Job description

About Dubai Media Council:

The Dubai Media Council is the government authority responsible for regulating and developing Dubai’s media sector, strengthening the emirate’s position as a leading regional and global media hub through progressive policies, innovation, and talent development.

Job Purpose

The Senior Specialist Studies and Research is responsible for leading the design, delivery, and quality assurance of strategic research and analytical studies that support evidence‑based decision‑making across Dubai Media Council and the wider media and gaming sectors. The role holder independently manages complex research programs, develops research methodologies, analyzes emerging trends, and translates research findings into actionable recommendations that support media governance, policy development, regulatory reform, and sector growth.

The role serves as a senior analytical specialist, ensuring complex research outputs are translated into actionable insights for strategic and regulatory decision‑making.

Working closely with the Head of Studies and Research, the role ensures that research outputs are methodologically robust, aligned with international best practices, and responsive to the evolving needs of Dubai’s media ecosystem.

No.

Key Focus Area

Key Accountabilities

1.

General Responsibilities

·Implement the operational requirements for Studies and Research, in line with the overall Studies and Research and Media Governance Sector strategy, vision and goals.

·Work collaboratively with the Studies and Research team and wider Media Governance Sector to ensure smooth and on-time delivery of services to stakeholders

·Provide metrics and supporting documents to the Head of Studies and Research, to support with the monthly KPI reports

2.

Strategic Research Program Development

·Lead the design and delivery of complex research programs across Dubai's media and gaming sectors, ensuring research activities address strategic priorities and emerging industry developments.

·Develop research methodologies, sampling approaches, analytical frameworks, and evaluation criteria that produce reliable, objective, and defensible findings.

·Identify priority research topics by monitoring changes in technology, consumer behavior, regulation, investment, and global media markets, enabling proactive policy and regulatory planning.

·Scope and manage multi-disciplinary research projects, ensuring research objectives, timelines, and deliverables are clearly defined and effectively executed.

·Review proposed research initiatives and recommend priorities that maximize the value of research activities across DMC.

3.

Sector Research, Benchmarking and Market Intelligence

·Conduct advanced research into local, regional, and international media and gaming markets, generating insights that strengthen Dubai's competitiveness and regulatory maturity.

·Lead benchmarking studies against leading global media regulators, industry ecosystems, and innovation hubs, identifying opportunities for continuous improvement.

·Analyze market trends, investment patterns, audience behaviors, emerging technologies, and industry developments to support strategic planning and regulatory decision-making.

·Produce sector intelligence reports that highlight risks, opportunities, and future developments affecting Dubai's media ecosystem.

·Monitor international research publications, regulatory developments, and industry reports, ensuring DMC remains informed of evolving best practices.

4.

Policy Research and Decision Support

·Conduct policy-focused research that supports the development, implementation, and evaluation of media governance frameworks and regulatory initiatives.

·Assess the potential economic, regulatory, operational, and societal impacts of proposed policy changes, providing evidence-based recommendations for senior leadership.

·Collaborate with the Media Strategy & Policy Development and Data & Analytics functions to integrate research findings into strategic planning, policy development, and performance measurement activities.

·Develop research papers, policy briefs, and executive reports that communicate complex findings in a clear, practical, and actionable manner.

·Provide specialist research support for cross-functional initiatives, ensuring strategic decisions are supported by credible evidence.

5.

Research Quality Assurance and Knowledge Management

·Review research methodologies, analytical approaches, and final outputs prepared by team members, ensuring research quality, consistency, and methodological integrity.

·Establish research standards, templates, and quality assurance processes that promote consistency across studies and publications.

·Develop and maintain research repositories, knowledge databases, and reference libraries that support future research and organizational learning.

·Mentor Senior Executives and other research staff, strengthening research capability, critical thinking, and analytical skills across the function.

·Identify opportunities to improve research methodologies, analytical techniques, and knowledge management practices, contributing to continuous improvement.

6.

Research Partnerships and Continuous Improvement

·Develop productive relationships with universities, research institutions, think tanks, government entities, and industry associations to strengthen research capability and promote knowledge sharing.

·Coordinate collaborative research initiatives with local and international partners, expanding DMC's access to specialist expertise and market intelligence.

·Represent the Studies and Research function during workshops, conferences, and research forums, promoting Dubai's leadership in media governance and regulatory innovation.

·Evaluate emerging research methodologies, analytical tools, and technologies that improve research quality, efficiency, and insight generation.

·Promote a culture of evidence-based decision-making by encouraging greater use of research findings across DMC's strategic, regulatory, and operational activities.

Job Specifications

Key Interactions & Nature of Interaction

Internal:

·Collaborate with the Head of Studies and Research to develop and deliver DMC's research agenda, ensuring studies align with strategic priorities and governance objectives.

·Work closely with the Head of Media Strategy & Policy Development and the Head of Data & Analytics to integrate research findings into policy development, strategic planning, and performance measurement.

·Support Executive Directors, Directors, Heads, and business units across DMC by delivering research, benchmarking studies, market intelligence, and evidence-based recommendations that inform decision-making.

External:

·Engage with government entities, regulatory authorities, and international organizations to obtain research data, benchmark practices, and support collaborative policy initiatives.

·Liaise with media organizations, broadcasters, publishers, gaming companies, and other industry stakeholders to collect market intelligence and understand emerging sector developments.

Technical Skills

·Expert: Research methodology design and program management.

·Expert: Qualitative and quantitative research techniques.

·Expert: Market analysis, benchmarking, and sector intelligence.

·Advanced: Policy analysis, impact assessment, and strategic evaluation.

·Advanced: Statistical analysis and interpretation of research findings.

·Advanced: Report writing, executive briefings, and presentation of complex information.

·Proficient: Command of written and spoken Arabic and English

Behavioral Competencies

·Evoking and Disseminating Positive Energy – Proficient

·Community Focus and Responsiveness to its Needs – Proficient

·Time Management and Task Prioritization – Proficient

·Excellence in Execution – Proficient

·Continuous Learning and Improvement – Proficient

Experience Required

Functional Experience

·Minimum 8 years of experience in research, policy analysis, economics, strategy, market intelligence, or a related analytical field.

·Demonstrated experience leading complex research projects, benchmarking studies, and strategic analyses.

·Experience preparing research papers, policy briefs, executive reports, and evidence-based recommendations for senior decision-makers.

·Experience working within government, regulatory authorities, public policy organizations, consulting, academia, or highly regulated industries is preferred.

·Experience collaborating with research institutions, international organizations, or cross-sector stakeholders is advantageous.

Leadership/Supervisory

·NA

Education and Qualification Required

·Bachelor's degree in Economics, Public Policy, Business Administration, Political Science, Statistics, Media Studies, International Relations, Social Sciences, or a related discipline.

·Master's degree in Public Policy, Economics, Business Administration (MBA), Media Studies, Research Methods, or a related discipline is preferred.

·Professional certification in Research Methods, Market Research, Data Analysis, Policy Evaluation, Project Management, or a related discipline is advantageous.

Key Performance Indicators

·Research Support Impact: Percentage of research reports that resulted in implemented changes.

·Research Support: Number of effective research reports delivered for DMC departments.

·Gap Analyses and Benchmarking Impact: Percentage of analyses and benchmarking reports that were used in decision making.

·Gap Analyses and Benchmarking: Number of analyses and benchmarking reports completed.