Alserkal // ADVISORY MANAGER

JOB DESCRIPTION | ALSERKAL ADVISORY MANAGER 

About Alserkal

Alserkal is a socially responsible and forward-thinking cultural enterprise dedicated to developing sustainable models for homegrown initiatives with a commitment to nurturing alternative ideas and impactful research with regional relevance. Founded in 2007 by Emirati businessman and patron Abdelmonem Bin Eisa Alserkal, Alserkal is renowned for its groundbreaking artistic productions, experimental approach and for the creation of culturally meaningful spaces that inspire and shape communities. Alserkal has three primary areas of activity: cultivating a creative economy in Dubai and building a collaborative network of civic-cultural institutions through its renowned cultural district, Alserkal Avenue; providing advisory services to public and private sector entities; and, supporting public artist commissions, residencies, research grants and educational programmes through its nonprofit, Alserkal Arts Foundation.

Alserkal has transformed the cultural landscape of Dubai and the UAE through the creation of a thriving, region-specific community of over 70 contemporary art galleries, visual and performing arts organisations, designers and entrepreneur-led businesses at Alserkal Avenue, providing an essential platform for the development of creative industries in the region.

Alserkal utilises its collective expertise in arts initiatives and cultural production, heritage creation, community building and engagement, as well as urbanism and planning for creative industries, to guide public and private sector entities in developing sustainable and responsive business models.

About Alserkal Advisory

We are a multidisciplinary practice comprised of Alserkal’s founding team in addition to thinkers, researchers, and specialists in diverse fields from multiple geographies. Our advisory practice helps develop cultural production and establish spaces for polyphonic voices. We challenge conventional business practices, embracing a conscious approach to reimagining cultural destinations and crafting audience-specific public programmes that resonate with our communities, while also assessing our impact on society, the environment, and local economies.

Our work is collaborative and process-based, enabling a shared authority for cultural ideation through critical thinking and social agency. Our intellectual labour is grounded in an ethos of care and long-term cooperation with our artists, writers, practitioners, partners, and clients. While we seek to innovate and re-imagine artistic interventions, we are also mindful of the importance of developing strategies that ensure their longevity and sustenance.

As an independent and privately owned practice, proudly born in Dubai, we work unhindered by agendas. While working to achieve our partners’ cultural ambitions, we remain culturally sensitive to the traditions and histories of our region and beyond. This lived understanding of regional and local dynamics constitutes a cornerstone of our research-driven, contextsensitive approach to any project we pursue. We select projects diligently, ensuring our expertise and clients’ expectations align to produce meaningful, history-making outcomes that reflect our thinking, values and ethos.

Essential Functions & Objectives

A unique opportunity to further develop Alserkal’s position as a socially responsible cultural enterprise dedicated to cultivating a creative economy and fostering creativity, talent and discourse. The position plays a key role focusing on business development, proposal development, client servicing and delivering projects and initiatives that are rigorous, experimental, and multi-disciplinary and which generate cross-cultural exchange. The Alserkal Advisory Manager is responsible for ensuring that all elements relating to their clients are accounted for and delivered. This full-time position will work closely with Executive Management as well as Strategy and Special Projects Directors.

Key Responsibilities:

The Advisory Manager will work on developing the project pipeline as well as ensuring existing client experience is maintained to the highest standard.

Business Development 

• Focus on business development that adds new clients to the Alserkal database and helps build Alserkal Advisory pipeline.
• Develop proposals for RFPs, single source briefs and proactive proposals
• Research, create and contribute content for Alerkal Advisory proposals and projects, including but not limited to market research and sectoral information, strategy, cultural production, exhibition-making, commissions, conferences, design collaborations, multidisciplinary initiatives and more
• Work with Alserkal’s local, regional and international network to identify and generate opportunities for collaboration 
• Work closely with all relevant stakeholders, both internal and external, to turnaround proposals in an organized way, ensuring structure, content and method align to the RFP brief and timelines.
• An understanding of cultural production is key to being able to write a comprehensive proposal suited to the client need.
• Maintain and manage pipeline with regular financial forecasts for new business acquisition and business development expenses, ensuring budget compliance.
• Manage payments related to business development, ensuring invoices and POs are completed within time and follow due process.

Client Relationships •

• Nurture existing client relationships and identify opportunities to expand Alserkal Advisory’s involvement with existing clients.
• Remain part of client servicing after deal conversion to ensure continuity in business relationship and a seamless customer experience. This would require coordination with project execution team.
• Participate in organizing client events, assisting with all admin and logistics

Strategy

• Contribute to the development and execution of strategy with a focus on positioning Alserkal as the consultant of choice for cultural business development.
• Work closely with the Marketing team to produce and implement a cohesive and successful communications and marketing plan for Alserkal Advisory.

Required skills + experience

• • 5+ years’ experience in a fast-paced, high-volume environment in a related field
• Educated to a Bachelor’s degree level or equivalent and holding relevant professional qualifications.
• A proven track record in building and managing client relationships.
• A demonstrable understanding of, and commitment to arts and culture within MENA and Internationally
• Excellent organisational and administrative skills
• Excellent budget-keeping and reporting skills • Excellent writing and communication skills
• Work experience in the GCC or wider region desirable
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work effectively as part of a team
• Ability to develop positive, cooperative relationships across functional boundaries.
• Self-motivated, with the ability to work within an ambiguous constantly changing environment
• Local and regional experience in a similar role is essential
• Arabic-speaking would be an advantage

Position type and expected hours of work

This is a full-time position. Days and hours of work are Monday through Friday, from 10am to 6pm. Overtime might be required during intense periods and/or during special projects and events. This job description summarizes the main key responsibilities of your role but there may be other reasonable requests made and other responsibilities included from time to time.

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