Manager - Finance (UAE)

Manage the finance, reporting, planning, and governance activities for UAE LRIL Common and UAE Shoexpress, ensuring accurate financial reporting, strong business controls, and compliance with corporate and statutory requirements. Partner with business and support functions to drive profitability, optimize costs, evaluate new store investments, and assess lease proposals through financial analysis and feasibility studies. Provide actionable insights to support business decision-making while coordinating with LRIL Common departments and shared services to ensure smooth operations. Additionally, serve as finance backup for UAE Shoemart Finance to support business continuity and operational effectiveness.

Responsibilities

• Lead finance business partnering, planning, reporting, and governance activities for UAE Shoexpress and UAE LRIL Common, ensuring strong financial performance, compliance, and effective decision support.
• FP&A: Lead budgeting, forecasting, feasibility studies, lease renewals, and financial analysis to support strategic decision‑making and profitability improvement.
• Business Partnering: Collaborate with business, brand, and corporate teams to monitor financial performance, identify opportunities, and drive corrective actions.
• Governance: Manage legal agreements and commercial proposals by coordinating with business, legal, and relevant stakeholders to ensure timely reviews and approvals.
• Reporting: Oversee monthly financial closing and reporting processes to ensure accuracy, completeness, and compliance with accounting standards and company policies.
• Performance: Review key business KPIs including sales, markdowns, productivity, and overheads, providing insights and recommendations to management.
• Compliance: Ensure adherence to Corporate Tax, VAT, FAR, COC, CFO Scorecard requirements, and other statutory and internal compliance guidelines.
• Controls: Support the implementation and maintenance of strong financial controls, policies, and risk management practices.

Qualifications

• 5–8 years of relevant finance experience, including UAE retail/FMCG exposure.
• Chartered Accountant (CA), ACCA, CPA, or equivalent professional qualification is a must.
• Proven experience in FP&A, business partnering, management reporting, budgeting, forecasting, and financial closing.
• Working knowledge of UAE VAT and Corporate Tax regulations is a plus.
• Experience in evaluating business cases, store feasibility studies, and lease proposals.
• Familiarity with Cognos, Power BI, ERP systems, and advanced Excel.
• Analytical mind (understanding revenue, cost, profit drivers).
• Strong communication and coordination skills.
• FP&A, budgeting, forecasting, and variance analysis expertise.
• Cost control and profitability analysis.
• Problem‑solving mindset.
• Ability to work under deadlines and pressure.
• R2R experience is a plus.
• Stakeholder management and influencing skills.
• Commercial and business acumen.
• Financial modelling and scenario analysis.
• Presentation and management reporting skills.
• Process improvement and automation mindset.
• Attention to detail with strong control orientation.