Head of Priority Direct

Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank; United Arab Emirates; On-site; AED 200,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading financial institution in Dubai is seeking a Head of Priority Direct to oversee operations across multiple teams. The role involves ensuring high-quality service delivery, driving customer acquisition, and managing Cluster Managers. The ideal candidate will have at least 15 years of banking experience in the UAE, with a strong focus on leadership, customer satisfaction, and compliance with regulatory standards. This is an excellent opportunity to contribute to strategic planning and enhance service excellence.

Qualifications

• Minimum fifteen (15) years of Banking experience in U.A.E.

Responsibilities

• Oversee Priority Direct operations ensuring high-quality service delivery.
• Lead and mentor Cluster Managers across assigned region.
• Drive acquisition and portfolio growth for Priority Banking customers.
• Ensure compliance with ADIB policies and Islamic Sharia guidelines.
• Implement best practices for customer retention and satisfaction.

Skills

Leadership & People Development

Strategic Thinking

Business Acumen

Customer Focus

Problem Solving & Judgment

Job description

Role : Head of Priority Direct

Location : Dubai

Role Purpose:

To oversee Priority Direct operations across multiple teams, ensuring strong leadership, high‑quality service delivery, achievement of regional business targets, and effective management of Cluster Managers and VRM teams. The role focuses on driving acquisition, portfolio growth, customer satisfaction, and operational excellence in alignment with ADIB’s strategic priorities and Sharia‑compliant standards.

Key Accountabilities of the role

Regional Team Leadership & People Management

• Lead, mentor, and manage Cluster Managers across the assigned region.
• Oversee VRM teams indirectly through Cluster Managers.
• Set regional performance expectations, sales targets, and service KPIs.
• Responsible for hiring the planned HC in VRMs, ARMs, and Cluster Managers, maintaining the active HC and replacing any resigned HC on time.
• Conduct regular one‑to‑one reviews with Cluster Managers to monitor progress and address gaps.
• Team engagement through regular VRM meetings, discussions, and motivational face‑to‑face and team meetings.
• Support recruitment, onboarding, and capability development across the region.
• Foster a high‑performance culture focused on accountability, ownership, and service excellence.

Business Growth & Acquisition Oversight

• Drive acquisition of Priority Banking customers across all assigned teams.
• Monitor the quality of new‑to‑bank acquisition, ensuring alignment with segment criteria.
• Ensure strong pipeline generation and end‑to‑end sales for investments, takaful, and cross‑sell opportunities.
• Review performance of campaigns and contribute to designing new business initiatives.
• Track monthly, quarterly, and annual performance against targets and MBO plans.
• Support Cluster Managers in improving conversion rates and achieving portfolio growth.
• Ensure that all required reports, summaries, information to be delivered on time to high level management.

Customer Experience & Service Excellence

• Ensure all teams deliver a consistent, high‑quality service experience.
• Address escalated customer cases from Cluster Managers and coordinate with support teams to resolve them promptly.
• Monitor service turnaround times, complaint trends, and customer satisfaction scores.
• Implement best practices to enhance customer retention, reduce attrition, and increase loyalty.
• Promote digital adoption, self‑service tools, and proactive customer engagement strategies.

Operational Management & Compliance

• Ensure all teams operate in full compliance with ADIB policies, procedures, and Islamic Sharia guidelines.
• Review operational risks and incidents, ensuring corrective actions are implemented.
• Ensure to conclude and action all ODD and Compliance pending and active cases within agreed TAT as per policy.
• Monitor documentation quality, audit findings, and regulatory adherence across the region.
• Identify recurring operational issues and work with relevant teams to develop sustainable solutions.
• Ensure readiness for internal and external audits across all centers.

Cross‑Functional Collaboration

• Partner with Investment Advisors, Operations, Credit, Contact Center, and Branch Banking to support customer needs.
• Act as the primary link between the region and the Head Office for reporting, communication, and escalation.
• Coordinate implementation of new products, digital initiatives, and service enhancements.
• Facilitate information flow, updates, and collaboration between teams and centers.

Strategic Planning & Execution

• Support the Head of Priority Banking Coverage in executing the segment strategy.
• Provide market insights and competitive intelligence to improve product offerings and positioning.
• Analyze unit performance trends and propose data‑driven improvements.
• Lead projects, campaigns, and service improvement programs as required.

Specialist Skills / Technical Knowledge Required for this role

• Leadership & People Development
• Strategic Thinking
• Business Acumen
• Ownership
• Customer Focus
• Decision Quality
• Drive for Excellence
• Problem Solving & Judgment
• Communication & Influence

Previous experience

Minimum fifteen (15) years of Banking experience in U.A.E