Senior Manager - Retail Leasing

Dubai Holding Asset Management; Dubai; On-site; AED 400,000 - 650,000; Full time

Job summary

Dubai Holding Asset Management is seeking an experienced Retail Leasing Manager to lead the leasing strategy across its cluster of retail destinations. You will guide the team in identifying, attracting, and closing new and existing tenant opportunities while ensuring a seamless customer experience and revenue growth.

The role requires strong financial acumen, market insight, and excellent relationship management with brands and brokers in the Middle East.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing or Business Administration is required or strongly preferred.
• Minimum ten years of experience in retail leasing/sales with managerial exposure.
• Middle East experience is preferred.
• Strong financial management and business acumen are essential.
• Excellent interpersonal and leadership skills with the ability to lead teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the Retail leasing strategy and plan aligned with the overall Retail strategy.
• Identify, attract, and close leasing opportunities across the retail portfolio.
• Manage and mentor the leasing team to meet occupancy and revenue targets.
• Coordinate with Finance and Marketing to optimize pricing, budgets, and marketing spend.
• Maintain strong relationships with brands, brokers, and key clients to drive RSA growth.
• Ensure leasing activities are tracked using DHAM systems (e.g., YARDI) and compliant with policies.

Skills

Financial management

Analytical skills

Leadership

Networking

Customer relations

Team leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Marketing or Business Administration

Chartered Surveyor / RICS

Tools

YARDI

Job description

The role holder is responsible for managing the leasing activities of the assigned cluster of retail destinations under DHAM Retail to maximize the growth of leasing revenues. The role holder is responsible for leading and guiding the team in identifying, attracting, and closing business development opportunities across the retail portfolio, including both new and current clients. The role holder is also responsible for providing a seamless customer service process for clients to improve customer satisfaction, customer retention & achievement of overall revenue targets across the portfolio.

Strategic Responsibilities

• Support the Director – Retail Leasing in developing the Retail leasing strategy and plan in line with the overall Retail strategy to ensure all retail assets are fully leased in line with the tenancy mix and earn the desired returns to meet the overall targets for the retail function.
• Identify, prioritize and project manage strategic initiatives that span but are not limited to business development, key industry segment and customer targeting initiatives, operational efficiency initiatives, tenant acquisitions, policy and process introduction, and enhancement initiatives.
• Review and implement leasing strategies merchandising/ tenant mix / new developments for the assigned cluster
• Support the Director – retail leasing in producing systems, tools and processes that improve DHAM retail leasing efficiency and ensure that all Group stakeholders receive timely, accurate and comprehensive information which allows them to make informed decisions.

Core Responsibilities

Budgetary Support

• Support the Director – Retail Leasing to prepare, consolidate, and forecast the commercial budget and monitor financial performance versus the budget so that the business is aware of anticipated costs/revenues; areas of unsatisfactory performance are identified, and potential performance improvement opportunities are capitalized upon in line with the forecasts and assuring budget accuracy.
• Review market trends and market research information in order to develop the overall budget forecast in line with company objectives and continually review against actuals to ensure targets are being achieved to take action in case of any variances.
• Support the Director – retail leasing on year-on-year revenue growth strategy.

