Head of Strategy & Real Estate Insights

Arada; Dubai; On-site; AED 350,000 - 520,000; Full time

Job summary

Arada seeks a Director of Strategy and Research to lead global real estate research and data initiatives. You will shape the research agenda, oversee dashboards, and manage external consultants to deliver high-impact insights for senior leadership and the investment team.

You will drive market intelligence across sectors including hospitality, healthcare, and education, ensuring real-time data access and AI-enabled analytics. A strong background in economics or urban development is required.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree required in Economics, Urban Planning, Real Estate, Business, Data Science, or related field.
• Minimum 10 years of relevant experience in consulting, real estate research, data strategy, or urban development, with leadership at least 3 years.
• Strong leadership, collaboration, and communication skills; entrepreneurial and adaptable in fast-moving environments.
• Excellent understanding of UAE and GCC real estate markets; ability to translate data into actionable recommendations.
• Experience with business intelligence tools (Power BI, Tableau) and advanced Excel; exposure to GIS or statistical tools.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute Arada’s research agenda aligned with strategy and opportunities.
• Oversee market intelligence and build an in-house real-time data platform.
• Prepare RFPs and manage external consultants for feasibility and benchmarking studies.
• Track policy, regulatory, and macro developments and assess strategic impact.
• Provide market inputs for investment committee papers including new investments and M&A opportunities.
• Deliver insights from market trends, customer behavior, and economic data across sectors with a focus on real estate.
• Design and manage dashboards and reporting for leadership to ensure timely, user-friendly insights.
• Identify and implement AI and data tools to improve data collection, processing, and distribution.
• Lead stakeholder engagement with industry bodies, government, and advisors.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Data analysis

Stakeholder management

Communication skills

Financial modelling

Power BI/Tableau

Python/R

Education

Master’s degree in Economics, Urban Planning, Real Estate, Business, Data Science, or related field

Tools

Power BI

Tableau

Excel (Advanced)

GIS

Python

R

Job description

Arada seeks a Director of Strategy and Research to lead global real estate research and data initiatives. You will shape the research agenda, oversee dashboards, and manage external consultants to deliver high-impact insights for senior leadership and the investment team.

You will drive market intelligence across sectors including hospitality, healthcare, and education, ensuring real-time data access and AI-enabled analytics. A strong background in economics or urban development is required.