Al Ain Destination Management Lead JOB

Job Title: Destination Management Lead

Sector: Tourism

Department: Al Ain & Al Dhafra Development Department

Section: Al Ain Destination Management Section

Direct Manager: Al Ain Destination Management Section Head

Role purpose:

Lead the development and implementation plan of Al Ain Region’s tourism strategy in line with the department’s strategy and goals. Supervise all cultural and tourism affairs and activities in the region in line with the desired plans and objectives. Work with internal and external stakeholders to develop and oversee the execution of a tourism activation strategy.

Key responsibilities:

• Lead and contribute to the activation and implementation of the tourism strategy in the Al Ain region, in accordance with the specific plans and priorities to achieve the department’s desired goals.
• Lead gathering, assessing and interpreting demand, requirements and gaps in culture & tourism ecosystem and offerings in Al Ain Region.
• Develop research and provide insights on market developments, relevant sectors, beneficiaries, partners, and other relevant analysis to support activation plan execution.
• Lead the development and identification of new tourism offerings in Al Ain Region, in line with the identified targets, expectations within Al Ain & Al Dhafra Development Department.
• Establish direct contact center for Al Ain Region on all tourism & culture matters, and provide support to Al Ain cultural sites, tourism activations, etc.
• Support the Section Head on all the touristic and cultural programmes, activities and events in the Al Ain Region to ensure the implementation of effective programs and activities in line with the priorities of DCT.
• Monitor and report on performance against critical metrics and prepare periodic management reports in order to measure project performance and identify challenges, opportunities, and areas of improvement. Review and evaluate Al Ain Region programs, festivals and activations.

Relationship Management

• Manage building close and effective relationships with partners and relevant internal and external stakeholders regionally and locally to contribute to the activation and implementation of strategies led by the Al Ain Region Section.
• Lead on working closely with the sectors and departments of the concerned department to coordinate and communicate about activities, programs, cultural events, tourism and others and to develop appropriate plans for them.
• Identifying opportunities for partnerships and investments and working on searching new opportunities that serve to achieve the desired results and objectives.

Shared Activity

• Ensure effective cascading of the functional strategy into section business plans to ensure vertical alignment and horizontal integration with other interfacing sectional strategies.
• Lead the identification of opportunities for continuous improvement and sustainability of systems, processes and practices considering global standards, productivity improvement and cost reduction.
• Carry out any other duties and responsibilities related to the role at the request of the direct manager.
• Manage and ensure effective implementation of functional policies, procedures and controls covering all areas of assigned section activity so that all relevant procedural/legislative requirements are fulfilled while delivering a quality, cost-effective service.
• Follow all relevant departmental policies, processes, standard operating procedures, and instructions so that work is carried out in a controlled and consistent manner.
• Demonstrate compliance to organization’s values and ethics at all times to support the establishment of a value-driven culture within the organization.
• Contribute to the identification of opportunities for continuous improvement and sustainability of systems, processes and practices considering global standards, productivity improvement and cost reduction.

Communication and Business Relationships

Internal

• Tourism Sector
• DCT Relevant Sectors / Departments

External

• Key vendors & suppliers
• Government entities
• Other Agencies / Partners / Stakeholders
• Tourism Entities (Hotels, Tourist Attractions, DMCs, Consultants, etc.)

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s / Master’s degree in Strategy, Hospitality Management, Marketing, Project Management, Tourism, Business Administration or any other degree within relevant industry

Experience

• At least 4 to 7 years of experience in Tourism, Hospitality Management or any other experience within similar role or industry

Skills:

• Full professional English and Arabic proficiency both in speaking and writing
• Skilled in MS Office (PowerPoint, Word and Excel)
• Administrative skills and attention to detail
• Self-motivated with a proven ability to complete work in a timely manner
• Expert knowledge on rebates schemes, preferably accustomed with UAE best practices
• Experience with business planning
• Extensive experience with program management related to finance and policy