director of cultural strategy

Reports to:
General Manager

Location: Fujairah/hybrid

About the MHCC

Vision

The Mohammed bin Hamad al-Sharqi Foundation for Cultural Creativity is a dynamic hub where Arabic and Islamic cultural heritage meets digital innovation, reviving traditional knowledge forms, empowering creative experimentation, and catalysing cross-cultural exchange that shapes the future of the arts, literature, and philosophy.

Mission

We preserve and revitalise the heritage of the Arab world and wider Mediterranean and Indian Ocean cultural region, transforming traditional knowledge in Arabic and Islamic philosophy, literature, and visual arts into living practices that speak to contemporary audiences.

As a digital incubator, we lead innovation in arts and culture, providing emerging artists, writers, researchers, and thinkers with cutting-edge tools and platforms to experiment, create, and share their work globally.

We foster deep cross-cultural dialogue and knowledge transmission through publishing, language pedagogy, artistic collaboration, and intellectual exchange, connecting local traditions with regional and global conversations to enrich society.

Position Overview

The Head of Cultural Strategy is a senior leadership role is responsible for the ideation and implementation of the cycle of the MHCC's cultural projects, ensuring alignment with our broader organizational vision and supporting the MHCC's subsidiaries to achieve their goals..

The successful candidate will develop and implement strategic goals, initiatives, and multi-year projects that advance MHCC's mission across our core areas: cultural heritage, research, art, digital innovation, philosophy, poetry, and language pedagogy. This role requires both visionary thinking and operational and managerial ability, someone who can develop ambitious cultural initiatives while ensuring they are successfully implemented and delivered across diverse organizations.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Planning & Development

• Develop and coordinate the delivery of MHCC's cultural strategy along united themes across cultural heritage, art, digital innovation, philosophy, poetry, and language pedagogy.
• Create multi-year strategic plans that align the MHCC's cultural initiatives with the organisation's mission to revive traditional knowledge forms and empower creative experimentation across cultural heritage and emerging digital technologies.
• Develop strategic programmes that cultivate sustainable engagement with audiences including scholars, artists, students, cultural practitioners, and the general public, and create a network of cultural collaborators.
• Ensure cultural strategy drives cross-cultural exchange connecting local traditions with regional and global conversations.
• Align cultural initiatives with broader organisational goals while maintaining responsiveness to the evolving cultural and intellectual landscape globally.

Programme Design & Implementation

• Conceptualise and design strategic cultural initiatives and projects that transform Arabic and Islamic intellectual traditions into contemporary practices and outputs that communicate with a wide range of audiences.
• Ensure successful implementation and delivery of cultural programmes across multiple domains simultaneously.
• Develop initiatives that position the MHCC as a digital incubator providing emerging creators with cutting-edge tools and platforms.
• Create projects that bridge cultural heritage preservation with innovation in arts and culture.
• Design programs that catalyse cross-cultural dialogue and knowledge transmission.
• Oversee the implementation and project management to ensure that projects meet strategic objectives and standards of international quality.

Research, Analysis and Best Practice

• Ensure the arts and culture programming reflects regional cultural diversity and a range of voices and perspectives.
• Monitor programme implementation to ensure international quality and strategic alignment.
• Conduct research on cultural trends, audience needs, and best practices in heritage innovation.
• Assess cultural landscape across focus areas to identify opportunities and challenges.
• Develop frameworks to evaluate programme outcomes to guide future strategic directions.
• Monitor developments in digital innovation and applications to cultural programming.
• Develop policies that support ethical cultural practice and respectful heritage stewardship.
• Maintain awareness of cultural sector regulations and best practices.
• Advocate for equitable access to cultural resources, education and opportunities.

Leadership & Reporting

• Serve as member of senior leadership team contributing to strategy and decision-making.
• Prepare and present reports on cultural strategy implementation and key activities.
• Provide strategic guidance and project management to programme managers and cultural staff across the organisation.
• Mentor and guide team members involved in cultural programming and project delivery.
• Represent MHCC in strategic forums, conferences, and cultural sector networks.
• Build and manage relationships with internal and external partners including artists, writers, scholars, community leaders, cultural institutions, and government organisations.

Required Qualifications

• Master's degree or equivalent in arts or humanities subject, arts management, cultural policy, museum studies, heritage studies, or related field; PhD desirable but not essential.
• 5-10 years of experience in cultural strategy, programme delivery, arts management, or cultural heritage sector roles.
• Experience developing and implementing successful cultural strategies in arts, heritage, or cultural institutions.
• Deep understanding of Arabic and Islamic cultural heritage, arts, literature, and intellectual traditions.
• Ability to understand, innovate and work with concepts, philosophies, theories and historical methods and explore their relationship to cultural programming in a creative and innovative manner.
• Strong written and spoken fluency in English (fluency in Arabic also very desirable) with ability to work across linguistic and cultural contexts.
• Experience managing complex cultural initiatives from ideation through implementation to evaluation.
• Proven ability to build and maintain partnerships with diverse stakeholders including researchers, creatives, artists, institutions, and communities.
• Strong project management skills with ability to oversee multiple concurrent initiatives.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills including ability to articulate strategic vision to a range of audiences, both specialised and general.

Desired Qualifications

• Experience working in or with cultural institutions in the Arab world or wider Indian Ocean cultural zone.
• Knowledge of digital innovation applications in arts and culture contexts.
• Familiarity with contemporary debates and methodologies in cultural heritage, decolonisation, and equitable access to culture.
• Network of connections across cultural institutions, creative, intellectual and artistic communities regionally and internationally.
• Experience developing strategies that bridge traditional cultural practices with contemporary innovation.
• Background in publishing, philosophy, poetry, language pedagogy, or related cultural domains.
• Understanding of digital incubation models and support for emerging cultural practitioners.

Working Environment

This senior leadership position operates with flexible hybrid arrangements while maintaining strong onsite presence for strategic leadership and stakeholder engagement. The role requires regular travel within the region and internationally for partnership development, cultural events, and sector engagement. You will work within a mission-driven organisation at the forefront of heritage innovation and cross-cultural exchange.

What We Offer

• Competitive executive-level salary commensurate with experience
• Benefits package including health insurance and professional development opportunities.
• Generous holiday allowance and flexible working arrangements
• Opportunity to shape cultural strategy at a new and pioneering institution bridging heritage and innovation
• Support for professional development, conference participation, and sector engagement.
• Leadership role in an organization transforming how traditional knowledge speaks to contemporary audiences

To Apply

Please submit a CV and cover letter detailing how your previous experience makes you suitable for the role outlined above. Kindly provide names and contact information for two professional references.

In your cover letter, describe your experience developing and delivering cultural strategies or multi-year cultural, artistic, or research programming, your specialist knowledge of Arabic and/or more broadly Islamic cultural heritage, and your vision for how strategic cultural initiatives can cultivate sustainable engagement with technology while transforming traditional knowledge into living contemporary practices.