Special Projects and Innovation Lead

Job description / Role

Our client is a globally recognized B2B exhibitions organizer with a rich history of connecting businesses and professionals across various industries. They are dedicated to creating valuable networking opportunities and delivering exceptional events that foster growth and innovation.

Central to the business growth is the harnessing of data and digital technologies to revolutionise their processes, enhance customer journeys, and solve operational challenges. We seek a skilled and tech-savvy Special Projects and Innovation Lead to guide our clients’ strategic initiatives and support the CEO in steering the company toward its objectives.

Responsibilities

• Connect Data and Tech: Collaborate with the Connect project lead and Product Manager, as well as external suppliers, to evolve the digital community platform. Address internal and external user pain points and align tech aspects with priorities.
• Strategic Project Implementation: Manage key tech and data-related projects, ensuring they deliver value, meet milestones, and align with company growth targets. Report progress, milestones, and challenges directly to senior management.
• Tech/ Data-driven Process Optimization: Analyse existing tech stacks and user journeys to identify inefficiencies and opportunities for improvement. Streamline processes using tech tools, particularly in reporting and task automation.
• Data-Driven Transformation: Drive initiatives to increase data utilisation across the business, enabling sophisticated, data-centric decision-making.
• Requirements Mapping and Prioritization: Establish and prioritize tech stack initiatives, propose budgets and timelines, and map organizational requirements for implementation.
• Business Enablement: Enable self-service data use, visualization, reporting, and dashboarding tools.
• Data Lake and Infrastructure Management: Oversee the handover and maintenance of the newly established data lakehouse (Azure) and related infrastructure. Ensure efficient data integration and reporting.
• Data Quality and Stewardship: Establish and maintain data governance policies to ensure accuracy and consistency.
• Digital and AI Strategy Implementation: Assist in defining and implementing AI strategies to enhance marketing and sales processes, and increase digital technology use across the business.
• Performance Measurement: Develop metrics to measure the effectiveness of data and innovation initiatives and analyse outcomes for continuous improvement.
• Budgeting and Resource Allocation: Manage budgets for innovation and data projects, ensuring efficient resource use and maximizing ROI.
• Communication and Reporting: Regularly update the Chairman and CEO on project progress, ensuring transparent communication and prompt issue resolution.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Build strong relationships with stakeholders across departments to integrate digital technologies and data-driven strategies.
• Change Management and Training: Lead change management initiatives, providing training and support to ensure organizational readiness for new technologies.

Requirements

• Strong analytical, organizational, and leadership skills
• Excellent planning, communication, and interpersonal abilities
• Proficiency with project management methodologies (Agile, Scrum, Kanban, Lean, Six Sigma, PRINCE2)
• Tech background with familiarity in CRM, ERP, automation tools, data tools, and AI
• Action and results-oriented with the ability to lead projects from conception to execution
• Ability to travel internationally, particularly to Moscow
• Proven track record as a Tech/Digital Transformation or Innovation Lead (5+ years)
• Extensive experience managing large-scale international projects
• Fluency in English is required; Russian is an advantage

Salary:
AED 33,000 to 35,000 per month inclusive of fixed allowances.
Additional benefits: Annual Bonus, Family Medical Insurance.

About the Company

Inspire Selection is an award winning recruitment agency, headquartered in Dubai which recruits across the Middle East region. We employ highly knowledgeable, professional consultants who are experts in connecting the right people with the right opportunities. Our reputation has been built upon our honesty, integrity and our ability to source candidates of the highest calibre right across our specialist sectors. As a result, we are recruitment partners to a wide spectrum of organisations - from leading blue chip companies to smaller, local businesses. Sectors we cover include HR, Administration, Finance & Accounting, Legal, Sales & Marketing including Digital Marketing, IT, Oil/Gas/Energy, Engineering, Procurement, Manufacturing, Higher Education.