About UAE Expo Office

The UAE Expo Office, established in 2022, was created to showcase the UAE’s approach to bringing together people and innovation to address global challenges through participation in World Expos.

The ambition of the UAE Expo Office is to create unforgettable experiences designed to accelerate progress, contribute to Expo goals, and generate unique value for the UAE.

Job Summary

We're seeking a highly motivated, detail-oriented, and intellectually curious Research and Strategy Analyst to support the UAE Pavilion’s work in research, content development, and strategic planning for the UAE’s participation in World Expos.

Working closely with the Pavilion’s Strategy & Narrative Team, this role sits at the intersection of cultural diplomacy, research, strategy, and storytelling, contributing to shaping the UAE’s presence on the global stage.

The ideal candidate will have a strong background in research, writing (bilingual Arabic and English), qualitative and quantitative analysis, and a passion for research-driven creative storytelling.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Support

• Ensure consistency in delivering UAE Expo Office ambitions and strategic pillars across all phases of the UAE’s Expo participations.

• Synthesize research findings into evolving strategy frameworks to support the strategic infrastructure of the UAE Expo Office and shape the UAE’s participation in Expos.

• Support the strategic direction and advisory efforts using pre-existing strategy frameworks at SHF.

• Collaborate cross-functionally to translate strategic priorities into relevant workstreams such as content and guest experience, communications, operations, and programming.

• Stay informed and up to date on global trends (social, political, cultural, economic, etc.) that may influence Expo Office strategic planning and the UAE’s positioning at Expos.

• Draft internal briefing materials, strategic memos, and presentations to communicate evolving strategy and provide recommendations and insights to senior leadership and internal and external stakeholders.

• Contribute to the design and facilitation of strategy workshops and collaborative working sessions to align teams around shared goals and strategic priorities for the Expo.

Research & Analysis

• Gather and analyze data to support strategy reports and produce presentations and content frameworks.

• Assist in developing briefing documents, profiles, strategic reports, and stakeholder presentations aligned with UAE Pavilion themes and Expo Office objectives.

• Track and benchmark developments in global exhibition practices and international public and cultural diplomacy efforts.

• Support the synthesis of complex information into accessible formats for internal and external audiences, including the visualization of key data points through qualitative and quantitative analysis.

• Interpret and apply the SHF Methodology (internal framing method) across various research scopes including thematic, geopolitical, and cultural research areas, considering multiple perspectives to generate strategic insights.

• Conduct in-depth primary and secondary research related to UAE culture, history, social demographics, global trends, diplomacy, and international relations.

Narrative & Content Development

• Assist in shaping curatorial narratives and exhibition concepts for the UAE Pavilion.

• Support the curation of content for guest experience exhibitions, immersive multimedia installations, programming initiatives, and stakeholder engagement, including drafting and revising written content.

• Contribute to drafting exhibition labels, wall texts, object descriptions, multimedia text, and curating auditory and visual content.

• Collect and annotate archival materials, oral histories, and visual assets relevant to Pavilion content development.

• Participate in collaborative brainstorming sessions to contribute ideas related to content development, narrative frameworks, naming and titles, and strategic approaches.

• Support the refinement of bilingual content (Arabic and English) including tone alignment, terminology review, and ensuring cultural nuance.

Administrative Coordination

• Coordinate with designers, researchers, partners, and external collaborators to ensure the timely delivery of content and project milestones.

• Assist in preparing presentations, briefing materials, and stakeholder decks.

• Support correspondence with cultural institutions, researchers, artists, and collaborators, including drafting emails, following up on deliverables, and maintaining project communication.

• Maintain version control and organize research materials, citations, documentation, and content across teams.

Key Skills & Qualifications

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in a relevant field such as Sociology, Public Policy, Museum Studies, International Relations, Anthropology, Political Science, History, Literature, Strategic Design, Communications, Curatorial Studies, or equivalent disciplines.

• 1–3 years of professional experience in research, curatorial work, diplomacy, strategy, or a related role, preferably within international events or cultural institutions.

Skills & Abilities

• Demonstrated experience with analytical research methods (qualitative and quantitative) and the ability to derive insights from data, interviews, and texts.

• Strong command of Arabic and English, both written and spoken, with the ability to write and edit in both languages.

• Demonstrated interest in cultural diplomacy, strategy, exhibition development, curation, and research-driven storytelling.

• Strong organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities.

• Creative thinker with strong attention to detail and a proactive, collaborative mindset.

• Familiarity with Expo environments, the UAE cultural landscape, or global exhibition practices is considered an advantage.

• Ability to draft formal communication and coordinate effectively with internal teams and external partners.

• Organized, collaborative, and flexible approach to working in multidisciplinary environments.