Company Description
Tahaluf is the largest B2B live and on-demand events organiser in Saudi Arabia by space, attendance, colleagues, and revenue. It is a joint venture between Informa PLC, the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming and Drones (SAFCSP), and the Events Investment Fund (EIF).
Tahaluf is bold, visionary, and determined to make an impact. Our team fosters a culture of collaboration, creativity, and a little fun, here teamwork rules and work feels as exciting as the events we create. Scaling at this pace also requires exceptional local partners, and Tahaluf is proud to work with a range of government and non-government organisations at the forefront of Saudi Arabia’s B2B and B2C large-scale events scene.
Be part of something BIG with Tahaluf’s series of record-breaking events: LEAP and Cityscape - the largest events in the world in their respective fields of tech and real estate; Black Hat MEA - a Guinness World Record holder for the largest CTF competition during the event; and CPHI Middle East - the largest pharma debut event in history, to name just a few. Tahaluf is making a huge impact on the global events sector.
Join our ambitious and highly committed team, unafraid to push boundaries and disrupt the status quo. From day one, you’ll dive into large-scale projects under the guidance of a supportive leadership team that will encourage your personal development and open doors to new opportunities.
About LIONS Riyadh
LIONS Riyadh marks a bold new chapter for the world’s most prestigious platform for creative marketing. Launched by Tahaluf in partnership with LIONS and Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Media, it is a distinct Festival within the global LIONS community, home to the renowned Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. Designed to amplify Middle Eastern creativity on the global stage, LIONS Riyadh will showcase the region’s talent, ideas and storytelling while connecting its creative industries with the world’s leading networks, brands and decision-makers. The inaugural three-day Festival takes place at KAFD, Riyadh, from 6–8 December 2027. It will bring together regional and global CMOs, creative leaders, agencies, brands and emerging talent around creative excellence, effectiveness, culture and the future of the industry.
Job Description
The Head of Marketing, will report into the Marketing Director and will manage a diverse team based in Riyadh.
The Head of Marketing will lead the brand, audience and go-to-market strategy for LIONS Riyadh, establishing the Festival as one of the most important new creative industry platforms in the region and a recognised part of the global LIONS community.
The individual will be a highly motivated, dynamic marketing leader with a track record of commercial collaboration to develop products and positioning reflective of customer demand.
This role requires a distinctive combination of brand thinking, creative judgement, audience insight and commercial marketing expertise. The successful candidate will understand how to build desire around a premium global brand while making it culturally relevant to Saudi Arabia and the wider Middle East.
Managing a diverse team of managers, marketing executives and specialist functions the Head of Marketing will be a skilled marketing strategist and be able to drive creativity and enthusiasm in others.
The individual needs to be analytical and data orientated with a history of testing and optimisation, but with creative flair and exceptional attention to detail.
They will be responsible for creating a marketing platform that feels unmistakably LIONS – bold, intelligent, culturally connected and creatively distinctive – while delivering measurable audience, revenue and brand-growth objectives.
The candidate should have extensive experience of digital marketing, content marketing and marketing technology and be accustomed to delivering in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
The role will work closely with LIONS, Content, Creative, PR, Commercial and Partnerships to ensure every campaign strengthens the Festival's positioning, builds community and attracts the highest-value regional and international audiences.
The individual must be extremely adaptable, accustomed to working with differing market dynamics and be able to guide marketers and steer campaign strategy accordingly.
Key Performance Indicators
Increasing engagement with senior CMOs, creative leaders, agencies, brands, creators and emerging talent
Driving effective collaboration across Marketing, Content, PR, Commercial, Creative and LIONS teams
Key Responsibilities
LEADERSHIP
Create strong collaboration across Marketing, Content, Creative, PR, Commercial and the LIONS team.
ANALYSIS & INSIGHT
Build a culture of testing and metrics-driven decision making in the teams
- Develop deep understanding of LIONS Riyadh audience segments, motivations and behaviours across Saudi Arabia, the GCC and priority international markets.
Use audience and market insight to shape messaging, positioning, channel strategy and campaign creative.
Track brand awareness, consideration and perception to understand how LIONS Riyadh is building relevance and desirability in the market.
PLANNING & CAMPAIGN MANAGEMENT
Work with marketing managers/wider team to plan product marketing campaigns to meet strategic objectives – for exhibitions and virtual/hybrid events
Monitor operational implementation plans and ensure adherence to deadlines (including Gantt charts, Time & Action Plans, Content Calendars, Budget Trackers)
Develop and oversee the annual marketing calendar for LIONS Riyadh across launch, speaker announcements, content reveals, partnerships, ticketing and Festival moments.
Build integrated campaign plans across paid, owned, earned, social, CRM, partnerships and community channels.
Monitor engagement with target media, associations, industry partners and social media influencers and help the team determine how they fit within the integrated campaign
Assist marketing managers with the development of marketing budgets in line with plans and ensure budget trackers are kept up to date
Recommend external suppliers and ensure adherence to contractual terms and delivery
Ensure campaigns are tailored by audience segment and market, with clear messaging for Saudi, regional and international audiences.
Work closely with Content, PR, Creative and Commercial teams to turn major Festival announcements into high-impact campaign moments.
Ensure campaign planning protects the premium positioning and creative integrity of the LIONS brand.
MARKETING EXECUTION
Input into the Content Calendar to ensure delivery through the most relevant channels (email marketing, social media, digital marketing, direct mail etc)
Ensure all marketing collateral, email marketing, website content and digital marketing is thoroughly proofed, adheres to brand guidelines and agreed Informa standards
Develop audience-specific messaging for CMOs, creative leaders, agencies, brands, creators and emerging talent.
Qualifications
Degree or professional background in marketing, communications, media, business, creative industries or a related field is advantageous.
Relevant senior-level marketing experience may be considered in place of formal qualifications.
Experience
Significant senior-level marketing experience within major events, media, creative industries, entertainment, culture or premium global brands.
Experience developing and delivering integrated marketing campaigns across paid, owned, earned, digital, social and CRM channels.
Experience within the creative, advertising, marketing, media or cultural sectors would be a strong advantage.
Skills & qualities
Additional Information
Core Benefits:
- Medical Insurance for individual and family
- Annual leave – 28 days
- Remote working on Sundays
- Working anywhere – 2 months every year
- School fees contribution, 40,000 SAR per child per year (up to a max of three children)
- Wellbeing Benefits
- Residency visa including yearly dependent fees
- Individual annual flight allowance for expats
Local Relocation Package*:
- Paid flight to Riyadh – individual and family
- 30 days accommodation or suitable serviced apartment from arrival date or a one-off payment of SAR 5,000
- Up to SAR 2,500 reimbursement of shipping goods/excess baggage costs
*If eligible
International Relocation Package*:
- Paid flight to Riyadh – individual and family
- 60 days accommodation or a suitable serviced apartment from your arrival date, or a one-off payment of SAR 5,000
- Up to SAR 2,500 reimbursement of shipping goods/excess baggage costs
- Paid flight home for individual and end-of-service gratuity payment when leaving the company (if applicable)
*If eligible
We work hard to make sure life at Tahaluf is rewarding, supportive and enjoyable for everyone. We’re not solely focused on a checklist of skills. We champion energy and ambition and look for colleagues who will roll their sleeves up, join in and help make things happen. We don't just accept difference, we celebrate it. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and circumstances and base hiring decisions on relevant qualifications and merit. We are proud to provide a disability-friendly environment. If you require any support or adjustments to participate in our interview or selection processes, please let us know.
