Following Identity\'s success in the UK and Europe, the agency is expanding into the UAE with offices in both Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

We have been fortunate to win a number of high profile contracts with both UAE corporate clients and public sector organisations, with further contracts to follow across the region.

Identity UAE has ambitious plans for the next year which includes:

- Becoming one of the leading events agencies in UAE, with a reputation for high levels of customer service, strong creativity, innovation, sustainability and flawless execution.

- Forming a strong in country team of capable and experienced events professionals.

- Offering fully integrated delivery between UK (and other offices) & UAE with plans for further expansion to KSA

Position Overview:

The Head of Client Services & New Business (UAE) will work closely with the General Manager and New Business team to win, grow and manage client accounts. As part of a new team, they will be an integral part of developing and delivering the strategy for multiple accounts.

They will also be the commercial representative for Identity\'s UAE business entity working alongside a team to deliver large, complex projects for corporate and government clients. They will be able to create momentum within the team and business to drive growth and think beyond the short term, identifying potential opportunities, risks and solutions for how the team can fulfil or overcome them.

Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities:

• Become a trusted partner and advisor to our clients
• Maintain day to day contact with key client accounts and acting as the escalation point to manage and resolve conflict
• Define, plan, implement and evaluate client account strategy
• Agree SMART KPIs with the client and monitor Identity performance against those targets
• Ensure new clients are onboarded and the necessary contractual agreements are in place before projects commence
• Prepare for and lead client review meetings gathering and presenting required data and reporting
• Initiate regular internal account reviews, identifying opportunities for innovation, efficiencies, improvement, and value for money
• Proactively identify potential areas of growth for the business and be able to turn this knowledge into a plan of action
• Knowledgeable about how to manage key C suite and mid-level stakeholders in the client organisation in order to generate revenue and protect and promote the agencies ambitions
• Manage and oversee client account profitability
• To be responsible for leading pitches for existing accounts and ad hoc for new business pitches
• Write a detailed reverse brief and / or define and activity\'s scope of works
• Provide required reporting for the Exec Team on client account status and progress
• Work with the Senior Event Producer (SEP) and other business functions to encourage collaboration and increase efficiencies
• Promote Identity\'s profile within the client organisation and upsell other areas of the agency\'s service offering where possible
• Being engaged with the PR agency to ensure that activity is beneficial to the Identity global and regional brand and opportunities for commentary are acted upon
• Provide internal team with direction based on client experience, knowledge and understanding
• Onsite presence at all client events where possible
• Manage and monitor client retention

Project Specific (when required):

• You will be a key point of contact for clients and will manage a team to ensure on brief, on time and in budget delivery of projects
• End to end project management including client liaison, brief and scope of works development, scheduling, budget management, supplier coordination, management of internal resource and integration of digital across the event
• Collaboration with the creative department to ensure the creative vision meets the client brief and being the guardian of the creative idea throughout project delivery
• Developing and managing timelines, risk registers and status reports and ensuring project plans are running to schedule and as expected
• Budget ownership, securing client approvals, purchase orders and issuing invoices
• Effectively manage client change requests
• Coordinate and manage post event review meetings (internal and external) producing a report capturing key learnings and insights
• Conduct project reconciliations

General:

• Proactively promote the inclusion of feedback both internally and externally
• Collaborate with marketing functions, with the goal of driving further opportunities with both existing and new clients
• Develop and appraise direct reports through company staff management system
• Be willing to travel both nationally and internationally when required

Skills and Experience:

Essential:

• Significant agency experience within the events industry
• Extensive experience in the MENA markets
• Significant account management experience within the events industry with clients who have an annual spend of up to AED22m / \xc2\xa35m
• Previous experience in leading and delivering pitches and growing / retaining accounts.
• Proven financial acumen and commercial awareness with the ability to adapt in a growing business environment
• Exceptional organisational and project management skills.
• Ability to demonstrate operational, technical, and creative understanding
• A creative thinking approach, applying this creativity to improve the way the business is run, or how to strategically sell-in work
• Strong people management skills to both lead and motivate teams
• Good working knowledge of Microsoft products and project management software.
• Fluent in English - strong communication skills, both written and verbal

Desirable:

• Understanding of UAE specific event industry with established supplier contacts/relationships.
• Experience of new business development activity.
• Understanding of multiple event disciplines including event and delegate management, technical services, digital media, video, production and print with expertise in building show productions
• Understanding of Arabic - written and verbal

Benefits

Skills Required

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