Financial Administrator jobs in United Arab Emirates

INSPIRE | EXHILARATE | DELIGHT

For over seven decades, Chalhoub Group has been a partner and creator of luxury experiences in the Middle East. In its pursuit to excel as a hybrid luxury retailer, the Group has curated a portfolio of over 10 owned brands and strengthened its distribution and marketing expertise for over 400 international names across luxury fashion, beauty, jewellery, watches, eyewear, and art de vivre categories.

Every step at Chalhoub Group is taken to build a future where luxury dreams become reality bridging cultures and crafting memorable experiences for our consumers. Be it by constantly reinventing itself, committing to innovation, or embracing new technologies, the Group is shaping the future of luxury retail. It delivers seamless omnichannel experiences across more than 950 stores, online platforms, and mobile apps. Driving this innovation journey is The Greenhouse the Group's innovation hub, incubator, and accelerator for startups and emerging businesses, regionally and globally.

Chalhoub Group fosters a people-at-heart culture rooted in diversity, equity, and inclusion, and a workplace catalysed by forward thinking and future-proofing. Today, it brings together over 16,000 talented professionals across eight countries in the Middle East, with a presence in LATAM. Their collective efforts have earned the Group the Great Place to Work certification in several markets.

Sustainability is at the core of the Group's strategy, guided by a clear commitment to people, partners, and the planet. Chalhoub Group is proud to be a member of the United Nations Global Compact, a signatory of the Women's Empowerment Principles, and to have pledged to reach Net Zero by 2040.

What You'll Be Doing

Oversee the strategic and operational financial activities related to joint venture partnerships across fashion (Christian Dior Couture, Louis Vuitton, MaxMara, LVMH Fashion Group, Zimmermann, OTB Group, Berluti, Christian Louboutin), and beauty (Sephora, Puig, Shiseido, LVMH Beauty, L'Occitane Group, Elizabeth Arden, Coty, Patyka), ensuring alignment with the Group's overall financial goals and objectives.

Lead the finance function end-to-end for new verticals of Luxury Tech (Dyson, Devialet), and Jewelry & Eyewear (Chaumet, Repossi, De Beers, EssilorLuxottica), across franchise and joint venture business models.

• Financial Planning and Analysis: Formulate and implement a robust financial planning, budgeting, and forecasting processes to provide accurate and timely financial insights to JV partners, franchise partners and senior management.
• Strategic Financial Management: Develop and execute financial strategies that support the Group's long-term goals and optimize JV partnerships.
• Performance Monitoring: Monitor the financial performance of JV entities, ensuring they meet corporate financial targets and identifying areas for improvement. Full financial control of franchise businesses, including responsibility for P&L and Balance sheet.
• Financial Reporting: Ensure the accuracy and integrity of financial reporting for JV partnerships, providing clear and comprehensive reports to JV partners and internal stakeholders.
• Business Intelligence: Lead the business Intelligence activities to deliver robust data analytics, reporting, and insights that support strategic decision-making for brand partnerships.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Act as the primary liaison between the commercial, finance departments and JV partners, fostering strong relationships and ensuring effective communication. Successfully build and support partner relationships with brand regional teams (CFOs/Heads of Finance and GMs/MDs), as well as Global CFOs, Presidents, and CEOs, and serve as a thought partner on topics of long-term and mid-term planning, and retail expansion.
• Team Management: Manage the operations of the JV Finance Department, providing expertise, encouraging teamwork, and facilitating professional development to achieve high performance standards.
• Value creation: Support Joint Ventures in increased value creation by driving operational improvements, supporting expansion of market reach, innovating products and services, and talent development.
• Governance: Protect interest of Chalhoub's minority and majority shareholdings in regional operations, as a JV Board Director and/or Observer, by ensuring rights and obligations of the Sharehold Agreements are observed.
• Financial control: Approve brand 3-year plans and store openings for the full brand portfolio, including P&L preparation, sensitivity testing, cost control (e.g. Capex), etc.
• Innovation and Technology: Drive innovation in financial processes and systems, leveraging new technologies to enhance operations and reporting for brands in scope.
• Global Financial Strategy: Incorporate a global perspective in financial strategy, considering international markets and regulations relevant to JV partnerships
• Deal Negotiation: Work closely with Business Development, Commercial and Legal team to negotiate and close new long-term brand partnerships (P&L preparation and sensitivity, commercial negotiations, tax implications, governance and reserved matters).
• Onboarding: Co-lead onboarding of new brands, by supporting negotiations of operational agreements (in partnership with legal and Ops teams), incorporations, onboarding into Chalhoub shared services, and store openings.
• Cashflow management: Lead negotiations of partial buybacks and full Joint Ventures exit, maximizing shareholder returns.
  
  

What You'll Need To Succeed

• Bachelor's Degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or related field (Master's or MBA preferred).
• CPA, CMA, or similar certifications preferred.
• 15+ years of experience in Finance or Corporate Finance, with at least 8 years in a leadership role.
• Experience working in the Retail industry or with Retail clients is required.
• Strong knowledge of financial regulations, accounting principles, and financial systems.
• Proven ability to develop and implement financial strategies.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Advanced analytical skills focused on driving business results.
• Proficiency in financial software, ERP systems, Microsoft Excel and data analysis tools (e.g. Looker/Power BI).
  
  

Key Competencies

• Driving innovation - Identifying and supporting new ways of operating that will help the Group and its employees remain fit for future.
• Driving results - Focusing on achieving a high standard of excellence in all work produced at an individual or team level.
• Business analytics - Knowledge of technologies, techniques, and practices for the evaluation of business performance data. ability to analyse business performance using advanced statistical methods to justify and drive future business planning decisions.
• Decision Making & critical thinking - Knowledge of the decision-making process and associated tools and techniques. ability to accurately analyse situations and reach productive decisions based on informed judgment.
• Financial forecasting & modelling - Knowledge of processes, tools and techniques of financial forecasting and modelling. ability to explore and evaluate alternative financial scenarios and results.
• Influencing/Communications. Demonstrated experience in influencing others peers and executive through strong written and verbal communication skills.
  
  

What We Can Offer You

With us, you will turn your aspirations into reality. We will help shape your journey through enriching experiences, learning and development opportunities and exposure to different assignments within your role or through internal mobility. Our Group offers diverse career paths for those who are extraordinary, every day.

We recognise the value that you bring, and we strive to provide a competitive benefits package which includes health care, child education contribution, remote and flexible working policies as well as exclusive employee discounts.

We Invite All Applicants to Apply

It Takes Diversity Of Thought, Culture, Background, Differing Abilities and Perspectives to truly Inspire, Exhilarate and Delight our customers. At Chalhoub Group, we are committed to inclusion and diversity.

We welcome all applicants to apply and be part of our exciting future. We ensure equal opportunity for all our applicants without regard to gender, age, race, religion, national origin or disability status.