PR & Events Director

The Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation for Policy Research (AQF) is a leading philanthropic organization based in Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates. The Foundation supports the social, cultural, and economic development of RAK and the wider UAE through research, policy engagement, capacity development, and community programming.

At an exciting stage of growth, the Foundation is expanding its reach and ambitions and is looking to further enhance public visibility, strengthen strategic public relations, and deliver a more coordinated, data-driven, and professionally managed approach to events across the institution.

Position Overview

The PR & Events Director will lead the Foundation's public relations and events strategy, with responsibility for strengthening the visibility, reputation, and public profile of the Foundation and its key initiatives, particularly theRAK Art Festivaland other major public-facing events.

Reporting to the Executive Director, this role will shape how the Foundation is represented to the public through media engagement, reputation-building, stakeholder relations, and best-in-class event strategy and delivery.

Key Responsibilities

Global PR Strategy and Institutional Visibility

• Define and implement a comprehensive PR strategy to raise the visibility, credibility, and relevance of the Foundation across Ras Al Khaimah, the UAE, and internationally.
• Strengthen awareness of the Foundation's work across its key portfolios, with particular emphasis on public-facing initiatives, cultural programming, and strategic institutional milestones.
• Develop clear messaging and positioning for the Foundation and ensure consistency across all public announcements, campaigns, and event-related communications.
• Serve as a strategic advisor to senior leadership on reputation, external visibility, media engagement, and public positioning.
• Identify opportunities to elevate the Foundation's profile through media, partnerships, thought leadership, and high-impact public moments.

Media Relations and Public Profile

• Build and maintain strong relationships with local, regional, and international media, including journalists, editors, broadcasters, and cultural and lifestyle press.
• Drive proactive media outreach around major Foundation initiatives, announcements, partnerships, research launches, and events.
• Increase the quantity and quality of earned media coverage for the Foundation and its flagship activities.
• Lead the development of press materials, media briefings, story angles, event communications, and key messages.
• Support senior leadership with interview preparation, speaking opportunities, messaging, and profile-building.
• Ensure that the Foundation's work is visible not only within specialist circles but also to wider public audiences.

Events Strategy and Leadership

• Define and lead the Foundation's overall events strategy, ensuring all events are aligned with institutional priorities, audience goals, and brand standards.
• Oversee the planning and execution of the Foundation's major public-facing events, with particular focus on the RAK Art Festival.
• Develop a clear annual events framework and master calendar covering timelines, milestones, deliverables, responsibilities, dependencies, and reporting.
• Introduce stronger systems, processes, templates, and governance for event planning and execution across the Foundation.
• Ensure that all events are delivered with a high level of professionalism, audience focus, operational efficiency, and brand consistency.
• Work closely with internal teams, consultants, agencies, artists, partners, and vendors to ensure integrated and well-coordinated delivery.
• Ensure that events support broader PR, audience development, and institutional visibility goals.

RAK Art Festival Planning and Delivery

• Lead the PR and events strategy for theRAK Art Festivalas one of the Foundation's flagship public platforms.
• Ensure the Festival is supported by a robust planning process that includes clear timelines, critical paths, event production schedules, opening and weekend programming plans, media and VIP engagement plans, and post-event reporting.
• Strengthen the operational discipline of the Festival by introducing clearer accountability, cross-team coordination, and structured progress tracking.
• Ensure that each Festival edition has a defined public relations strategy, launch plan, stakeholder engagement plan, event calendar, and audience growth plan.
• Oversee the planning and delivery of Festival openings, VIP events, guided tours, partner activations, press visits, artist engagements, workshops, talks, and closing events.
• Ensure RAK Art Festival events are not treated as standalone moments, but as part of a coherent public engagement and visibility strategy for the Foundation and Ras Al Khaimah more broadly.

Event Operations, Standards, and Coordination

• Introduce formal event planning tools including event briefs, run-of-shows, risk registers, staffing plans, communications plans, guest management systems, and post-event evaluations.
• Ensure event roles and responsibilities are clearly assigned and monitored across all stages of planning and delivery.
• Improve coordination between PR, marketing, programming, operations, heritage, and external production partners.
• Establish service standards for event quality, timeliness, hospitality, guest experience, media management, and onsite execution.
• Ensure all events are planned sufficiently in advance with clear deadlines, approvals, and escalation pathways.
• Oversee vendor and partner management to ensure reliable, cost-effective, and high-quality delivery.

Performance, Reporting, and KPI Management

• Establish and track clear PR and event KPIs across the Foundation, with particularly strong performance systems for the RAK Art Festival and major public events.
• Develop event dashboards and reporting templates to monitor progress before, during, and after events.
• Evaluate event performance using both quantitative and qualitative indicators and provide regular reporting to senior leadership.
• Use performance data to improve planning, audience engagement, operational delivery, and return on investment.

Leadership and Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Act as the senior lead for PR and events across the Foundation.
• Work closely with program teams, arts and culture teams, leadership, external agencies, and government or strategic partners to ensure strong alignment and execution.
• Build a culture of professionalism, planning discipline, responsiveness, and high standards around public-facing activity.
• Mentor and guide team members and consultants involved in PR and events delivery.
• Serve as the central point of accountability for the success, visibility, and organization of the Foundation's public relations and event portfolio.

Budget and Resource Management

• Manage PR and event budgets with rigor, ensuring efficient use of resources and strong value for money.
• Oversee forecasting, procurement, agency scopes, and cost tracking for campaigns and events.
• Ensure budget decisions are tied to strategic priorities and measurable outcomes.
• Balance ambition and creativity with practical delivery discipline and financial accountability.

Qualifications and Experience

• Master's degree in communications, Public Relations, Marketing, Events Management, Cultural Management, or a related field.
• At least 810 years of senior experience in PR, events, brand communications, or public engagement.
• Proven experience leading high-profile public relations strategies and complex events.
• Strong track record of delivering well-organized, high-impact, multi-stakeholder events.
• Experience in arts, culture, public sector, philanthropy, education, hospitality, or related mission-driven sectors is strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to raise institutional visibility through effective PR and strategic event programming.
• Excellent media relations, writing, planning, project management, and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong operational discipline with the ability to build systems, timelines, and accountability frameworks.
• Excellent leadership presence, judgment, and communication skills.
• Familiarity with the UAE and GCC media and events landscape is strongly preferred.
• Arabic language ability would be an advantage.

Skills & Competencies

• A senior PR and events leader with strong strategic and operational capability
• Highly organized and able to bring structure, planning discipline, and accountability to a busy institutional environment
• Skilled at making important work more visible and better understood by external audiences
• Experienced in producing culturally strong, high-quality, and well-run events
• Comfortable working across media, government, arts, culture, and community stakeholders
• Particularly capable of strengthening the planning, visibility, and public impact of theRAK Art Festival
• Skilled in budget planning and budget management, with a proven ability to set KPIs and lead teams to deliver measurable results.

Management Skills

• Strong leadership and team management abilities to guide and mentor staff.
• Proven experience in project and stakeholder management.
• Capacity to oversee multiple initiatives simultaneously with effective prioritization.
• Strategic decision-making and problem-solving skills in dynamic environments.

Compensation & Benefits

• Competitive, tax-free annual salary (depending on skills, experience, and qualifications).
• Comprehensive health insurance
• Annual professional development budget
• The chance to drive creativity, cultural exchange, and positive impact in a value-driven organizational culture.

Application Requirements

Candidates must provide:

• CV
• Cover Letter
• Creative and/or events Portfolio