Associate Director – Property Management (Retail)

Dubai Holding Asset Management; Dubai; On-site; AED 600,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Job summary

Dubai Holding Asset Management seeks an experienced retail real estate leader to manage a super-regional asset and drive value for the portfolio. You will lead strategic initiatives, oversee operations, and ensure EBITDA delivery in line with budgets.

Responsibilities include managing tenant relations, renewals, marketing and events, mall maintenance, safety compliance, and collaboration with finance, leasing, FM and legal teams to optimize the tenant mix and overall performance.

Qualifications

• 8-10 years in Retail Real Estate Management with mall operations and customer experience.
• Middle East experience preferred with regional leadership.
• Bachelor’s degree in business administration/management or related field.

Responsibilities

• Manage asset P&L to deliver EBITDA in line with budget.
• Oversee tenant relations, renewals, and lease administration to optimize tenancy mix.
• Coordinate marketing, events, promotions, and stakeholder communications for the asset.
• Develop annual asset plan and budgets, monitor expenditures and cost savings.
• Ensure safety, compliance, facilities maintenance, and coordination with FM, leasing, finance, and legal teams.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Retail real estate management

Financial acumen

Stakeholder management

Education

Bachelor's degree in business administration/management or related field

Job description

The role holder is responsible for end-to-end management of assigned retail assets/ overall P&L performance. The role holder provides inputs on the tenant mix, monitors tenant performance, including sales and payments, and oversees tenant and customer relations, activation, marketing, events, promotions for the destination, and effective performance by other departments such as FM.

Strategic Responsibilities

• Supports the Director – Property Management in devising specific strategies and plans for the assigned asset/mall and driving its implementation by cascading it down to all levels.
• Lead the preparation of the Asset Plan for the coming year, including the initiatives in line with the vision of the asset to deliver the financial imperatives and align with the DHAM Retail Strategy.

Core Responsibilities

• Maintain relationships with tenants by meeting with them on a regular basis to develop strong relationships and act as the focal point for all tenant requests, issues, and complaints.
• Ensure tenant operations align with contractual requirements and mall operating policies.
• Monitor tenant fit-out activity to ensure completion within the contractual timeframe.
• Coordinate with the leasing team to ensure timely tenant lease renewals and issue new lease contracts for new tenants as applicable.
• Monitor retail tenant performance, provide analysis for all retailers, and assist the leasing department in planning, controlling, and optimizing the brands and tenant mix (replacement of poor and non-performing tenants).
• Approve tenant termination and exit formalities, ensuring that the tenant relations team manages the process efficiently
• Oversee the preparation of exceptional cases for presentation to the Asset Management Committee (AMC)
• Ensure that robust processes are in place to carry out periodic checks to ensure tenants keep their stores well-presented and to the highest level of housekeeping, cleanliness, safety, and security at all times.
• Ensure robust processes are in place to monitor and direct tenant compliance to safety measures and fire systems. Ensure that the retail asset complies at all times and that safety matters are addressed according to Civil Defense requirements and the international standards of retail asset operations.
• Liaise with DH and DHAM legal departments on tenant cases. Provide recommendations to AMC / Director & ED Property Management / MD Retail as required
• Manage the asset P&L to deliver EBITDA as per budget.
• Monitor and manage AR in conjunction with the finance department
• Monitor and raise appropriate questions to other departments (leasing, FM, marketing) about the budget performance of the asset.
• Ensure that robust processes are in place to collect the required documents and information to facilitate the collection of TOR by Finance.

