Commercial Lead // Cultural Entity

About BLR

BLR WORLD is an award-winning talent consultancy for the culture, entertainment, and events sectors, enabling organisations to plan, staff, and operate unique permanent and temporary visitor experiences with the very best people.

Our core services are HR Consultancy, Recruitment, Training, and Operations. We find brilliant people, create high-performing teams, design environments and training to help them thrive, then manage them seamlessly on the ground. The result? One-of-a-kind experiences delivered by energised and enthusiastic teams, exceeding the highest standards.

Position Details

Position Title: Commercial Lead

Department: Learning & Development

Reports To: District Manager

Location: Dubai, UAE

Contract Type: Full-Time (24-Month Fixed-Term Contract)

Contract Duration: 24 Months (August 2026 – July 2028)

About the Role

BLR WORLD is looking for a Commercial Lead to drive the commercial growth, visitor revenue, and business development objectives of the Operations and Management Services contract for a leading museum in Dubai, led by BLR WORLD. Reporting to the District Manager, the Commercial Lead will be responsible for developing and implementing commercial strategies that maximise visitor participation, venue utilisation, educational programme sales, partnerships, and sustainable revenue opportunities while supporting the entity's strategic vision.

The Commercial Lead will oversee the development of corporate partnerships, tourism collaborations, B2B relationships, venue hire opportunities, paid workshops, educational programmes, outreach initiatives, and visitor participation models. Working closely with the District Manager, Programs Development Manager, Operations Lead, and Venue & Events Coordinator, the role will ensure that commercial initiatives are fully integrated into museum operations without compromising visitor experience or cultural authenticity.

The role will also be responsible for identifying new market opportunities, analysing visitor trends, supporting pricing strategies, monitoring commercial performance, and developing innovative initiatives that increase visitation, strengthen stakeholder engagement, and enhance the museum's long-term sustainability.

Key Responsibilities

Commercial Strategy

• Develop and implement the commercial strategy for the museum in alignment with the entity's objectives and contractual deliverables.
• Identify new revenue opportunities that enhance visitor engagement while preserving the museum's cultural and educational mission.
• Develop visitor participation models and commercial initiatives to increase visitation, repeat attendance, and community engagement.
• Support the District Manager in developing long-term commercial growth plans and annual business objectives.

Business Development

• Develop and maintain strategic partnerships with corporate organisations, government entities, tourism operators, hotels, schools, universities, travel agencies, and community organisations.
• Identify sponsorship, partnership, and collaborative opportunities that support museum programming and visitor growth.
• Promote museum services, educational programmes, venue hire opportunities, workshops, and special events to external stakeholders.
• Build strong B2B relationships to increase group bookings and commercial opportunities.

Venue Hire & Commercial Activities

• Oversee the commercial performance of venue hire operations in collaboration with the Venue & Events Coordinator.
• Develop pricing strategies and commercial packages for corporate events, private functions, educational programmes, workshops, and cultural experiences.
• Ensure venue utilisation is maximised while maintaining operational feasibility and visitor experience standards.
• Identify opportunities to expand paid programming and premium visitor experiences.

Visitor Growth & Market Development

• Monitor visitor demographics, attendance trends, market behaviour, and tourism opportunities to identify areas for growth.
• Develop initiatives that attract new visitor segments, including schools, tour operators, community organisations, residents, and international visitors.
• Collaborate with Programming and Outreach teams to develop commercially viable programmes that increase museum engagement.
• Support seasonal campaigns, festivals, and special events to maximise visitor participation.

Commercial Performance Management

• Monitor commercial KPIs including visitor numbers, revenue generation, programme participation, venue utilisation, partnership growth, and customer acquisition.
• Analyse commercial performance data and recommend improvements to optimise financial outcomes.
• Prepare revenue forecasts and business performance reports for senior management.
• Track return on investment for commercial initiatives and marketing campaigns.

Stakeholder Management

• Build and maintain strong working relationships with the entity's stakeholders, tourism partners, educational institutions, corporate clients, and community organisations.
• Represent BLR WORLD during commercial meetings, networking events, and partnership discussions.
• Collaborate closely with internal operational teams to ensure commercial commitments are delivered successfully.

Collaboration with Operational Teams

• Work closely with the Operations Lead to ensure commercial activities are operationally feasible and effectively resourced.
• Coordinate with the Programs Development Manager to develop marketable educational programmes, workshops, and public activations.
• Support the Community Outreach & Events Coordinator in expanding community participation and engagement initiatives.
• Collaborate with the Schools & Groups Coordinator to increase educational group visits and institutional partnerships.

Financial Planning

• Support annual budgeting, revenue forecasting, and commercial planning.
• Monitor commercial expenditure and ensure activities deliver value for money.
• Recommend pricing reviews and commercial improvements based on market analysis and visitor trends.

Reporting

Prepare and submit monthly and quarterly reports to the District Manager, including:

• Commercial performance summaries.
• Visitor participation analysis.
• Revenue and partnership performance.
• Venue hire utilisation.
• Sales pipeline updates.
• Group bookings and educational programme performance.
• Market trends and competitor analysis.
• Recommendations for commercial growth and continuous improvement.

Required Experience

• Minimum 7 years' experience in commercial management, business development, sales, tourism, hospitality, cultural institutions, or visitor attractions.
• Minimum 3 years' experience leading commercial or business development functions.
• Proven experience developing partnerships and managing client relationships.
• Experience delivering revenue growth strategies and commercial performance improvements.
• Strong understanding of visitor attractions, tourism markets, and cultural destinations.
• Experience analysing business performance data and preparing commercial reports.
• Excellent negotiation, presentation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong commercial awareness combined with an understanding of visitor experience principles.

Preferred Experience

• Experience working within museums, heritage sites, cultural institutions, or visitor attractions.
• Experience working with government or semi-government organisations. •

Familiarity with UAE tourism, cultural heritage, and hospitality sectors.

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Experience in venue hire, events, sponsorship, or destination marketing.

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Existing network within the UAE tourism and cultural sectors is advantageous.

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Additional language skills are desirable.

Required Education / Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Tourism, Hospitality Management, Commercial Management, Event Management, or a related discipline.
• Professional qualifications in Sales, Marketing, Business Development, or Commercial Management are advantageous.
• An MBA or postgraduate qualification in Business or Marketing is desirable.

Location & Commitment

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Full-time position.

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24-month fixed-term contract.

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Working 5 days per week, with flexibility to support operational requirements, seasonal programming, public holidays, special events, and emergency operational needs.

• Regular presence across all pavilions and facilities. •

Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Why Join BLR WORLD

BLR WORLD delivers tailored operational management, visitor experience, and workforce solutions for some of the region’s leading cultural institutions. As Commercial Lead, you will play a key role in driving the commercial growth and long-term sustainability of the Museum. You will lead initiatives that enhance visitor participation, expand strategic partnerships, increase revenue opportunities, and strengthen the museum's position as a premier cultural destination in Dubai. Working closely with multidisciplinary teams and external stakeholders, you will contribute to the development of innovative commercial programmes, venue experiences, and community engagement initiatives while supporting the continued success and evolution of one of the UAE's most significant heritage destinations.