Senior Manager Event Planning

Job description / Role

Description

Qiddiya Investment Company is searching for a dynamic Senior Manager – Event Planning - Transportation Operations to lead the planning, delivery, and management of transportation services for citywide events including fixed and occasional Park & Ride operational responses. The role is responsible for ensuring that multimodal transport plans are successfully integrated, delivered safely, on time, and within budget for the Transport Business Unit. Working closely with internal departments, government agencies, and external partners, the position ensures consistent, compliant, and efficient transport management across and within all city districts.

Responsibilities

Strategic and operational leadership

• Lead the delivery of integrated multimodal transportation planning for major events, ensuring effective planning, programming, and coordination across modes.
• Oversee Park & Ride strategy, design, and operational readiness, aligning with broader city transport goals and overarching city value proposition.
• Support the Director Planning & Development in formulating transport event management strategies and implementation frameworks.
• Ensure event and activation plans align with the Authority’s strategic priorities, safety standards, and risk management frameworks.

Event planning and delivery

• Oversee the planning, management, and execution of transport services for events and city activations across all districts.
• Manage transport service integration to enable a customer excellence focus that is safe, efficient, and reliable movement of people during events.
• Coordinate with mode leadership, emergency services, enforcement, and city stakeholders to ensure operational readiness and incident management.
• Ensure consistent application of operational policies, procedures, and compliance with relevant legislation and city and authority guidelines.

Leadership and team development

• Provide leadership and collaborative management to a high-performing multidisciplinary team responsible for event transport delivery.
• Develop and implement workforce and resource plans, including managing internal staff pools and external service providers where appropriate.
• Foster a culture of accountability, safety, and continuous improvement within the team.
• Ensure training, guidance, and professional development opportunities are provided to maintain competency and performance standards.

Financial and project management

• Manage budgets associated with event and transport operations, including cost forecasting, revenue generation, MoU development, financial tracking, and reconciliation.
• Oversee procurement processes in line with policy for event-related additional services and resources where required.
• Ensure value-for-money outcomes through robust contract and performance management of any external partners.

Stakeholder and risk management

• Build and maintain strong working relationships with internal stakeholders, city planners, event organizers, police, and transport business unit and operators.
• Establish, lead and be the focal point for coordination meetings to ensure integrated event planning and execution.
• Identify and mitigate risks associated with event transport operations, ensuring contingency measures are in place.

Key challenges

• Balancing limited resources with high public expectations and operational complexity.
• Delivering transport responses for large-scale, high-profile events under tight timelines and scrutiny.
• Coordinating multiple stakeholders and transport modes to ensure seamless service delivery.
• Maintaining compliance with procurement and governance requirements while meeting operational needs.

Requirements

Qualifications, experience and skills

Education and certification

• Bachelor’s degree in Transport Planning, Engineering, Event Management, or a related field (Master’s preferred).
• Professional certification in Project Management or Transport Operations is desirable.

Experience

• Minimum 10 years’ experience in transport planning, operations, or event management within a complex, multi-modal environment.
• Proven experience leading large-scale event transport operations and stakeholder coordination.
• Demonstrated ability to manage budgets, contracts, and multidisciplinary teams.

Skills and competencies

• Strong leadership, organizational, and decision-making skills.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication abilities.
• Knowledge of multimodal transport systems, traffic management, and crowd movement planning.
• Strong financial and analytical acumen with attention to safety, quality, and compliance.
• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.

Performance measures

• Successful and safe delivery of integrated transport plans for all events.
• Adherence to timelines, budgets, and regulatory requirements.
• Stakeholder satisfaction and collaboration effectiveness.
• Continuous improvement in event transport planning and service delivery.

Benefits

Offering a comprehensive compensation and benefits package.