Retail Director - Global Premium Home & Lifestyle - GCC

Yello; Dubai; On-site; AED 700,000 - 1,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Yello in Dubai is seeking a senior retail leader to launch and operate a luxury lifestyle brand across the UAE. You will own the retail strategy, drive sales performance, and oversee day-to-day store network operations as the brand builds its regional footprint.

You will lead new store openings from pre-opening planning to launch, build a high-caliber retail team, and partner with senior leadership on site strategy and expansion plans across the GCC, delivering exceptional customer experience

Qualifications

• Senior retail leader with experience managing luxury, premium or design-led lifestyle brands.
• Strong track record across multi-site operations, new store openings, and team leadership.
• Experience within UAE or wider GCC is preferred; customer experience and high service standards are central.

Responsibilities

• Lead the launch and ongoing operation of the brand across the UAE.
• Own the retail strategy, commercial performance and day-to-day operations of the store network.
• Lead new store openings from pre-opening planning through to successful launch.
• Build the retail organisation, including Store Managers and customer-facing teams.
• Drive sales, conversion, productivity, service standards and customer experience.
• Establish operating procedures, performance standards and consistent ways of working.
• Partner with senior leadership on site strategy, future openings and wider Middle East expansion.
• Create a high-touch, design-led retail experience aligned with the brand's international positioning.
• Develop strong store leadership teams capable of supporting future scale.

Skills

Retail leadership

Luxury brand experience

Multi-site operations

New store openings

Team leadership

Customer experience

Job description

Our client is a leading UAE group launching an established international premium lifestyle brand across the market. With the first UAE location currently being developed, the business is building its retail platform from the ground up with ambitions to establish a strong local footprint before expanding further across the Middle East.

• Lead the launch and ongoing operation of the brand across the UAE.
• Own the retail strategy, commercial performance and day-to-day operations of the store network.
• Lead new store openings from pre-opening planning through to successful launch.
• Build the retail organisation, including Store Managers and customer-facing teams.
• Drive sales, conversion, productivity, service standards and customer experience.
• Establish operating procedures, performance standards and consistent ways of working across the business.
• Partner with senior leadership on site strategy, future openings and wider Middle East expansion.
• Create a high-touch, design-led retail experience aligned with the brand's international positioning.
• Develop strong store leadership teams capable of supporting future scale.

• The successful candidate will be a senior retail leader with experience managing luxury, premium or design led lifestyle brands.
• They will have a strong track record across multi site operations, new store openings, commercial performance and team leadership, ideally within the UAE or wider GCC.
• Particularly interested in candidates who have operated within premium home, interiors, lifestyle or adjacent luxury retail environments where customer experience, consultative selling and high service standards are central to the proposition.
• The role requires a hands on operator initially who is equally comfortable building the fundamentals of a new retail business and contributing to its longer-term growth strategy.