Financial Director

About this Role

Finance Director – Retail (CFO Pathway)

Location: Dubai

Industry: Retail

The Opportunity

A leading regional retail and distribution group is seeking a Finance Director to play a key role in driving financial performance, strengthening operational discipline, and supporting continued expansion across multiple markets.

This is a high-impact leadership role within a complex, multi-entity environment, offering broad exposure across retail and distribution operations, and a clear pathway toward a full Chief Financial Officer mandate.

The position will suit a commercially minded finance leader looking to step into a role with greater ownership, influence, and regional scope.

Role Purpose

The Finance Director will be responsible for leading financial performance, enhancing cash flow discipline, and supporting the ongoing development of a scalable and robust finance function.

Working closely with the senior leadership team, the role combines strategic input with hands-on execution, with a strong emphasis on driving measurable improvements across the business.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Performance & Control

• Drive overall financial performance, focusing on profitability, cost optimization, and margin improvement
• Strengthen working capital management, including inventory, payables, and cash flow discipline
• Oversee budgeting, forecasting, and performance tracking across multiple business units

Commercial Finance & Business Partnering

• Partner closely with commercial and operational teams to support data-driven decision-making
• Provide insight into store performance, category profitability, and trading dynamics
• Support pricing, promotions, and supplier negotiations with strong financial analysis

Transformation & Process Improvement

• Lead initiatives to improve financial reporting, planning processes, and operational visibility
• Support the continued evolution of the finance function in line with business growth
• Drive improvements in systems, controls, and overall finance infrastructure (ERP exposure preferred)

Strategic Support

• Work directly with the leadership team on business planning, investment decisions, and expansion strategy
• Contribute to transformation initiatives and performance improvement programs
• Support key strategic projects, including restructuring and operational optimization

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead and develop a high-performing finance team across multiple markets
• Build capability within the function to support increasing business complexity
• Foster a culture of accountability, ownership, and continuous improvement

Regional Scope & Travel

This is a regional role supporting operations across multiple markets.

The position requires regular international travel to engage with business units, support performance reviews, and drive alignment across the organization.

Candidate Profile

Experience

• Proven experience as a Finance Director or Head of Finance within retail, grocery, or FMCG environments
• Strong exposure to multi-site or multi-entity operations
• Experience in high-volume, commercially driven retail environments is essential
• Background in structured European (preferably UK) retail organizations is highly desirable
• Demonstrated success in improving financial performance and driving operational efficiency

Capabilities

• Strong commercial acumen, with the ability to link finance to operational performance
• Hands-on approach with the ability to operate both strategically and operationally
• Experience in financial planning, working capital management, and performance analysis
• Exposure to ERP systems and finance transformation initiatives

Personal Attributes

• Ambitious and motivated to step into a broader leadership role
• Confident in engaging with senior stakeholders and influencing decision-making
• Resilient and adaptable within fast-paced and evolving environments
• Strong sense of ownership and accountability

Why This Role

• Opportunity to step into a broader, high-impact leadership role
• Exposure to both retail and distribution business models
• Direct engagement with senior leadership and strategic decision-making
• Platform for progression toward a Chief Financial Officer position
• Experience operating across a multi-country regional footprint

Process

This is a confidential search.

Further details will be shared with shortlisted candidates.