Life at Dubai Future Foundation
Dubai Future Foundation (DFF) aims to realize the vision of Dubai’s leadership, to institutionalize the envisioned future and forward-thinking methodologies, and positioning Dubai as the leading city of the future. In partnership with its local and global partners from governments, companies, startups, and entrepreneurs, DFF drives joint efforts to collectively imagine, design, and execute the best possible future for humanity.
Under the supervision of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of DFF, the DFF runs and oversees many future-facing projects and initiatives, such as the Museum of the Future, Area 2071, The Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution UAE, Dubai Future Accelerators, One Million Arab Coders, Dubai Future Academy, Dubai Future Solutions, Dubai Future Labs, Dubai Future Forum, etc. DFF’s efforts to share knowledge, adopt innovation, support entrepreneurs and innovative startups, build capacity, and promote forward-thinking and foresight principles contribute to Dubai’s ambitions to be a role model for the cities of the future through the power of unlimited imagination, innovation, foresight and disruptive mindset.
For more information on the initiatives, projects, and programs of Dubai Future Foundation, please visit the website: www.dubaifuture.ae
The UAE'S World Economic Forum’s Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution
The Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution UAE (C4IR UAE) is a collaboration between the Dubai Future Foundation and the World Economic Forum and is the first global affiliate centre having opened in April 2019.
The UAE Centre is hosted by the Dubai Future Foundation and serves as a global public-private platform for the collaborative development of technology governance and policy protocols.
Each project portfolio works on a global scale, in collaboration with the World Economic Forum teams and C4IR network, and is tailored to the local ecosystem.
Previous and ongoing products of the C4IR have included reports on UAE blockchain use cases, a blockchain implementation toolkit, the AI procurement toolkit, the tokenization and digital assets report and proof of concept, a C-Suite toolkit for AI. The Centre is also the owner of the ongoing Smart Toys Award.
The C4IR network is a focal point within the international community for multi-stakeholder dialogue and concrete cooperation on governance challenges and opportunities presented by advanced technologies from the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). Centres in the network include C4IR Colombia, C4IR Rwanda, C4IR Saudi Arabia, C4IR South Africa, C4IR Brazil, and C4IR India.
Where does this role fit into the bigger picture?
The Programme Head- C4IR UAE reports directly to the Executive Director of the Future, Foresight, and Imagination team within the Dubai Future Foundation structure.
The Programme Head will regularly interface with local and regional stakeholders across the UAE government, along with the CEO and Deputy CEO of the Dubai Future Foundation. He or she will also provide insight and updates to the Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications. In addition, the Programme Head will manage the Centre’s Steering Committee and interface regularly with the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution in San Francisco.
Programme Head
The Programme Head – UAE for the World Economic Forum’s Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR) – will be responsible for leading the centre, including implementing the annual strategy, and managing the plans, workflows, budgets, and priorities of the Centre. The Programme Head will also play an active role within the great Dubai Future Foundation (DFF) structure and will provide insight and expertise when required.
The Centre interfaces with senior stakeholders of local and federal government entities across the UAE to support, shape and influence policies associated with 4IR technologies and their impacts on the UAE’s economy and society.
Responsibilities & Reporting Lines
The Programme Head is a complex and articulated position that holds overall responsibility for managing the Centre, including the following:
• Ensure the Centre achieves the highest possible visibility and impact through high-quality products and key activities.
• Ensure the Centre maintains a healthy pipeline of high-impact products which shall include research reports, policy reports, proof of concept work, development of policy proposals, as well as a range of public-facing engagements such as the Smart Toys award.
• Manage internal and external collaborators, including contractors and network members, of varying seniority, to deliver the expected products.
• Sets clear, ambitious targets, activities and workflows for the team. Provides guidance on associated resources required.
• Will support as needed the core activities of the DFF.
• Represent the Centre and DFF at internal, national, and international events.
Project Management
• You are responsible for leading the full project cycle including managing budgets, project milestones, coaching and developing the team, setting objectives, monitoring and tracking and post project reporting.
• You will brainstorm and work with the team to creatively and critically assess ideas, and evaluate processes that could be re-engineered to identify future projects for delivery.
• You will delegate and assign tasks to the team to ensure the delivery of project deadlines.
• You will need to openly communicate with team members to ensure that all projects are running smoothly and regularly feed back to the Executive Director – Future, Foresight and Imagination on operations and administration.
Third Party Relationships
• You will be responsible for creating a network of expertise, bringing in new connections with experts that will benefit the organisation and building regional and international relationships.
• You will work closely with other departments and entities to understand, analyse their needs and develop strategic content.
• You will work closely with the Communications team to provide high-level advice on how to activate research, long-term planning, allocation resources for projects.
• You will be responsible for initiating and maintaining long-term relationships with other Dubai Future Foundation/Centre partners while actively looking for ways to collaborate supporting them.
Why this role is important?
To achieve the biggest impact you will need to affirm the Centre’s role as a convener of stakeholders in the 4IR space, inform and shape policy, and support the establishment of the centre as a regional beacon for producing high quality research and action, and ensure the Centre is top-of-mind among top decision-makers in Dubai and the UAE.
What does the Dubai Future Foundation offer?
We will offer you a unique opportunity to work with passionate people, support shapers of the future as well as work that has an impact, not only on the organization or the UAE but all of humankind.
You will have the chance to work on exciting and new projects, work in a highly diverse and fast paced environment that fosters creativity, disruptive ideas and innovation.
