Head of Marketing LIONS

About Tahaluf and LIONS Riyadh

Tahaluf, in partnership with LIONS and Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Media, is launching LIONS Riyadh, a new Festival designed to amplify Middle Eastern creativity on the global stage. This distinct Festival within the global LIONS community, home to the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, will showcase the region’s talent, ideas, and storytelling. The inaugural three-day Festival is scheduled to take place at KAFD, Riyadh, from December 6–8, 2027, bringing together regional and global CMOs, creative leaders, agencies, brands, and emerging talent.

Role Overview

Tahaluf is seeking a Head of Marketing for LIONS Riyadh. This full-time role, based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, reports to the Marketing Director and involves managing a diverse team. The Head of Marketing will lead the brand, audience, and go-to-market strategy for LIONS Riyadh, aiming to establish the Festival as a significant creative industry platform in the region and a recognized part of the global LIONS community. The role requires 5-10 years of experience and a combination of brand thinking, creative judgment, audience insight, and commercial marketing expertise.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage a cross-functional marketing team, providing guidance and fostering a high-performing environment.
• Develop and oversee the annual marketing calendar and integrated campaign plans across various channels.
• Collaborate with commercial leads to develop value propositions and go-to-market strategies.
• Monitor campaign performance through data analysis and reporting, recommending adjustments based on insights.
• Ensure all marketing efforts reflect the LIONS brand standards while being culturally relevant to Saudi Arabia and the Middle East.
• Drive strong digital engagement, conversion, and return on marketing investment.
• Build an active year-round community around the LIONS Riyadh brand through content marketing.
• Work closely with Content, PR, Creative, Commercial, and LIONS teams to maximize campaign impact.
• Oversee the design and production of all marketing collateral, ensuring adherence to brand guidelines.

Required Qualifications and Skills

• 5-10 years of experience in marketing leadership, with a track record of commercial collaboration.
• Extensive experience in digital marketing, content marketing, and marketing technology.
• Demonstrated ability to build desire around a premium global brand while ensuring cultural relevance.
• Strong analytical and data-oriented approach, with experience in testing and optimization.
• Exceptional attention to detail and creative flair.
• Ability to manage diverse teams and drive creativity and enthusiasm in others.
• Adaptability to differing market dynamics and ability to steer campaign strategy accordingly.

Performance Indicators

• Building strong awareness, consideration, and demand for LIONS Riyadh across Saudi Arabia, the GCC, and priority international markets.
• Growing the Festival’s reputation as a leading regional platform for creativity, marketing, media, and culture.
• Driving qualified registrations, ticket sales, and attendance from priority audience segments.
• Increasing engagement with senior CMOs, creative leaders, agencies, brands, creators, and emerging talent.
• Delivering strong digital engagement, conversion, and return on marketing investment.
• Ensuring adherence to timelines and budgets, and providing accurate marketing KPI reports.

Work Environment

This role is a full-time position based in Riyadh, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The successful candidate will operate in a fast-paced, dynamic environment, working closely with various internal and external stakeholders to achieve Festival objectives.