Executive Director - Retail Operations

Executive Director – Retail Operations

Relocation Opportunity – United Arab Emirates

Permanent, full time

On behalf of our client, The Management Recruitment Group is seeking an Executive Director – Retail Operations for a privately owned organization operating a diversified multi‑brand portfolio with an international footprint. The primary purpose of this role is to provide end‑to‑end leadership for a key retail vertical, with full accountability for commercial performance, portfolio strategy, expansion planning, and operational governance. A primary focus of the role will be supporting growth and market expansion within Saudi Arabia.

• Lead store rollout, expansion, and optimisation programmes, with a clear mandate to grow market presence in both the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
• Drive sustained commercial performance, including turnaround initiatives and delivery of double‑digit growth through improved trading, pricing, range, and operating models.
• End‑to‑end ownership of P&L, including revenue growth, margin optimisation, cost control, forecasting, and delivery of agreed financial targets.
• Oversee brand positioning, portfolio mix, and performance, ensuring alignment with market opportunity, customer proposition, and regional strategy.
• Ensure robust governance, controls, and compliance across all operations, in line with group standards and regional regulatory requirements.
• Act as a senior internal and external stakeholder, managing relationships with brand principals, joint‑venture partners, and regional leadership teams.
• Provide senior leadership to a large, multi‑disciplinary team, building high‑performance culture and leadership capability.

The ideal candidate will have proven experience operating at portfolio or multi‑brand level, with a track record of delivering sustainable growth or turnaround. They will bring hands‑on experience within the Saudi Arabian market, including scaling operations in fast‑growth environments.

• 10+ years of senior leadership experience within a multi‑brand retail environment.
• Proven track record of portfolio or multi‑brand management with full P&L accountability and delivery of double‑digit growth or commercial turnaround.
• Hands‑on experience in store expansion, market entry, and scaling operations, ideally within Saudi Arabia.
• Experience managing large, multi‑disciplinary teams and leading both B2C and B2B channels.
• Proficiency with retail operations systems, merchandising tools, and financial planning software advantageous.
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Retail Management, Marketing, or a related field;
  Master’s or MBA highly desirable.

To arrange a confidential discussion, please submit your CV as an expression of interest and our team will contact you if you are successfully long‑listed for the role. Applications should consist of a CV and a relevant project list.