Director of Marketing and Communications

Company Description The Saudi Cricket Federation (SACF) is the national governing body responsible for developing and growing the sport of cricket across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. As part of Saudi Arabia's ambitious sports sector transformation, SACF is building the infrastructure, talent pipeline, and fan base to establish cricket as a major sport nationally and position the Kingdom on the global cricket map.We are looking for a Director of Marketing & Communications to lead the strategy and public profile of Saudi cricket during this pivotal growth phase.Role Description As Marcom Director, you will own the Federation's brand, communications, and fan engagement strategy end-to-end from national media relations and digital content to sponsorship activation and major event campaigns. You'll work directly with the CEO and senior leadership to shape how Saudi cricket is perceived domestically and internationally, and you'll lead the team that brings that vision to life.This is a rare opportunity to define the marketing playbook for a sport at the very start of its growth curve in a major sports market. The Marcom Director will lead four sections (Marketing, PR, Media, and Events) setting the overall strategy while empowering each section head to execute within their area.Key ResponsibilitiesDevelop and execute the Federation's national marketing and communications strategy, aligned with SACF's broader growth.Provide strategic direction and leadership across the four Marcom sections (Marketing, PR, Media, and Events) ensuring alignment and consistency across all outputsLead all brand positioning, messaging, and creative direction across the Federation's platforms and public-facing activitiesOversee media relations, including press strategy, spokesperson coordination, and crisis communicationBuild and manage digital and social media strategy to grow fan engagement and cricket's visibility across the KingdomPlan and execute marketing campaigns and live event activations around national team matches, domestic tournaments, and grassroots programsManage relationships with sponsors, broadcast partners, and marketing agencies, including activation of sponsorship rightsCollaborate with the International Cricket Council (ICC), Asian Cricket Council (ACC), and regional federations on joint communications initiativesLead, mentor, and grow the section heads and broader in-house marketing and communications teamManage the marcom budget and report on KPIs including reach, engagement, sentiment, and audience growthRepresent the Federation at press conferences, industry events, and public engagements as neededQualifications8+ years of experience in marketing, communications, or brand management, with at least 3 years in a senior leadership roleExperience in sports marketing, sports federations, media/broadcast, or entertainment strongly preferredProven track record building or scaling a brand's public profile from the ground upStrong media relations experience, including handling both proactive and reactive communicationsDeep understanding of digital and social media strategy, content production, and fan engagement trendsExperience managing sponsorship and partnership relationshipsExcellent written and verbal communication skills in both Arabic and EnglishStrong leadership skills with experience building and managing teamsBackground in a marketing, PR, or media agency is a plusPassion for or knowledge of cricket is an advantage, though not required