Head of Global event Operations and Delivery Full Time NEW

Head of Global Event Operations & Delivery

Company: Sela

Location: Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (Global Portfolio)

Role Level: Executive / Senior Leadership

About Sela

Sela is a Public Investment Fund (PIF) company and the driving force behind the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s most ambitious entertainment, culture, and sports spectacles. As we continue to redefine the global landscape of mega-events, experiential destinations, and international Expos under Vision 2030, we are assembling an elite team of global operational architects. We build world-class experiences from the ground up, transforming ambitious concepts into flawless, city-scale operational realities.

Position Overview

We are seeking an elite Operational General for the role of Head of Global Event Operations & Delivery. This is a heavyweight command position responsible for architecting the operational standards, playbooks, and readiness frameworks that will govern all Sela mega-events worldwide.

Entering at the inception phase, you will own the master blueprint of how our entire event portfolio functions as a single, flawless ecosystem. You will be responsible for defining “The Sela Standard”—codifying how we plan, stress-test, and deliver city-scale events without a single point of failure. This role requires a battle-tested operational leader who can break down functional silos, force integration across logistics, transport, security, and overlay, and command the Main Operations Centre when the world is watching.

Key Responsibilities

1. Global Operational Standardisation & Playbooks

• Define the Sela Standard: Author and implement the overarching operational playbooks, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and service-level agreements (SLAs) to be deployed across all Sela sports, culture, and entertainment properties.
• Blueprint the Ecosystem: Turn hyper-complex, multi-year timelines into highly structured, repeatable integrated operational plans that ensure consistency and flawless delivery from one mega-event to the next.
• Master Daily Run-Sheets (MDRS): Govern the creation of comprehensive daily matrix sheets that dictate hour-by-hour, minute-by-minute operations, programming transitions, and crowd shifts across entire event footprints.

2. Cross-Functional Integration & Governance

• Drive Interdependency Architecture: Map, track, and govern thousands of operational interdependencies across all functional areas (Logistics, Transport, FM, Tech, Ticketing, Broadcast, Venues, Security) from early design stages through to live operations.
• Enforce Milestone Gates: Establish rigid operational reporting frameworks, risk registers, and milestone tracking gates to ensure internal departments, external delivery partners, and contractors hit their critical paths.
• Silo-Breaking Leadership: Act as the central integration bridge, forcing collaborative planning between creative, commercial sales, and technical delivery teams.

3. Elite Testing, Readiness & Simulation (War Gaming)

• Command the Simulation Program: Design and execute a rigorous readiness testing regime, including tabletop simulation exercises, full-scale operational dress rehearsals, and stressful desktop crisis simulations to test the response capabilities of all staff.
• Operational Readiness Assessments (ORAs): Systematically stress-test communications, crowd-control strategies, and transit networks, identifying operational gaps and enforcing mandatory corrective actions before public arrival.

4. Command and Control (C2) Governance & Live Execution

• Architect the Main Operations Centre (MOC): Design the spatial layout, technology stacks, incident management workflows, and communications infrastructure for central Main Operations Centres and Joint Command Centres (JCC).
• Live Event Incident Commander: During live execution of tier-1 events, act as the primary operational anchor within the MOC. Ensure real-time information flow and crisis resolution between Sela, public sector entities (Muroor, Civil Defense, Municipalities), international delegations, and on-ground venue managers.

Candidate Profile & Experience Requirements

• Mega-Event Pedigree: A minimum of 10+ years of senior operational leadership, readiness, or integrated planning, with a proven track record of directing or commanding operations for at least one World Expo, Olympic Games, FIFA World Cup, or massive multi-sector state program.
• The Master General Mindset: The rare ability to see the macro strategic vision of a mega-event while simultaneously identifying micro operational dependencies and risks on the ground.
• Elite Diplomatic Authority: A proven history of commanding authority, inspiring elite event staff, and driving alignment among disparate high-level stakeholders, including ministry officials, commercial partners, and international delegates.
• Geographical Adaptability: Experience operating within the Middle East/GCC region is highly advantageous, with a clear understanding of Riyadh’s rapid infrastructure growth and the overarching mandates of Vision 2030.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Operations, Project Management, Engineering, or a highly analytical discipline.
• Advanced certifications (e.g., PMP, Prince2 Practitioner) or a Master’s degree in a relevant field are expected.
• A portfolio of successfully executed, world-renowned events.