus on value and efficiency.
- Implement HSE & Risk Protocols – Collaborate with internal and external teams to ensure safety, compliance, and readiness for emergencies.
- Report & Improve – Produce clear documentation, event reports, and learnings to feed into future projects and improve internal processes.
About You
✔ Senior Operations Leader – 10+ years’ experience managing operations for large-scale, outdoor public events.
✔ Detail-Oriented Planner – Skilled in developing systems, workflows, and scalable event plans.
✔ Confident Negotiator & Communicator – Able to manage multiple stakeholders and align diverse partners.
✔ Resilient Under Pressure – Capable of leading live operations in remote and high-pressure environments.
✔ Collaborative Leader – Known for motivating teams, managing complexity, and leading by example.
What You Need to Apply
✅ Minimum 10 years of event operations experience.
✅ Experience with festivals, mass participation events, or city-wide activations.
✅ Proven ability to manage large teams, vendors, and logistics.
✅ Experience working in the Middle East.
✅ Advanced stakeholder management skills.
✅ Fluent in written and spoken English (Arabic highly desirable).
✅ Valid UAE driving license.
✅ Strong budgeting and procurement capabilities.