General Manager - Commercial - Retail Divisional Office

Job description / Role

General Manager - Commercial - Retail Divisional Office - Dubai, UAE

We are looking to recruit an experienced General Manager - Commercial for Retail division to provide analysis, insight and direction on the company’s past and future financial performance. This position will also be responsible for the analysis and interpretation of financial trends requiring management’s attention

The General Manager is in charge of developing analyses to help executives better understand financial trends and financial opportunities; engaging with Business Management teams to monitor & achieve budget targets, Working Capital KPIs overall Retail Financial Scorecard

The main responsibilities of the role are:

Analytics/ Commercial Reviews:
- Originate and develop analyses to help executives better understand financial trends and financial opportunities (e.g., cost savings, business development, etc.). Leverage analyses to ensure that the company meets its financial expectations and make certain Executive leadership is fully aware of financial results.
- Manage meetings and relationships with the brands to ensure appropriate cost control, accurate forecasting, monitoring and controlling inventory levels v/s plan and sales performance

Strategic Planning
- Active involvement in the management of key aspects of commercial arrangements with franchisors and vendors.
- Working with Retail Management to reflect business trends in the financial plans

Commercial Finance:
- Responsible to engage with Business Management teams to monitor & achieve budget targets, Working Capital KPIs overall Retail Financial Scorecard as we ll as Inventory Management, Receivable Management, Managing Capital employed.
- Productivity Improvement
- Assist with development and championing of continuous improvement model across Retail; focusing on productivity improvement;
- ensure appropriate links with internal systems and processes;
- monitor operational performance to determine critical issues;
- Design and implement methodologies and frameworks to support business improvement.

Financial / Business Risk
- Assessing and highlighting areas of business exposure by geography, business format in context of country, currency, local legislation etc.
- Reviewing balance sheet by business/ country to evaluate and recommend adequate capital structure

Requirements

- Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Finance or Business. Relevant postgraduate study or professional qualifications (CA/CPA) would be highly regarded with 10-15 years of of progressively increasing responsibility in finance or accounting.

Job-Specific Skills:
- Strong Leadership, strategic planner, target oriented, Mentoring and Follow-up Skill, Excellent presentation, verbal & written communication & Stakeholder management skills, advanced financial analysis skills including applied statistics, ability to analyse and interpret economic and market trends, ability to manage large projects within pre-defined deadlines. Ability to identify and prioritise strategic business and financial issues; Excellent financial modelling skills, high degree of commercial acumen

Behavioural Competencies:
- Very strong interpersonal skills and a demonstrated ability to lead people and get results through others; High level of qualitative and quantitative skills; Ability to build credibility with the Executive Management Group; Well developed and proven negotiation skills and high level of emotional intelligence

About the Company

Established in the 1930's, the Al-Futtaim Group initially operated as a trading enterprise. Rapid development throughout the 1940's and 50's saw it establish itself regionally as an integrated commercial, industrial and services organisation, positioning itself one of the leading business houses in the lower Gulf region. Today, it operates collectively over 40 companies bearing the Al-Futtaim name, dominates many market segments in the UAE, and has expanded its sphere of operation to include Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Egypt.

The Group comprises a diverse range of strategically positioned operating subsidiaries and associate companies, structured to give the Al-Futtaim Group the flexibility and versatility to keep ahead of local competition while keeping pace with the ever-evolving global business scenario. The Groups continued investment in world-class systems technology is clear evidence of its commitment to maintain leading edge performance and service delivery.

The success of the Al-Futtaim Group can be attributed to a business approach that combines the ability to change with the traditional values of integrity, service and social responsibility that define its core business philosophy. This, linked with the Groups belief in decentralisation, gives the heads of the operating companies a high degree of functional autonomy and authority, providing the Group with essential flexibility, and individual employees a clearly defined work culture and sense of responsibility.