Manager - Finance (UAE)

Role Overview

Manager - Finance (UAE) at Land Mark. This role manages finance, reporting, planning, and governance activities for UAE LRIL Common and UAE Shoexpress, while providing finance backup support to UAE Shoemart Finance.

Role Purpose

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.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Planning & Analysis

• Lead budgeting, forecasting, feasibility studies, lease renewals, and financial analysis to support strategic decision-making and profitability improvement.
• Evaluate new store investments and assess lease proposals through financial analysis and feasibility studies.
• Conduct financial modelling and scenario analysis to inform business decisions.
• Monitor financial performance against plan and identify opportunities for profitability improvement.

Business Partnering

• Collaborate with business, brand, and corporate teams to monitor financial performance, identify opportunities, and drive corrective actions.
• Partner with business and support functions to drive profitability and optimize costs.
• Provide actionable insights to support business decision-making.
• Exercise stakeholder management and influencing skills across multiple departments.

Reporting & Management Information

• Oversee monthly financial closing and reporting processes to ensure accuracy, completeness, and compliance with accounting standards and company policies.
• Ensure accurate financial reporting for all assigned entities.
• Review key business KPIs including sales, markdowns, productivity, and overheads, providing insights and recommendations to management.
• Deliver presentation and management reporting to senior leadership.

Governance & Compliance

• Manage legal agreements and commercial proposals by coordinating with business, legal, and relevant stakeholders to ensure timely reviews and approvals.
• Ensure adherence to Corporate Tax, VAT, FAR, COC, CFO Scorecard requirements, and other statutory and internal compliance guidelines.
• Maintain compliance with corporate and statutory requirements.
• Support the implementation and maintenance of strong financial controls, policies, and risk management practices.

Operational Support

• Coordinate with LRIL Common departments and shared services to ensure smooth operations.
• Serve as finance backup for UAE Shoemart Finance to support business continuity and operational effectiveness.

Qualifications & Experience

• 5–8 years of relevant finance experience, including UAE retail and FMCG exposure.
• Chartered Accountant (CA), ACCA, CPA, or equivalent professional qualification is required.
• Proven experience in FP&A, business partnering, management reporting, budgeting, forecasting, and financial closing.
• Experience in evaluating business cases, store feasibility studies, and lease proposals.
• Working knowledge of UAE VAT and Corporate Tax regulations is a plus.
• Record-to-Report (R2R) experience is a plus.

Skills & Competencies

• Analytical mind with understanding of revenue, cost, and profit drivers.
• Strong communication and coordination skills.
• FP&A, budgeting, forecasting, and variance analysis expertise.
• Cost control and profitability analysis capabilities.
• Problem-solving mindset.
• Ability to work under deadlines and pressure.
• 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.
• Familiarity with Cognos, Power BI, ERP systems, and advanced Excel.