Deputy Director jobs in United Arab Emirates

Do you see yourself as an Assistant Director of Sales - Conference & Events for InterContinental Hotel® Dubai Festival City?

As the world's largest family of luxury hotels, we all take great pride in being genuine ambassadors of the InterContinental® brand.

Shaped by decades of international know-how and local insights, our passion for luxury travel spans cultures and customs. Inspiring us to create warm and sophisticated experiences for those seeking a richer perspective on the world. Each of our hotels cultivates a distinctive style and ambience where we embrace every opportunity to give our guests a personal and enriching experience.

If you'd like to embrace a wider world of experiences and opportunities, we'd like to welcome you to the world's most international luxury hotel brand.

The InterContinental Hotels Group® at Dubai Festival City consists of four hotels. These include the luxury and lifestyle brand InterContinental, the lavish long-stay InterContinental Residence Suites, the premium Crowne Plaza, and the essentials Holiday Inn & Suites. In addition to over 1,600 rooms, the cluster boasts a selection of 16 restaurants and bars, an impressive 3,800-square-metre Event Centre across two levels, the 5,000-square-metre Festival Arena by InterContinental, the luxurious Spa InterContinental, and state-of-the-art gym and swimming pool facilities. We are looking for people who are friendly, welcoming, and full of life to join over 1,200 colleagues who are always finding ways to make every guest's experience an enjoyable one. We value the passion and enthusiasm of our colleagues and encourage you to share your passion when you work with us.

• Event planning and strategy: developing and implementing event strategies, including setting goals, objectives, and budgets. Collaborating with stakeholders to determine event themes, formats, and target audience.
• Budget and revenue management: developing, managing and following event budget, tracking payments, expenses, and ensuring financial accountability. Making strategic decisions to optimize resources and achieve desired outcomes within budgetary constraints.
• Event logistics: overseeing all logistical aspects of events, including venues selection, accommodation, transportation, audiovisual setup, catering and equipment rentals. Ensuring smooth operations and timely execution.
• Client Relationship management: building and maintaining relationships with clients, understanding their event requirements, and providing exceptional customer service. Collaborating with clients to develop event concepts, themes, and programs.
• On-site event management: overseeing on-site event operations, including staff coordination and troubleshooting. Ensuring seamless and memorable experience for all participants.
• Risk management: identifying and mitigating potential risks and challenges associated with events. Developing contingency plans and ensuring compliance with legal, health, and safety regulations.
• Post-event evaluation and actions: gathering feedback from clients and attendees. Analyzing data, identifying areas for improvement, and implementing changes for future events.
• Team management: to be responsible for leading a team of events coordinators, executives, and assistants; assigning tasks, providing guidance and support, and ensuring effective communication. Mentoring and developing the team members, providing alignment with the organization’s broader objective.
• Industry knowledge and trends: straying update with industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices in events management. Incorporating innovative ideas and strategies to enhance the quality and impact of events.
• To progress into an “In The Know” product specialist for InterContinental Dubai Festival City (IC DFC) including the Event Centre and to become a product expert for Crowne Plaza Dubai Festival City (CP DFC), including the entire portfolio of services across these business units.
• To grow into a “Destination Dubai and UAE market expert” for the Meetings, Incentives, Congress, Exhibitions by acquiring knowledge about the Hotels competitive sets, the STR performance of the Hotel as well as its competitive sets and the socio-economic developments in Dubai, UAE and worldwide affecting the hotel business.
• To gain in-depth knowledge about the business model, concept, market dynamics and trends, exhibitions and key geographic areas of the client portfolio that is managed.
• To develop relationships across all business units and hierarchy levels within the customer’s organization in order to achieve a relationship indicator of at least 5 (scale 1-10) if prospect qualifies for potential IHG DFC account.
• To maintain active communication with the customer across all available channels with a key focus on personal interaction – maximize “eyeball time” – based on “activity guideline”.
• To grow relationships within customer’s organization and have an in-depth knowledge of the new market penetration and align the Hotel’s strategies based on the potential of these new emerging markets.
• To seek personal contact with Senior Decision Makers through “guest engagements” in the hotel during Meetings, functions, meal periods and check in/check out.
• To effectively manage up/sidewards within the Hotel’s organization to “work better together” and manage internal relationships in a strategic manner, similar to customer relationships with the aim to achieve Hotel’s common objectives.
• To consistently communicate “within” to share market intelligence, provide feedback; ensure “customer awareness” with the Hotel and to ensure professional planning and coordination of sales activities.
• To maximize on the opportunities for the hotel by conducting innovative site inspections for potential business opportunities and Fam trips being different from the competition.
• To attend relevant meetings such as Group Yield Meeting, Yield Meeting, Revenue Room, Departmental Sales Meeting, Segment Sales Meeting as and when appropriate to foster collaboration, provide input and acquire knowledge about developments within the Hotel and the market.
• To utilize IHG/IHG DFC sales tools in an appropriate manner to ease work process and make the same more efficient and transparent i.e. IBP, Delphi, i-RFP, Merlin/Sales Source, SSP, I-Lead. To monitor and track financial performance of (own) account portfolio through monthly SSP data management and quarterly “Business Review” with DOSM/DOES and DOC.

• Bachelor’s degree in hotel management, events, marketing, or related field.
• Minimum 4 years’ of relevant experience or similar capacity, or an equivalent combination of education and work-related experience.
• Strong presentation and communication skills
• Strong interpersonal skills to develop and foster beneficial relationships especially with owning company and business partners
• High level of passion in the Sales & Marketing field including F&B commercial, enthusiasm and drive for result
• Problem solving, analytical, reasoning, motivating, organizational and training abilities

We give our people everything they need to succeed, from a competitive salary that rewards all your hard work to a wide range of benefits designed to help you live your best work life – including impressive room discounts and some of the best training in the business.

Our mission is to welcome everyone and create inclusive teams where we celebrate differences and encourage colleagues to bring their whole selves to work. IHG Hotels & Resorts provides equal employment opportunities to all applicants. We promote a culture of trust, support, and acceptance, always welcoming different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.

IHG gives every member of the team the Room to Belong, Room to Grow, and a Room to Make a Difference in a collaborative environment. We know that to work well, we need to feel well – both inside and outside of work – and through our myWellbeing framework, we are committed to supporting wellbeing in your health, lifestyle, and workplace.

So, join us, and you’ll become part of our ever-growing global family.