General Manager Culture and Heritage Program

Role purpose

Lead the end-to-end planning, activation, and performance of Qiddiya’s culture and heritage project, with full accountability for the overall management of the asset across all functions, including operations, facilities management, marketing, cultural programming, human resources, and finance.

Ensure excellence in cultural programming, event delivery, stakeholder coordination, and financial performance, while operating in alignment with Asset Management and Qiddiya Group governance frameworks.

Key responsibilities

Cultural programming & experience oversight

Ensure delivery of high-quality cultural programming aligned with national heritage objectives.

Oversee development and execution of the cultural program calendar.

Maintain a strong understanding of cultural programming as a core driver of visitor engagement and financial performance.

Provide direction and oversight to ensure programming is aligned with commercial objectives and overall asset success.

Ensure programming drives visitor engagement and supports asset performance.

Financial performance & commercial delivery

Own full P&L accountability.

Oversee revenue generation across sponsorships, retail, F&B, and ticketing.

Ensure robust budgeting, forecasting, and performance tracking.

Pre-opening/readiness phase

Lead readiness for opening, including recruitment of the OpCo team, development of policies and procedures, systems implementation, and staff training.

Develop and mobilize the full OpCo organizational structure, including senior leadership across key functions (finance, IT, programming, marketing, operations, etc.).

Ensure delivery of an operating model and organization capable of managing the culture and heritage asset by planned opening.

Coordinate and manage stakeholder engagement to ensure alignment and readiness for opening.

Liaise with development and delivery teams to ensure asset readiness across infrastructure, systems, and operational requirements.

Operational phase (post-opening)

Oversee day-to-day operations and ensure delivery of the approved operational and financial plans.

Manage operational budgets, staff performance, and resource allocation.

Oversee government relations, commercial performance, and stakeholder management.

Ensure continued readiness across logistics, infrastructure, and guest experience.

Drive operational efficiency, service quality, and continuous improvement.

Stakeholder & governance management

Manage engagement with government entities, cultural institutions, and strategic partners.

Interface with the Asset Management team for strategy and performance alignment.

Ensure compliance with Qiddiya Group governance frameworks.

Coordinate with centralized corporate functions.

Organizational leadership

Lead functional teams and ensure clear governance, accountability, and performance management.

Build, mentor, and develop high-performing leadership and operations teams.

Key success metrics

• Visitor satisfaction, spend optimization, and visitation levels.
• Cultural programs effectively aligned to deliver financial performance.
• Revenue performance against approved operating budgets.
• Effective stakeholder and government relations.
• Operational excellence appropriate for a world-class cultural and heritage destination.
• Successful delivery of the OpCo team in readiness for opening.
• Strong people leadership, capability building, and staff development.

Requirements

• Strong leadership and organizational management capability.
• Proven experience in P&L ownership and financial management.
• Excellent stakeholder and government relations management.
• Experience operating within matrix organizations.
• Sound judgment and decision-making under pressure.
• Experience in cultural commercialization and destination management.
• Prior management of a major cultural or heritage precinct with significant visitation and multiple assets.