Director - Commercial Partnerships CM5

Role Overview

Director - Commercial Partnerships CM5 at Qiddiya Investment Company. This role leads all commercial activities for a heritage and cultural programme, based in Saudi Arabia.

Role Purpose

Lead all commercial activities for the heritage and cultural programme including partnerships, sponsorships, retail, and revenue generation, ensuring delivery of financial targets and integration of commercial opportunities across programming and operations.

Key Responsibilities

Revenue Strategy & Performance Delivery

• Develop and execute the overall commercial strategy aligned with asset objectives and financial targets.
• Define revenue models across all streams including sponsorships, retail, food and beverage, ticketing (if applicable), and activations.
• Lead revenue planning, forecasting, and target setting in alignment with cultural programming plans and overall asset financial expectations, in coordination with Finance & Performance.
• Own delivery of revenue targets and ensure alignment between commercial activities and financial performance.
• Continuously optimize revenue streams through pricing, product mix, and commercial innovation.

Partnerships & Sponsorships

• Develop and manage a structured sponsorship and partnership strategy aligned with programming and marketing plans.
• Identify, negotiate, and secure high-value sponsorship and partnership agreements.
• Design sponsorship packages in collaboration with Programming and Marketing teams that integrate with cultural programming, experiences, and the visitor journey.
• Manage relationships with sponsors and partners to ensure delivery of contractual obligations and value realization.
• Drive long-term strategic partnerships that enhance both revenue and experience.
• Source, secure, and manage both commercial and non-commercial partners supporting cultural programming and broader asset operating model and strategic initiatives.
• Maintain and manage relationships with key government and cultural partners, ensuring alignment with programming objectives and overall asset priorities, in coordination with the Cultural Ecosystem & Stakeholder Engagement function.

Retail, Food & Beverage & Commercial Operations

• Oversee all retail, food and beverage, and commercial activations across the site.
• Define commercial mix, tenant strategy, and allocation of retail and food and beverage spaces.
• Manage performance of operators and vendors to ensure quality, compliance, and revenue delivery.
• Ensure commercial offerings are aligned with cultural programming and visitor experience.
• Monitor sales performance and optimize commercial operations accordingly.

Integration with Programming & Experience

• Work closely with Programming to embed commercial opportunities within cultural experiences.
• Ensure programming supports revenue generation through activations, sponsorships, and retail integration.
• Align commercial activities with visitor flow, dwell time, and engagement strategies.
• Balance commercial objectives with cultural integrity and experience quality.
• Ensure commercial partnerships and revenue initiatives are fully integrated into cultural programming.

Commercial Performance & Optimization

• Monitor and analyze performance across all revenue streams including sponsorship, retail, and food and beverage.
• Track key performance indicators including revenue per visitor, conversion rates, and commercial yield.
• Identify underperforming areas and implement corrective actions.
• Provide regular reporting and insights to General Manager and overall leadership team.

Vendor & Operator Management

• Oversee commercial vendor and operator selection in coordination with Procurement.
• Manage contracts, commercial terms, and performance agreements.
• Ensure compliance with operational, financial, and brand standards.
• Maintain strong relationships with operators to ensure consistency and performance.

Asset & Group Alignment

• Align commercial strategy and performance with Asset Management direction and expectations.
• Provide input into business planning, budgeting, and revenue forecasting cycles.
• Coordinate with Group functions where required (for example, legal, procurement, finance).

Qualifications & Experience

• Experience overseeing retail, food and beverage, or commercial operations within large-scale venues, events, or destinations.
• Strong understanding of commercial mix and tenant strategy.
• Strong understanding of operator management and performance optimization.
• Strong understanding of revenue generation through on-ground activations.
• Experience working within large-scale events, festivals, or entertainment platforms.
• Experience working within destination or precinct-based environments.
• Strong understanding of revenue planning, forecasting, and performance tracking.
• Strong understanding of commercial key performance indicators (for example, revenue per visitor, conversion, yield).
• Proven experience leading commercial teams and managing cross-functional collaboration.
• Experience working with government entities and large organizations is preferred.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong commercial and revenue generation experience.
• Experience in sponsorships, partnerships, and retail operations.
• Negotiation and contract management skills.
• Ability to link commercial strategy with experience delivery.
• Financial and performance management capability.
• Ability to link visitor experience with revenue generation.
• Ability to use data and insights to optimize commercial performance.
• Ability to operate in fast-paced, high-pressure environments.
• Ability to operate in complex, multi-stakeholder settings.

Additional Information

Key Success Metrics: Revenue generation and achievement of targets, sponsorship and partnership value, retail and food and beverage performance.