Development Manager - Masterplan Projects

AlFuttaim; Dubai; On-site; AED 335,000 - 502,000; Full time

Job summary

Al-Futtaim is seeking a Development Manager - Masterplan Projects in Dubai to translate masterplan strategy into commercially successful real estate assets. You will coordinate internal stakeholders, consultants, contractors, authorities, tenants, and asset owners to ensure developments progress on schedule and within budgets.

You will oversee feasibility, design development, procurement, change management, and handover, maintaining asset value and delivery certainty across Dubai Festival City

Qualifications

• Minimum 7 years of experience in real estate development or project delivery.
• Experience managing masterplan developments, retail/hospitality assets, or large-scale schemes.
• Strong commercial understanding with budgets, feasibility, and returns.
• Familiarity with FIDIC principles and construction delivery techniques.
• Ability to lead consultants, contractors, authorities, tenants, and internal stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead consultant procurement with RFPs, evaluation, shortlisting, negotiation, and appointments.
• Prepare internal approvals following governance and policy requirements.
• Monitor deliverables and address performance gaps with corrective actions.
• Coordinate consultant teams for authority documentation and approvals.
• Track permits and ensure clearances meet project milestones.
• Guide design development from concept to detailed design while upholding the vision.
• Manage specialist consultants to support design, technical, and delivery objectives.
• Review cost estimates and keep solutions within budgets and constraints.
• Collaborate with project managers to achieve time, cost, quality, and returns targets.
• Coordinate stakeholder communications through development lifecycle.

Skills

Masterplan development

Project management

Development management

Design management

Contractor management

Stakeholder management

Executive reporting

Education

Degree in Business or Project Management

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Development Manager - Masterplan Projects Job Snapshot

Role: Development Manager - Masterplan Projects

Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Industry: Real Estate

Function: Project Management

Experience: Minimum 7 years

Job Type: Full-time

Job Details

Country: United Arab Emirates

City: Dubai

Industry: Real Estate

Function: Project Management

Salary: 30000-45000 Estimated salary range based on similar jobs in the job city; please confirm the final offer with the employer.

Gender: Any

Candidate Nationality: Any

Job Type: Full-time

Role Context

The Development Manager plays a central role in turning masterplan strategy into commercially successful, high-quality real estate assets. The position coordinates internal stakeholders, consultants, contractors, authorities, procurement teams, tenants, and asset owners to ensure developments progress in line with approved budgets, programme milestones, design standards, and commercial objectives. Strong control over feasibility, design development, procurement, change management, and handover is essential to protecting asset value and maintaining delivery certainty across Dubai Festival City projects.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead consultant procurement by preparing project-specific Requests for Proposals and managing proposal evaluation, shortlisting, negotiation, and appointment processes.
• Prepare internal approval documentation in accordance with established governance, policy, and procedural requirements.
• Monitor consultant deliverables and identify performance gaps before implementing corrective actions.
• Coordinate consultant teams to prepare and submit authority documentation in line with approved development programmes.
• Track statutory approvals and ensure required permits and clearances are secured against project milestones.
• Guide design development from concept stage through detailed design while maintaining the approved project vision.
• Appoint and manage specialist consultants required to support design, technical, commercial, and delivery objectives.
• Secure clear project briefs and confirm that design outputs reflect company standards and operational requirements.
• Review cost estimates and ensure proposed design solutions remain aligned with approved budgets.
• Work closely with project managers to achieve time, cost, quality, and commercial return targets.
• Coordinate between the owner, consultants, contractors, tenants, and other stakeholders throughout the development lifecycle.
• Monitor change control processes and assess proposed variations for cost, approval, programme, and commercial impact.
• Collaborate with Procurement to develop contracting and procurement strategies appropriate to project requirements.
• Review proposed procurement approaches and ensure compliance with internal policies and governance.
• Prepare and present updates covering construction progress, development milestones, financial performance, and emerging risks.
• Coordinate monthly Project Control Group Papers and provide accurate information for senior management review.
• Maintain current feasibility studies and produce executive dashboards reflecting project performance.
• Work with Tenant Coordination teams to progress retail fit-out activities and resolve interface issues.
• Monitor retailer handover dates against programme commitments and lease obligations.
• Facilitate coordination between base-build contractors and tenant contractors to reduce delivery conflicts.
• Manage final project handover to Asset Owners and verify completion of all agreed commitments.
• Confirm that quality inspections, documentation, approvals, and formal sign-offs are completed before closeout.
• Conduct structured monthly reviews with consultant team leaders and address performance issues promptly.
• Provide direction and support to consultants and project stakeholders to maintain accountability and delivery momentum.

Ideal Profile

• Degree in Business, Project Management, or a related discipline from a recognised institution.
• Minimum 7 years of experience in real estate development, project development, or project delivery.
• Demonstrated experience managing projects through planning, design, procurement, construction, handover, and closeout.
• Exposure to large-scale masterplans, mixed-use developments, retail assets, hospitality projects, or comparable developments is highly valuable.
• Strong commercial understanding with the ability to evaluate budgets, feasibility, procurement strategies, and project returns.
• Practical knowledge of FIDIC principles and construction delivery techniques.
• Experience managing consultants, contractors, authorities, tenants, and internal stakeholder groups.
• Strong understanding of design management and the progression from concept through detailed design.
• Ability to assess programme impacts, variations, cost changes, and delivery risks.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft applications and project management tools.
• Confident communicator capable of influencing stakeholders at executive, technical, consultant, and contractor levels.
• Strong analytical ability with disciplined time management and decision-making skills.
• Proven leadership capability in complex, multidisciplinary development environments.

Skills Set

• Real estate development
• Masterplan development
• Project Management
• Development management
• Design management
• Consultant management
• RFP preparation
• Consultant procurement
• Authority approvals
• Cost management
• Feasibility analysis
• Commercial management
• FIDIC
• Construction management
• Change management
• Procurement strategy
• Project controls
• Executive reporting
• Project dashboards
• Programme management
• Retail development
• Tenant coordination
• Fit-out coordination
• Contractor management
• Project handover
• Project closeout
• Quality inspections
• Asset handover
• Microsoft Office
• Stakeholder management

Why Join Us

This role offers the opportunity to influence major development decisions within Dubai Festival City and contribute directly to the long-term value of one of Dubai 's established mixed-use destinations. The position provides broad exposure across strategy, design, commercial management, procurement, construction, tenant delivery, and asset handover. Working within a large Real Estate platform also creates strong progression opportunities for professionals seeking greater responsibility in complex development programmes and high-value urban projects.

About the Company

Al-Futtaim is a diversified privately held regional group headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, with businesses spanning automotive, financial services, real estate, retail, and healthcare. Its real estate operations develop and manage major mixed-use destinations, residential communities, retail assets, hospitality projects, and commercial properties, including Dubai Festival City.