Associate Director - Retail Development | Real Estate | Asset Development

Job Requisition ID: 169702 

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

This role is responsible for overseeing and managing the end-to-end development of mall/retail real estate projects from conception through to completion. It requires close collaboration with key stakeholders across finance, marketing, asset management, design, and project delivery to ensure the successful execution of assets within defined timelines and budgets

What you will do

• Develop and implement strategic plans for real estate development projects in alignment with the organization’s overall strategy.
• Conduct thorough market analyses to identify development opportunities and evaluate project feasibility.
• Manage the financial aspects of projects, including budgeting, forecasting, and financial performance analysis.
• Create comprehensive development plans outlining key milestones, timelines, and resource allocation.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with finance, design, project management, and other departments to execute development strategies effectively.
• Oversee the full project lifecycle—from inception to completion—ensuring adherence to timelines, quality standards, and budget constraints.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders to support successful project delivery.
• Proactively identify project risks and challenges, and implement effective mitigation strategies.
• Provide senior leadership with regular, detailed updates on project status, key risks, and emerging opportunities.
• Prepare and present accurate, timely reports and presentations to stakeholders and executive teams.
• Foster a collaborative, high-performing, and innovative work environment to drive team and project success.

Required Skills to be successful

• Minimum of 10+ years in real estate development, including at least 5 years in a leadership role and 3+ years specifically in retail development.
• Proven track record in managing cross-functional teams across the full development lifecycle.
• Strong ability to analyze, structure, and negotiate complex financial deals.
• Exceptional communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills to engage effectively with stakeholders at all levels.

What equips you for the role

• Proven track record of delivering super regional malls or similar- scale retail assets.
• Strong understanding of GCC retail and real estate markets

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.