Senior Leasing Manager – Retail Jobs in Dubai, UAE – Apply Now

Job Overview

An exciting career opportunity is available for an experienced Senior Leasing Manager – Retail to join Al-Futtaim in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The role is focused on managing and strengthening the company’s retail leasing portfolio across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The successful candidate will be involved in lease negotiations, new store locations, portfolio performance, landlord relationships, contract administration and retail expansion planning.

This position requires a strong combination of commercial awareness, negotiation ability, financial understanding and real estate knowledge. The Senior Leasing Manager will work with different business divisions and internal teams to secure commercially attractive retail locations while managing leasing risks and costs.

Professionals with substantial experience in retail leasing, commercial real estate, property management or portfolio management may find this opportunity particularly relevant.

Job Details

Position: Senior Leasing Manager – Retail
Company: Al-Futtaim
Location: Dubai, UAE
Industry: Retail / Real Estate
Job Function: Leasing & Property Management
Experience: Minimum 5 Years
Education: Bachelor’s Degree

Key Responsibilities

Retail Leasing Management

The Senior Leasing Manager will manage leasing activities across an assigned portfolio of retail properties and brands.

Key duties include:

• Manage retail leasing transactions from initial discussions through negotiation and final agreement.
• Identify suitable retail properties for existing brands and future expansion plans.
• Negotiate rental rates, commercial conditions and other important lease terms.
• Evaluate potential retail locations based on business requirements and commercial considerations.
• Coordinate lease agreements, documentation and approval processes.
• Review lease-related documentation in collaboration with relevant internal teams.
• Monitor payments and other administrative requirements connected with leasing agreements.
• Keep leasing systems, records and tracking documents accurate and up to date.
• Support the rollout of new retail locations across target markets.
• Manage lease renewals and work toward securing commercially competitive terms.
• Negotiate early termination or surrender of leases when stores are scheduled for closure.
• Work to minimize the financial impact associated with lease exits and portfolio changes.

Retail Expansion and Location Strategy

Finding the right location can have a major impact on the performance of a retail business.

The Senior Leasing Manager will support expansion plans by identifying suitable locations for Al-Futtaim’s retail brands and evaluating the commercial terms associated with each opportunity.

The role may involve assessing factors such as rental costs, lease conditions, location suitability, brand requirements and long-term commercial viability before recommendations are presented to management.

The selected professional will also help coordinate planned store openings, closures and renovations.

Landlord and Stakeholder Management

Building effective relationships is an important part of this position.

The Senior Leasing Manager will communicate regularly with landlords, property owners, mall operators and internal stakeholders.

Responsibilities include:

• Develop and maintain professional relationships with landlords and property partners.
• Act as a key point of contact for leasing-related discussions.
• Coordinate with internal retail teams regarding property requirements.
• Work with legal teams when reviewing lease agreements and contractual risks.
• Provide management with regular updates on leasing activities.
• Support different business divisions with property and leasing requirements.
• Help resolve commercial or contractual matters affecting existing locations.

Strong communication and negotiation skills will be important when balancing the interests of landlords, retail brands and internal business teams.

Portfolio Performance and Rental Analysis

The role also involves reviewing the commercial performance of the existing retail property portfolio.

The Senior Leasing Manager may be responsible for:

• Reviewing leasing costs across existing retail locations.
• Identifying opportunities to improve rental terms.
• Negotiating rental reductions where commercially appropriate.
• Monitoring upcoming lease expirations and renewals.
• Comparing proposed rental rates with available market information.
• Evaluating the financial impact of leasing decisions.
• Providing recommendations regarding renewals, relocations or closures.
• Preparing leasing reports and management presentations.

Strong financial and analytical skills are important because leasing decisions can have a significant long-term impact on operating costs and retail profitability.

Lease Administration and Documentation

Accurate lease administration is another important part of the position.

The successful candidate will help ensure that leasing information and supporting documentation remain properly maintained.

This may include:

• Lease contracts
• Renewal schedules
• Payment records
• Approval documents
• Property information
• Mall floor plans
• Rental information
• Leasing correspondence
• Location-specific records

Maintaining reliable information can help the organization manage deadlines, contractual obligations and portfolio decisions more effectively.

Store Openings, Closures and Renovations

The Senior Leasing Manager will work with the Store Development team, landlords and other stakeholders when retail locations are opened, renovated or closed.

This coordination may involve ensuring that property-related requirements are addressed on time and that the relevant teams have the information needed to complete each project.

For proposed new locations, the role may also support business divisions in preparing feasibility information for management and investment review.

Leasing Policies and Process Improvement

In addition to managing individual leasing transactions, the role will contribute to improving the overall leasing function.

Responsibilities may include:

• Reviewing existing leasing procedures.
• Developing more efficient processes for managing lease transactions.
• Improving documentation and tracking methods.
• Maintaining regional property information.
• Supporting consistent leasing practices across different markets.
• Identifying opportunities to simplify coordination between business units, landlords and store development teams.

The objective is to create a more efficient leasing process while maintaining appropriate commercial and legal controls.

Required Skills

Candidates should demonstrate strong capabilities in the following areas:

Negotiation Skills

Strong commercial negotiation ability is essential, particularly when discussing rent, lease renewals, property terms and early termination agreements.

Relationship Management

The position requires regular interaction with landlords, property operators and internal business stakeholders. Candidates should therefore be comfortable developing and maintaining professional relationships.

Financial and Analytical Skills

Applicants should be capable of assessing the commercial implications of leasing transactions and using financial information to support recommendations.

Lease Administration

Experience handling lease agreements, documentation, renewals, approvals and tracking systems will be valuable.

Market Awareness

Understanding retail property trends and market conditions can help the Leasing Manager make better decisions regarding new locations, rental negotiations and portfolio strategy.

Communication and Presentation

The successful candidate should be able to communicate recommendations clearly and prepare professional reports and presentations for management.

Educational Qualification

Candidates should preferably hold a Bachelor’s degree in:

• Real Estate
• Business Administration
• Property Management
• Finance
• Or another relevant discipline

Experience Requirements

Applicants should have at least 5 years of relevant professional experience in areas such as:

• Retail leasing
• Commercial real estate
• Property management
• Leasing portfolio management
• Retail property development

Previous experience working within a large or multinational organization may be particularly beneficial.

Who Should Consider Applying?

This opportunity may be suitable for professionals currently working as:

• Retail Leasing Manager
• Senior Leasing Manager
• Commercial Leasing Manager
• Real Estate Manager
• Property Leasing Manager
• Retail Property Manager
• Leasing Portfolio Manager

Candidates with experience managing multiple retail locations or working with shopping malls, landlords and major retail brands may be particularly well suited to the position.

Career Opportunity in Dubai

Dubai remains a major regional center for retail, shopping malls and international brands, making retail leasing an important function for businesses operating across the UAE and wider MENA region.

This position offers experienced leasing professionals an opportunity to work on retail portfolio management, property negotiations, brand expansion and commercial real estate strategy within a major business group.

The regional scope of the position may also provide exposure to leasing activities across multiple MENA markets.

Important Information for Applicants

Candidates should carefully review the official vacancy requirements before submitting an application. Qualifications, experience and employment information provided during the recruitment process should be accurate.

Applicants should confirm salary, benefits, working arrangements and other employment conditions directly with the employer during the recruitment process.

Job seekers should never pay an individual or unauthorized recruitment agency for a guaranteed interview, employment offer, work permit or visa.