Commercial Operations

• Manage the leasing services for all DHAM retail portfolios and ensure proper planning and execution of activities to maximize occupancy rate and ensure the highest revenue return on the assets.
• Meet revenue and occupancy targets and ensure all pipelines and deals are closed. Oversee and drive the leasing team activities and ensure they are motivated and driven to hit their targets.
• Plan and monitor the life cycle of leasing activities for each offering/unit to ensure optimum staff utilization and effective business closure.
• Research, analyze and make recommendations concerning prospective tenants for Malls / Retail Destinations / Community Centers based on client financial strength, tenant mix, and return on investment. Provide recommendations to the Retail Tenant Selection Committee & Asset Management committee on proposals submitted.
• Pursue local and international tenants within the targeted use categories via regular and systematic canvassing, cold calling, and networking.
• Develop overall market research on brands not present in the UAE and high/unique brands to attract and connect with them and introduce them to DHAM for leasing.
• Negotiate new leases and acquire new business opportunities based on prevailing market rates, evaluate properties, lease rents, and available properties to achieve revenue targets. Understand and recommend the Lease rent trends and their viability for different retailer categories.
• Coordinate with the lease admin team to ensure renewals, leasing documents and payments are issued and received in a timely manner.
• Ensure all leasing activities are incorporated through YARDI or other available platforms.
• Implement the leasing plan and escalate as appropriate to correct deviation from the plan to respond effectively and quickly to any change in the business environment.
• Ensure maximum efficiency of the sales function to achieve targets as well as minimize opportunity loss & revenue loss.
• Identify and develop potential business opportunities, handle major accounts, negotiate major deals with clients, and build short-term/long-term business relationships to meet tangible objectives and targets for growth.
• Work closely with Specialty Leasing on an overall leasing strategy to avoid duplication of concepts/brands and over-saturation of common areas.
• Establish and maintain a strong network with existing brands through ongoing communication and contact with store management and brand headquarters staff.
• Contribute to developing pricing modelling in conjunction with Corporate Strategy and Finance to recommend competitive pricing of product offerings that maximizes the IRR.
• Work with the marketing team to establish new marketing channels and enhance the reach of current channels to improve the return on marketing spend.
• Plan and monitor monthly leasing reports to meet financial targets. Review and recommend corrective actions based on the reports prepared for sales to monitor and review the company's performance against key performance indicators to highlight any variances to Management for corrective action.
• Ensure continuous improvement of leasing practices considering ‘international best practice’, changes in international standards, and changes in the business environment which demand proactive action plans.
• Ensure compliance with Dubai Holding Code of Conduct, department policies and HC policies and procedures at all times.

Key Relationship Management

• Manage client relationships and relationships with key commercial contacts and market players within the retail and seek expansion opportunities, ensuring the team conducts regular client visits to achieve assigned revenue and customer satisfaction targets.
• Drive the development and maintenance of effective key business relationships with all relevant external/internal entities with the highest standards of business ethics whilst promptly attending to all critical issues in order to ensure the services required by the organization are delivered most effectively.

Policies, Processes, Systems, Procedures, and Controls

• Lead and direct the development and implementation of ‘best-in-class’ processes across all DHAM Retail functions, including external benchmarking, reviewing, and drafting brand new processes to cater to a range of partners in coordination with the Business Excellence team.
• Collaborate with Finance to develop sales payment policies for complicated transactions to reflect the realistic scale of the payments and ensure the policy is implemented effectively though out the project cycle.
• Understand and recommend the lease rent trends and their viability for different retailer categories and provide suggestions to the Research & Product Development team.

Customer Experience Management

• Drive the customer experience management model to maximize and enhance the customer acquisition and retention rate.
• Oversee the customer satisfaction survey results for Retail leasing and ensure appropriate corrective actions are taken within the stipulated time per the agreed priorities.
• Provide leadership within the function, setting individual objectives, managing performance, developing and motivating staff, and providing formal and informal feedback and appraisal to maximize subordinate and departmental performance in the pursuit of the Department’s objectives.
• Build and promote an organizational culture that encourages innovation and rewards performance, leading to enhanced staff motivation and retention.

Bachelor’s degree in the fields of Marketing / Business Administration

Chartered Surveyor certification/ member of the RICS preferred

Experience

Minimum ten years of experience in retail leasing/sales with at least two years in a managerial-level position.

Middle East experience is preferred.

• Strong financial management and business acumen.
• Adept in revenue and cost analysis.
• Advanced analytical skills.
• Thorough knowledge of retail market/trends intelligence.
• Ability to manage the brokers/agents.
• Excellent customer relations and networking skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and leadership skills with the ability to lead teams in achieving results.