Events & Programming Lead - International Affairs

About This Role

Company Description

Fiker Institute is an interdisciplinary think tank based in Dubai, dedicated to advancing intellectual discourse through research and dialogue. The Institute addresses critical global topics such as governance, foreign policy, and culture.

Role Description

The Events & Programming Lead - International Affairs, will oversee the planning, coordination, and execution of events and programming initiatives at Fiker Institute. The role requires maintaining effective communication with stakeholders and delivering events aligned with Fiker Institute’s mission. This is a full-time, on-site role based in Dubai, and both a degree and expertise in international affairs and foreign policy is a requirement.

Qualifications & Requirements

• Relevant academic background (Political Science, International Affairs, International Relations), and demonstrated professional experience in event management or related fields (policy programming, conference programming)
• In-person role (no remote options are available or possible)

Scope

• Develop the  programming strategy  of Fiker Institute in its next phase (public, closed, and members-only), ensuring alignment with institutional mission, research programs, thematic priorities, and long-term positioning domesticaslly and abroad.
• Identify  emerging global trends  as related to Fiker Institute’s research programs and translate them into programming opportunities.
• Conceptualize, design, and oversee  the Institute’s annual calendar of events, fellowships, workshops, public engagements, and members-only sessions
• Lead the development of new  flagship series outputs ) that position the think tank regionally and globally
• Translate research outputs into  accessible public programs , bridging scholarly work with policy, private sector, and cultural audiences
• Develop new  innovative formats  to diversify convening engagements
• Serve as the  primary liaison  and relationship manager with speakers, fellows, authors, external collaborators, and all individuals/groups taking part in the programming implementation
• Manage and monitor   the programming budget , ensuring financial resources are allocated effectively across initiatives and in alignment with Fiker Institute’s auditing requirements
• Lead on developing and implementing a programming sponsorship stream, targeting public and private sectors domestically, regionally, and globally
• Oversee the  end-to-end execution  of all programs: agenda setting, speaker curation, invitations, moderation support, logistics, and post-event outputs.
• Lead on  the creation of  supporting materials  (concept notes, backgrounders, speaker briefs, social media captions).
• Work closely with different streams at Fiker Institute (research, graphic design, and library operations teams) to ensure programming is  cross-functional .
• Develop  capacity-building initiatives  for staff (e.g., training on moderating/public speaking, stakeholder engagement, event design).
• Develop monthly, quarterly and/or annual programming report (depending on needs) , to ensure programming is captured as a core pillar of our work
• Develop programming partnerships both domestically and abroad (including with universities, research institutes, and other think tanks , ensuring the think tank is positioned as a credible partner for joint convenings, co-branded initiatives, and collaborative series.