Established in the 1930s as a trading business, Al-Futtaim Group today is one of the most diversified and progressive, privately held regional businesses headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Structured into five operating divisions; automotive, financial services, real estate, retail and healthcare; employing more than 35,000 employees across more than 20 countries in the Middle East, Asia and Africa, Al-Futtaim Group partners with over 200 of the world's most admired and innovative brands. Al-Futtaim Group’s entrepreneurship and relentless customer focus enables the organization to continue to grow and expand; responding to the changing needs of our customers within the societies in which we operate. By upholding our values of respect, excellence, collaboration and integrity; Al-Futtaim Group continues to enrich the lives and aspirations of our customers each and every day
Overview of the role

• As a Brand Manager you will be responsible for driving top line performance, full profit and loss accountability, consistent operational excellence, and brand compliance across all stores.
• Accountable for sound market knowledge in KSA, with recommendations of expansion, growth of both stores and product.
• A key aspect is to ensure all team members are trained and developed to deliver the business plan and sales targets, with a continuous review and update to all policies and procedures whilst ensuring compliance with Group Internal Audit guidelines and minimise business risk.
• Actively develops and implements strategic business plans to ensure a profitable business operation. The job holder is responsible for the customer experience within all stores to reflect the brand values and customer promise.

What you will do
Delivering Top Line Performance and Profitability

• Sets overall guidelines for margin exploitation by product area and ensures processes are established to analyse margin deviation.
• Develops a global commercial strategy (short, medium, and long term). Defines the store layout through all product categories (adjacencies and product mix) according to brand guidelines.
• Setting and delivery of operational standards for all stores in visual merchandising, stock availability, customer service and security whilst ensuring brand integrity.
• Ensure all team members are trained and developed to deliver the business plan and sales targets.

Financial & Business Planning

• Own and develop the brand operations strategy (Strategic Plan).
• Construct, implement, monitor, and control the approved budget and operational costs for all stores.
• Enforce company operating procedures to maintain accurate inventory, system integrity and profit protection across all stores.
• Drive cost saving initiatives and efficiencies throughout retail operations by challenging existing processes.
• Working alongside GM-HR to ensure manpower costs are closely monitored and productivity levels maximised.
• Review and where necessary revise and or amend the standard operating procedures as per business requirement and in line with Group Internal Audit.
• Review all internal audit reports when published and support the store manager in compiling recommendations and updates to Group Internal Audit.
• Review all store internal audit reports and implement necessary corrective action required.

People

• Recruit the ‘Best in Class’ sale associates to ensure delivery of ‘Top Line’ sales.
• Working alongside GM-HR to deliver targeted people solutions to enhance employee engagement and compliance to HR policies and local legislation.
• Coach and mentor, all store managers and ensure robust succession and training plans are in place for each store. Evaluate and develop all high potential employees.
• Act as a role model for the Al-Futtaim Way and brand specific behaviors.

Corporate & Brand

• Promote brand and corporate values throughout the operations team. Ensure consistent ways of working across all stores.
• Ensure stores comply with all legislation, regulation, and corporate governance.
• Regularly and proactively communicates with the brand to establish and maintain a strong working relationship and partnership.
• In partnership with the brand, work with the principle to resolve issues and deliver opportunities for the delivery of current and future commercial priorities.

Business Growth & New Markets

• Managing market entry and store opening projects with corporate and principal provided resources, ensuring compliance to legislation and brand requirements.
• Responsible for all strategic operational plans including new territories.

Required Skills to be successful

• Strategic planning and analytical skills, All Microsoft Office Programs
• Have a distinctive feeling for fashion

Behavioural Competencies:

• Strong communication skills, confident decision maker, leadership skills and strategic thinker. Keeps up to date with the latest trends and brands, Strong sales focus and eager to learn.

What equips you for the role
Minimum Qualifications and Knowledge:

• College or University level graduate.

Minimum Experience:

• Minimum 4 years of experience in same role developed in international fashion companies.
• Excellent knowledge of MS Office, especially Excel and PowerPoint, SAP would be a plus

About Al-Futtaim Retail
Al-Futtaim Retail has established itself as one of the leaders in Retail across the Middle East, Africa & Asia over the past 30 years. We have developed partnerships with some of the biggest and most respected Brands in the world including IKEA, ACE and Toys R Us in the Middle East and the Inditex Group of Brands (Zara, Mango, Bershka and P&B) across Asia. We are also one of the largest Global partners of Marks and Spencer’s in both regions with over 75 stores offering both fashion & food options.

Most recently we have been responsible for bringing brands to the Middle East for the first time with the exciting launches of Watsons and B&Q and we aim to continue to be agile and adaptive to our markets with new launches and further development. For this to be possible we aim to recruit the best talent from all backgrounds who will continue to challenge and develop our diverse workforce which includes over 100 nationalities across 12 countries. Join us today and make a difference…