Customer Relations

• Ensure excellent customer experience by addressing queries and issues in a timely manner.
• Oversee annual customer satisfaction surveys in coordination with the marketing team and ensure that the required customer satisfaction levels are met.
• Provide recommendations to Director PM on asset improvement plans and plans to increase customer satisfaction

Mall Maintenance and Operating Budgets

• Oversee mall maintenance and upkeep, aesthetics, services, and safety via working with owners’ association representatives and service providers (FM, security, community management, waste management, pest control, and other services) team and service providers to optimize quality operation and services.
• Handle escalated issues regarding common areas in the mall in coordination with the community management team.
• Provide inputs for the preparation of annual operating budgets for the asset. Monitor the FM team's budget spend and drive cost savings where necessary.
• Monitor and report operating expenses (FM and utilities) monthly.
• Develop asset improvement plans in coordination with the technical team and establish the required re-investment CAPEX and OPEX to improve the mall premises.
• Recommend cost-saving initiatives to the appropriate departments.
• Ensure that all required tenant insurances are in place for the mall's operations.
• Ensure all HSE and QC requirements are met for a smooth flow of operations.
• Maintain relationships and communication with government agencies to coordinate any retail asset issues as required.

Marketing and Promotions

• Support the annual marketing plan and events calendar for the mall in coordination with the marketing team.
• Ensure implementation of all marketing activities and events for the mall that shall improve footfall and increase revenues, including festivals (Eid, Christmas, etc.) and holidays (National Day, New Year, etc.).
• Monitor the marketing spend related to the asset and seek clarifications on discrepancies as required.
• Co-ordinate with marketing to ensure accurate and timely updates to the mall's social media pages and website.
• Monitor mall footfall and visitor profile and recommend initiatives to enhance the mall's public profile and footfall.
• Ensure that the mall brand identity is maintained and enhanced in line with the overall DHAM vision.

Reporting

• Provide monthly asset management reports for the management to report on the asset performance and the progress on various initiatives as planned at the beginning of the year.
• Monitor financial performance-related reports that include tenant/customer aging to see how much debt is outstanding, the CAPEX or OPEX spend and cost savings status, etc., and liaise with the relevant departments to ensure that these align with budgets/targets.

Revenue Enhancements and Continuous Improvement

• Identify short-term leasing opportunities to maximize mall revenue.
• Identify enhancements to the mall that may boost mall revenues (additional units, kiosks, etc.)
• Coordinate with the leasing teams to meet the overall mall strategy and tenant mix requirements.
• Stay abreast of the market conditions and industry changes and recommend changes to the mall strategy and tenant mix to ensure alignment and relevance.
• Keep abreast of competitors, high street evolution, professional developments, new techniques, and current issues through continued education and professional growth. Identify opportunities to launch marketing initiatives such as special events and holiday promotions when appropriate.
• Conduct retail trade, sales, market, and competition analyses and provide reports and fact sheets for effective and informed decision-making.
• Ensure that the mall operations and policies are aligned with market benchmarks and best practices and suggest improvements as necessary.

People Management

• Provide leadership within the function, setting individual objectives, managing performance, developing, and motivating staff, provision of formal and informal feedback and appraisal – in order to maximize subordinate and departmental performance in the pursuit of the Department’s objectives.
• Build and promote an organizational culture that encourages innovation and rewards performance, enhancing staff motivation and retention.

Key attributes:

• Super-regional management experience -- at General Manager / Associate Director / Director / Centre Manager level (the title will depend which market they come from)
• Experience as a key leader in the opening of new developments (Regional mall at a minimum)
• Ideally, they would have international experience in shopping centre management
• Experience managing a large team and also working collaboratively across other verticals
• The ability to operate tactically and think strategically depending on the needs at the time
• Future Director potential
• Bachelor’s degree in business administration/management or any related field.

Experience:

• 8-10 years experience in Retail Real Estate Management, Mall operations, Retail marketing, and customer experience, of which at least 5 years experience in a management role.
• Middle East experience is preferred.
• Excellent written and verbal communication and presentation skills.
• Excellent facilitation and influencing skills.
• Excellent problem-solving skills with the ability to maintain composure during difficult conversations.
• Excellent numerical ability / financial acumen and analytical skills.
• Excellent organization and multi-tasking skills.
• Expert in identifying and prioritizing key issues and building consensus.
• Excellent analytical and judgment capabilities.
• Leadership capabilities to ensure timely delivery from disparate teams.
• Excellent interpersonal ability to establish and nurture relationships at all levels.