Finance Director

Hello Chef; Dubai; On-site; AED 200,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

An innovative food company in Dubai seeks a Finance Director to transform finance into a growth driver. This leadership role involves ensuring accurate financial reporting, enhancing contribution margins, and effective OPEX management. Ideal candidates will have 8–10 years of experience, strong financial acumen, and a background in FMCG or e-commerce. The role offers competitive compensation, annual leave, and premium medical benefits.

Benefits

Market-competitive compensation

22 days annual leave

Annual flight allowance

Premium medical coverage

50% Hello Chef discount

Weekly food tastings

Qualifications

• 8–10 years’ experience in commercial finance, financial targeting, forecasting, and capital allocation.
• Proven track record in improving contribution margin and OPEX discipline.
• Experience in managing and developing finance teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead pricing strategy and drive OPEX efficiency.
• Own financial forecasting and scenario planning.
• Ensure accurate month-end close and compliance.

Skills

Commercial finance & FP&A mastery

Margin impact & cost discipline

Leadership & influence

Accounting & reporting expertise

Process & systems builder

Sector experience (FMCG, F&B, retail, e-commerce)

Tools

ERP systems (e.g., MS Business Central)

Job description

Hello Chef is scaling fast - launching new brands and product lines, and targeting 4x growth by 2032. To get there, Finance must transform from a reliable support function into a true driver of profitable growth.

We’re hiring a Finance Director to lead that change. Reporting directly to the CEO and part of the senior management team, this role is about much more than numbers: it’s about shaping how capital is invested, how pricing decisions are made, and how financial clarity drives growth across the business. This is an ideal opportunity if you want to take ownership of building a profit-driving Finance function in one of the UAE’s most exciting growth companies.

Mission

Grow contribution margin and ROI year-on-year by making Finance the source of discipline, foresight, and accuracy in decision-making.

Accountabilities, Goals, and Outcomes

• Contribution margin and ROI improve year-on-year, with capital and OPEX consistently deployed to the highest-return areas.
• Leaders make confident, forward-looking decisions with no financial surprises, enabled by clear targets, rolling forecasts, and scenario planning.
• Finance delivers accurate, timely accounts with full compliance and lean, scalable processes that support growth.

What You’ll Do

• Grow margin and ROI: Lead pricing strategy, enforce ROI discipline on investments, and drive OPEX efficiency by ensuring resources are directed to the highest-return areas.
• Provide foresight: Own financial targeting, rolling forecasts, and scenario planning to give leadership a forward view they can trust. Produce monthly analysis of contribution margin, surfacing insights and guiding peers on where improvements can be made to achieve commitments.
• Ensure accuracy and compliance: Oversee the finance team to deliver accurate month-end close, reconciliations, and reliable accounts. Manage outsourced partners for VAT, corporate tax, and filings, ensuring obligations are met without penalty.
• Build scalable processes: Strengthen controls, reporting rhythms, and systems so Finance runs lean and spends more time on insights than admin.
• Coordinate across functions: Act as the hub between Product, Operations, Procurement, and Marketing — embedding financial insight and discipline across functions so resources deliver maximum value.

Competencies

• Commercial finance & FP&A mastery: 8–10 years’ experience, with strength in financial targeting, forecasting, scenario planning, capital allocation, and cash control.
• Margin impact & cost discipline: proven track record of improving contribution margin and ROI, with relentless focus on OPEX discipline, spending control, and eliminating waste.
• Leadership & influence:
  builds trust, develops the finance team, and communicates complex financials simply; holds peers accountable for commitments and guides leaders to make confident, forward-looking decisions.
• Accounting & reporting expertise:solid foundation in accounting (IFRS knowledge, ERP experience such as MS Business Central), with the ability to ensure accurate close, reconciliations, and reliable numbers for decision-making.
• Process & systems builder:designs lean, scalable processes and controls, managing outsourced partners for compliance and freeing time for analysis and insights.
• Sector experience (essential): background in FMCG, F&B, retail, or e-commerce, with deep familiarity in managing contribution margin, pricing, and cost discipline at scale.

What We Offer

• Market-competitive compensation with biannual performance reviews.
• 22 days annual leave, annual flight allowance, relocation support if moving to Dubai.
• Premium medical coverage (mental health, dental, optical), plus generous parental leave.
• 50% Hello Chef discount and weekly food tastings.
• A high-feedback, high-growth culture — clarity through job levels, frequent reflections, and real ownership.