Associate Director - Residential & Commercial Leasing | Real Estate | Asset Management

Job Requisition ID: 181110 

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:

The Associate Director of Leasing is responsible for leading the leasing performance of the residential and commercial portfolio. The role involves driving revenue generation, occupancy, leasing performance, pricing, portfolio optimization, and business development. The position requires the development and execution of portfolio-wide leasing strategies aligned with business and asset objectives. The Associate Director will lead the Leasing and Leasing Administration teams, establish clear targets and performance standards, and work closely with various stakeholders to support overall portfolio performance.

What You Will Do:

Leasing Strategy

• Develop and implement the overallleasing strategy for the residential and commercial portfolio, translating business objectives into clear asset-level plans and targets.
• Review market conditions, pricing, demand, vacancy, lease expiries, customer segments, and competitor activity to determine the appropriate approach for each asset.
• Continuously adapt strategies to respond to market changes and portfolio performance.
• Achievement of annual leasing revenue targets, portfolio occupancy, and year-on-year revenue growth.

Revenue Growth & Portfolio Optimisation

• Drive opportunities to increase revenue and improve the financial performance of the portfolio through effective pricing, rental optimisation, lease structures, inventory management, and customer segmentation.
• Assess the financial impact of key decisions with Asset Management and Finance and ensure leasing activities support long-term asset objectives.
• Achieve sales and leasing revenue versus budget, rental income growth, and portfolio yield improvement.

Leasing & Occupancy

• Lead the leasing strategy to ensure strong occupancy levels and proactive management of vacant units.
• Develop plans for new leasing, renewals, expansions, and tenant retention while ensuring lease terms support property objectives.
• Achieve portfolio occupancy percentage, vacancy reduction, and rental uplift on renewals.

Business Development & Market Reach

• Develop a pipeline of prospective customers, tenants, and brokers.
• Use existing UAE network and market relationships to identify new opportunities and increase market reach.
• Generate new business revenue and incremental leasing revenue from new channels.

Broker & Channel Partner Management

• Build and manage strong relationships with UAE brokers and channel partners to maximize market coverage.
• Establish clear performance expectations and focus on high-performing partners.
• Generate broker-contributed revenue and new strategic broker relationships.

Pricing & Negotiations

• Lead negotiations for high-value and complex sales and leasing transactions.
• Ensure pricing, incentives, and lease structures align with approved objectives.
• Achieve achieved pricing versus approved benchmarks and value protection through negotiations.

Market Intelligence & Positioning

• Maintain an understanding of the DFC property market, including rental and customer behavior.
• Translate market intelligence into recommendations for sales strategy and product positioning.
• Regularly conduct market reviews and identify new opportunities.

End-to-End Transaction Management

• Manage the full  leasing transaction lifecycle, from lead generation and negotiation to contract execution.
• Work with Leasing Administration, Legal, Finance, and other stakeholders to ensure transaction accuracy and compliance with UAE regulations.
• Complete transactions within agreed timelines and ensure documentation accuracy.

Team Leadership & Capability Development

• Lead and develop Leasing and Leasing Administration teams to meet portfolio targets.
• Monitor performance, create accountability, and build team capability.
• Achieve team targets, improve productivity, and enhance employee engagement.

Cross-Functional Stakeholder Management

• Collaborate with Asset Management, Development, Property Management, Finance, Marketing, Legal, and others to align leasing priorities.
• Provide leasing input into asset plans and make strategic pricing decisions.
• Ensure timely delivery of cross-functional initiatives and resolve issues promptly.

Required Skills To Be Successful:

• Strategic Leasing Leadership: Ability to translate portfolio objectives into clear leasing strategies and measurable results.
• UAE Market Expertise: Strong understanding of property values, demand, competition, customer behavior, and regulatory requirements.
• Negotiation & Influencing: Strong ability to lead complex negotiations and achieve appropriate outcomes.
• Leadership & People Development: Ability to build high-performing teams and create clear accountability for results.

What Qualifies You For The Role:

• 15+ years of UAE real estate experience with exposure to residential and commercial leasing.
• Proven track record in delivering significant leasing revenue targets.
• Experience in developing and implementing portfolio-level leasing strategies.
• Strong understanding of UAE property market dynamics and DLD/RERA regulations.
• Established network across UAE brokers.
• Ability to generate new business opportunities through market relationships.
• Strong financial and analytical skills, including pricing, forecasting, and revenue optimization.
• Experience leading Sales, Leasing, and Leasing Administration teams and managing the complete transaction lifecycle.
• Bachelor's degree in Real Estate, Business Administration, Finance, Economics, Marketing, or a related discipline. An MBA or relevant postgraduate qualification is advantageous.
• RICS, CCIM, or equivalent professional real estate qualification would be an advantage.
• Proficiency in Excel, PowerPoint, and relevant CRM systems.

About Al-Futtaim Group Real Estate
The real estate development and operations arm of Al-Futtaim, Al-Futtaim Group Real Estate is responsible for a multi-billion-dollar portfolio across MENA. With high-quality residential, business, retail, tourism, educational and healthcare developments, the master developer caters to the diverse needs of cities and communities in the region. From origination, conception, development, sales, procurement and construction of mega-projects and the leasing, operation and management of these projects after completion, Al-Futtaim Group Real Estate (AFGRE) has been developing and managing owned landbanks, unlocking the economic potential of the region and contributing to future development for more than 40 years. 
Our focus is to enable and invest in meaningful relationships to make our properties the best places to live and work, build additional products and services and enable partnerships to create true value to our customers throughout their entire experience with us.
AFGRE is responsible for master planning of all projects in its portfolio, including two large scale mixed use destinations: Dubai Festival City and Cairo Festival City.