Chief Financial Officer

Squad Placements; Dubai; Hybrid; AED 781,000 - 893,000; Full time

Job summary

Squad Placements is assisting a newly established Single Family Office in Dubai to appoint a CFO. This rare senior finance leadership role requires designing and implementing the financial, treasury and governance framework that will support the Principal’s wealth today and enable strategic growth.

You will lead the finance function from the ground up, stay hands-on during the setup, build strong internal controls, work with trusted advisors, and guide future investment strategy while partnering

Qualifications

• Proven Family Office experience essential.
• Senior leadership experience at CFO/Finance Director level.
• Strong knowledge of treasury, liquidity planning, asset management and investment oversight.
• Solid understanding of trusts, foundations and holding structures.
• Knowledge of the UAE regulatory and tax environment advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and implementation of the family office’s financial architecture, including reporting lines, controls, policies, systems and governance.
• Advise on and oversee the most effective holding structures for the Principal’s personal and business assets, including trusts, foundations and holding companies, working closely with legal and tax advisors.
• Manage treasury, banking relationships and cash positions across entities and currencies, and develop robust liquidity planning and forecasting.
• Oversee the Principal’s asset base, monitor performance and risk, and prepare the groundwork for a future investment strategy and investment governance framework.
• Deliver clear, consolidated financial and wealth reporting to the Principal, giving a complete and reliable view of all assets, liabilities and performance.
• Ensure compliance with UAE Corporate Tax, VAT and economic substance requirements, as well as any relevant international reporting obligations.
• Establish strong internal controls, approval processes and risk management practices across the Principal’s affairs.
• Select, manage and coordinate external advisors, including private banks, auditors, lawyers, tax advisors and fiduciaries.
• Lead and develop the finance team, starting with the Senior Accountant, and help build the function as the office grows.

Skills

Family Office experience

CFO / Finance Director

Treasury

Asset management

Wealth structuring

Leadership

Governance

Discretion

English proficiency

Education

Master’s degree preferred

ACA/ACCA/CPA/CFA qualified

Job description

Location: Dubai, UAE (office location to be confirmed; remote working initially)

Salary: AED 70,000 – 80,000 per month (tax-free), DOE

Schedule: Full-time, with flexibility as required

Start Date: ASAP

Job Reference: FO-DXB-03

Overview

This is a rare opportunity for an exceptional senior finance leader to join a newly established Single Family Office in Dubai as its Chief Financial Officer. The Principal is building his private office from the ground up, and the CFO will be the most senior finance appointment and a key member of the founding team.

The successful candidate will design and put in place the financial, treasury and governance framework that will support the Principal’s personal and business wealth today, and pave the way for structured growth and a future investment strategy. This role calls for someone who can think strategically about the long term while remaining hands‑on during the set‑up phase.

The CFO will work closely with the Principal and lead the finance function, including the Senior Accountant. The exact office location in Dubai will be confirmed once the core team is in place, so the role may start remotely. Preference will be given to candidates already based in or around Dubai, although relocation candidates will be considered for exceptional profiles.

Due to the confidential nature of this search, further details will be shared with shortlisted candidates only.

Key Responsibilities

• Family Office Set‑Up: Lead the design and implementation of the family office’s financial architecture, including reporting lines, controls, policies, systems and governance.
• Wealth Structuring: Advise on and oversee the most effective holding structures for the Principal’s personal and business assets, including trusts, foundations and holding companies, working closely with legal and tax advisors.
• Treasury & Liquidity Planning: Manage treasury, banking relationships and cash positions across entities and currencies, and develop robust liquidity planning and forecasting.
• Asset Management Oversight: Oversee the Principal’s asset base, monitor performance and risk, and prepare the groundwork for a future investment strategy and investment governance framework.
• Consolidated Reporting: Deliver clear, consolidated financial and wealth reporting to the Principal, giving a complete and reliable view of all assets, liabilities and performance.
• Tax & Regulatory: Ensure compliance with UAE Corporate Tax, VAT and economic substance requirements, as well as any relevant international reporting obligations.
• Risk & Controls: Establish strong internal controls, approval processes and risk management practices across the Principal’s affairs.
• Advisor & Banking Relationships: Select, manage and coordinate external advisors, including private banks, auditors, lawyers, tax advisors and fiduciaries.
• Team Leadership: Lead and develop the finance team, starting with the Senior Accountant, and help build the function as the office grows.

Candidate Profile

• Experience: A highly accomplished senior finance professional with significant experience at CFO or Finance Director level. Proven Family Office experience is essential, ideally including involvement in setting up or restructuring a family office.
• Strategic & Hands‑On: Able to set long‑term direction while rolling up their sleeves during the build phase.
• Technical Depth: Strong expertise in treasury, asset management, liquidity planning and wealth structuring, including trusts and foundations.
• Trusted Advisor: Confident, credible and able to build a close relationship of trust with the Principal and his advisors.
• Team Player & Leader: Collaborative with the wider founding team, and able to lead and develop a finance team.
• Discretion & Integrity: Absolute discretion and the highest ethical standards are essential.

Requirements

• Proven Family Office experience is essential
• Degree in Finance, Economics, Accounting, Business or a related field; a Master’s (e.g. MSc Finance or MBA) is advantageous
• Recognised professional qualification such as ACA, ACCA/FCCA, CPA or CFA, or equivalent
• Significant senior leadership experience in finance, ideally at CFO or Finance Director level
• Strong experience in treasury, liquidity planning, asset management and investment oversight
• Solid understanding of trusts, foundations and holding structures
• Knowledge of the UAE regulatory and tax environment is highly advantageous
• Excellent professional English, written and spoken
• Based in or around Dubai preferred; relocation considered for exceptional candidates

What Is Offered

• Compensation: AED 70,000 – 80,000 per month (tax‑free), DOE
• Founding Leadership Role: The opportunity to shape a new Single Family Office from day one
• Long‑Term Impact: A role at the heart of the Principal’s wealth strategy, with scope to lead the future investment activity
• Team: The opportunity to build and lead the finance function within a senior founding team