Qiddiya is Hiring: Manager – Festival Cultural Program in Riyadh

Join Qiddiya, the future capital of entertainment, sports, and culture in Saudi Arabia. As one of the Kingdom’s most ambitious Vision 2030 giga-projects, Qiddiya is reimagining what’s possible — from world-class theme parks and arenas to immersive arts, motorsports, and outdoor adventures. Qiddiya is building more than just a city — it’s building a legacy for generations to come.

Role Purpose

Lead the planning and delivery of the core Cultural Festival programming, ensuring a high-impact, large-scale cultural program that drives visitor engagement and aligns with asset objectives.

Key Responsibilities

Festival Program Planning:

  • Develop, produce, deliver, and manage a high-volume portfolio of festival programming, including coordination of over 1,400 performances, events, and cultural activities
  • Structure programming across multiple zones and time slots to optimize flow and engagement
  • Ensure alignment with overall programming strategy and visitor demand, in coordination with Commercial, Cultural Ecosystem, and Marketing teams
  • Identify, engage, and manage third-party program experts, producers, and cultural partners

Large-Scale Program Delivery:

  • Lead execution of all festival programming across multiple venues and activities
  • Manage daily program operations, schedules, and real-time adjustments
  • Ensure timely and seamless delivery of all performances and experiences

Performer & Participant Management:

  • Coordinate onboarding, scheduling, and management of performers, artists, and contributors, including regional, international, and government-affiliated participants
  • Ensure readiness of all participants, including rehearsals and technical requirements
  • Manage high-volume and diverse participant groups, ensuring consistent quality

Real-Time Operations & Optimization:

  • Monitor program performance during the festival and adjust schedules dynamically
  • Address operational challenges in real time in coordination with Operations
  • Ensure continuity and quality under high-pressure conditions

Performance Monitoring:

  • Track attendance, engagement, and program effectiveness across the festival
  • Identify high-performing and underperforming content
  • Provide insights to improve future festival programming

Requirements

  • 6-10 years of experience, with a strong background in large-scale event programming, festival management, or live event delivery
  • Proven experience planning and delivering large-scale festivals, cultural events, or entertainment programs
  • Experience managing multi-day, high-volume events with multiple simultaneous activities
  • Strong understanding of event lifecycle management, from planning through live delivery
  • Demonstrated experience managing live event programming under real-time conditions
  • Ability to oversee daily schedules, stage programming, and activity coordination
  • Experience handling last-minute changes, disruptions, and operational challenges during live events
  • Experience managing large numbers of performers, artists, and cultural contributors
  • Ability to coordinate rehearsals, technical requirements, and performance schedules
  • Experience managing programming across multiple stages, zones, or venues simultaneously
  • Strong understanding of crowd flow, timing, and programming distribution
  • Experience leading teams, coordinators, and on-ground staff during live events
  • Experience in major national events, festivals, or large public events
  • Experience in cultural or entertainment programming environments
  • Experience in pre-opening or launching large-scale events is an advantage

Job Details: Full-time · On-site · Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Job link: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/4414701028/