Associate Director - Development - Dubai Holding Land Estates

About Dubai Holding Land Estates

Strategy, Planning & Development

• Lead market research, development assessments, and strategic planning to identify opportunities, define highest and best use, and support project origination.
• Develop project visions, positioning strategies, rollout plans, development briefs, and key project milestones for communities, districts, and individual assets.
• Define development targets, asset mix, revenue drivers, infrastructure requirements, and portfolio phasing strategies.

Financial & Commercial Management

• Oversee project feasibility studies, financial modeling, investment analysis, and business case development.
• Establish development budgets, cost benchmarks, infrastructure budgets, and funding recommendations.
• Prepare investment recommendations, risk assessments, and financial presentations for executive decision-making.

Product Development & Design Oversight

• Lead the development of product briefs and guide projects from concept through design and approvals.
• Ensure alignment between development objectives, design outcomes, infrastructure requirements, and statutory regulations.
• Oversee research and innovation initiatives related to product development, sustainability, smart cities, mobility, and emerging market trends.

Partnerships & Business Development

• Identify, evaluate, and negotiate strategic partnerships, joint ventures, operator agreements, and third-party development opportunities.
• Support investor engagement and business development initiatives to enhance project value and delivery.

Project, Contract & Procurement Management

• Oversee project schedules, reporting, consultant performance, and commercial delivery.
• Guide contract administration, budget compliance, and project governance processes.
• Lead procurement strategies, consultant selection, and tendering processes for advisory, design, and technical services.

Leadership & Governance

• Provide strategic guidance to multidisciplinary teams and ensure effective stakeholder engagement across internal and external parties.
• Develop and continuously improve departmental standards, processes, templates, and governance frameworks.
• Prepare executive reports and presentations, supporting informed decision-making and project oversight.

About You

• Master’s or Bachelor’s degree in real estate, business, architecture, civil engineering or similar.
• Depending on primary qualifications, supplementary training in business or real estate is essential.
• Fluent in English, Arabic a plus.
• 10 to 15 years’ experience in development management-related roles, preferably having worked with leading local developers or consultancy firms.
• 5 to 7 years’ in-depth experience with residential, commercial, retail and/or hospitality projects is preferred.
• Sophisticated knowledge of basic financial principles, especially related to real estate.
• Comprehensive understanding of fundamentals of various design disciplines, including master planning, architecture, landscape and interior design.
• Ability to give clear and compelling presentations to executive management.
• Ability to lead complex teams and mentor individuals team members.
• Proficiency in MS Office (i.e. Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Capabilities in Adobe Suite (i.e. Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign) are a plus
• About the Benefits:
• At Dubai Holding, we're committed to nurturing the success and well-being of our colleagues.
• Join our dynamic and diverse team, and enjoy a comprehensive benefits package that includes competitive compensation, career development opportunities, and a collaborative work environment.
• We strongly believe in creating an empowered workforce that will help us build a connected city for tomorrow.
• We are committed to attracting the brightest minds and nurturing the most pioneering candidates who desire to make a great impact on the future of Dubai.