Commercial Director - Vendor Partnerships - Exhibitions

Company Description

Tahaluf is the largest B2B live and on-demand events organiser in Saudi Arabia by space, attendance, colleagues, and revenue. It is a joint venture between Informa PLC, the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming and Drones (SAFCSP), and the Events Investment Fund (EIF).

Tahaluf is bold, visionary, and determined to make an impact. Our team fosters a culture of collaboration, creativity, and a little fun. Here, teamwork rules, and work feels as exciting as the events we create. Scaling at this pace also requires exceptional local partners, and Tahaluf is proud to work with a range of government and non-government organisations at the forefront of Saudi Arabia’s B2B and B2C large-scale events scene.

Be part of something BIG with Tahaluf’s series of record-breaking events: LEAP and Cityscape - the largest events in the world in their respective fields of tech and real estate; Black Hat MEA - a Guinness World Record holder for the largest CTF competition during the event; and CPHI Middle East - the largest pharma debut event in history, to name just a few. Tahaluf is making a huge impact on the global events sector.

Job Description

As our Commercial Director - Vendor Partnerships, you will build and run Tahaluf’s non-space revenue engine - owning monetisation of all revenue streams beyond space sales. This is a senior, high-impact role responsible for creating new revenue streams, scaling them across the portfolio, and installing the governance and operating discipline required to deliver consistent, measurable profit contribution year-on-year.

What you will do

This role is a head-of-function, reporting into the VP, Production & Vendor Partnerships, with the remit to operate as a specialist commercial capability supporting event teams to grow non-space revenue without compromising exhibitor experience.

Key Responsibilities

1) Build the non-space revenue strategy

• Define and deliver the non-space revenue strategy and roadmap across Tahaluf’s portfolio (services, vendor programmes, and attendee-related monetisation).
• Identify, prioritise, and launch new revenue streams beyond space sales, turning commercial opportunities into repeatable, scalable models.2) Own commercial outcomes and execution

• Own an annual non-space commercial target (set internally) and deliver against it through structured planning, execution, and reporting.
• Develop category-level commercial plans and ensure each event team has clear routes to monetisation that are practical, compliant, and executable.3) Create scalable partnership models

• Build partnership frameworks and programmes that drive revenue while improving exhibitor outcomes (clear value exchange, clear rules, clear accountability).
• Establish commercial guardrails that protect rate integrity and ensure consistent application across events.4) Governance, optimisation, and commercial discipline

• Implement commercial governance over non-space revenue streams to ensure:
• strong performance management
• consistent reporting cadence
• commercial compliance and transparency
• prevention of leakage and value loss
• Drive optimisation of non-space commercial performance, ensuring programmes remain attractive, competitive, and profitable.5) Revenue tracking and reconciliation

• Build the end-to-end revenue tracking, reporting, and reconciliation process for non-space streams.
• Create dashboards and routines that give leadership clear visibility of performance, risks, and upside opportunities.6) Team build and leadership

• Build the Vendor Partnerships commercial team from scratch (approx. ~6 people), including capability design, hiring, ways of working, targets, and performance culture.
• Lead and develop a high-performing team with a commercial mindset, high standards, and strong stakeholder management.7) Stakeholder leadership across the business

• Work cross-functionally across event/portfolio leadership, operations/exhibitor services, sales, finance, legal, marketing, and ticketing/product functions to build alignment and deliver results.
• Act as a commercial partner to event teams — enabling them with programmes, tools, partners, and governance that make monetisation easier and outcomes more predictable.Decision Rights & Authority

• Owns day-to-day commercial terms and vendor decisions, escalating only major/strategic deals where appropriate.
• Works in partnership with Finance and Legal to ensure commercial structures are robust, compliant, and enforceable.What Success Looks Like (KPIs)

The Commercial Director will be measured on:

• A) Non-space revenue growth
• B) Profit / margin contribution from non-space streams
• C) New revenue streams launched and scaled
• G) Adoption/conversion to preferred partner programmes where relevant
• E) Rebate capture / leakage reduction / reconciliation accuracy

Qualifications

What you will bring:

Experience

• Strong preference for candidates with exhibition organiser experience in vendor partnerships, commercial services, exhibitor revenue, or comparable non-space monetisation.
• Proven track record building commercial programmes from scratch and scaling them across multiple events or portfolios.Capability & Behaviours

• Commercially aggressive but controlled: creates value, protects the brand, and drives outcomes.
• Strong operator: can build process, governance, reporting and cadence — not just “do deals.”
• High ownership and accountability: comfortable being measured on targets and delivery.
• Strong stakeholder leadership: able to align Sales, Ops and Event teams around commercial programmes without friction and confusion.
• Clear communicator with high standards, strong judgement, and the confidence to make decisions.

Additional Information

What you will get:

Core Benefits:

• VVIP Bupa Medical Insurance for you and your family
• Annual leave – 28 days
• Remote working on Sundays
• Working anywhere – 8 weeks every year
• School fees contribution, 40,000 SAR per child per year (up to a max of three children)
• Residency visa, including yearly dependent fees
• Individual annual flight allowance for expats Local Relocation Package*:

• Paid flight to Riyadh – individual and family (up to a max of three children)
• 30 days accommodation or a suitable serviced apartment from your arrival date, or a one-off payment of SAR 5,000
• Up to SAR 2,500 reimbursement of shipping goods/excess baggage costsInternational Relocation Package*:

• Paid flight to Riyadh – individual and family
• 60 days accommodation or suitable serviced apartment from your arrival
• date, or a one-off payment of SAR 5,000
• Up to SAR 2,500 reimbursement of shipping goods/excess baggage costs
• Paid flight home for individual and end of service gratuity payment when leaving the company (if applicable) *If eligible

We don't just accept difference, we celebrate it. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and circumstances and base hiring decisions on relevant qualifications and merit. We are proud to provide a disability-friendly environment. If you require any support or adjustments to participate in our interview or selection processes, please let us know.