Director - Data and Intelligence

Director - Data and Intelligence will shape how GMG uses data, analytics, AI, machine learning, and business intelligence across a complex retail environment. The role connects business strategy with scalable data platforms, governed AI usage, predictive models, omnichannel insights, and enterprise reporting. By working with executive leadership, technology, merchandising, marketing, supply chain, ecommerce, and store operations, the position will help convert large-scale data into practical business decisions that improve pricing, inventory, customer engagement, workforce planning, and overall retail performance.

Key Responsibilities

* Define and execute the enterprise-wide data and intelligence strategy in alignment with GMG’s retail growth plans, technology roadmap, and commercial objectives.
* Establish AI governance, data policies, usage guardrails, and responsible data practices to support safe and effective adoption of artificial intelligence across the organization.
* Lead data strategy initiatives that improve decision-making across merchandising, marketing, supply chain, ecommerce, store operations, finance, and executive management.
* Guide teams of data scientists, data engineers, analysts, and business intelligence specialists to deliver accurate insights, scalable models, and measurable business outcomes.
* Partner with senior leadership to embed data-driven thinking into strategic planning, commercial reviews, operational decisions, and customer experience initiatives.
* Champion a data-first culture by improving data quality, governance, ownership, security, accessibility, and adoption across business functions.
* Develop predictive and prescriptive analytics to support pricing optimization, demand forecasting, inventory planning, stock allocation, customer personalization, and revenue improvement.
* Use AI and machine learning models to enhance customer segmentation, recommendation engines, loyalty programs, campaign targeting, and customer lifetime value analysis.
* Provide clear insights into omnichannel retail performance across ecommerce, stores, mobile commerce, CRM, loyalty, customer journeys, and category-level performance.
* Analyze customer behavior, market trends, competitive intelligence, buying patterns, product movement, and retail performance signals to identify growth opportunities.
* Oversee the selection, implementation, integration, and optimization of modern data platforms including cloud data warehouses, business intelligence tools, customer data platforms, data lakes, and analytics environments.
* Drive adoption of scalable data architecture, ETL pipelines, real-time analytics, data lakes, cloud infrastructure, and automated reporting capabilities.
* Ensure smooth integration of data across POS, CRM, ERP, ecommerce, supply chain, merchandising, loyalty, finance, and store operations systems.
* Evaluate and implement AI, machine learning, and advanced analytics solutions that automate decision-making and improve retail operations.
* Partner with marketing teams to improve customer acquisition, retention, personalization, campaign performance, loyalty analytics, and customer engagement strategies.
* Work with merchandising and supply chain teams to strengthen demand forecasting, assortment planning, inventory efficiency, replenishment accuracy, and product availability.
* Support store operations with workforce analytics, productivity insights, sales performance analysis, customer footfall trends, and operational improvement opportunities.
* Collaborate with IT and engineering teams to ensure data architecture remains secure, scalable, integrated, and aligned with enterprise technology standards.
* Build executive dashboards, business intelligence reports, and leadership-ready insights that simplify complex data into practical actions.
* Manage data programs, project priorities, stakeholder expectations, vendor inputs, and cross-functional delivery requirements.
* Provide expert guidance to business teams on data interpretation, analytical methods, AI use cases, reporting standards, and data-led decision-making.
* Monitor data platform performance, analytics adoption, model accuracy, reporting quality, and business impact to support continuous improvement.

Ideal Profile

* 15+ years of experience in data science, analytics, business intelligence, data engineering, enterprise data platforms, or digital intelligence.
* Minimum 5 years of experience in a senior leadership role within data, analytics, AI, business intelligence, or technology transformation.
* Deep experience in the Retail sector, with strong understanding of merchandising, supply chain, ecommerce, customer analytics, loyalty, stores, and omnichannel operations.
* Proven track record of building scalable data platforms, modern analytics environments, and enterprise reporting capabilities.
* Strong background in developing AI data initiatives, deploying machine learning models, and handling enterprise-scale data systems.
* Experience with predictive analytics, prescriptive analytics, customer segmentation, recommendation engines, demand forecasting, pricing optimization, and inventory analytics.
* Strong knowledge of cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure, or GCP, along with modern data warehouses, data lakes, ETL pipelines, and real-time data processing.
* Hands-on understanding of BI and reporting tools such as Power BI, Tableau, or similar enterprise visualization platforms.
* Strong technical understanding of SQL, Python, R, data modeling, data architecture, data governance, and analytics engineering concepts.
* Ability to connect technical data capabilities with commercial retail outcomes, customer experience improvement, and operational efficiency.
* Excellent stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence executive leaders, business heads, technology teams, and cross-functional partners.
* Strong program management capability with experience leading complex data transformation initiatives across multiple business units.
* Able to communicate complex analytics, AI opportunities, technical constraints, and business insights in a clear and commercially relevant way.
* Strategic, practical, and execution-focused leader with a strong sense of ownership, governance, and measurable business impact.

Skills Set

* Enterprise data strategy
* Data intelligence leadership
* Retail analytics
* Business intelligence
* Advanced analytics
* Predictive modeling
* Prescriptive analytics
* Artificial intelligence
* Machine learning
* AI governance
* Data governance
* Data quality management
* Data security
* Cloud data platforms
* AWS
* Azure
* GCP
* Data warehouses
* Data lakes
* ETL pipelines
* Real-time analytics
* Power BI
* Tableau
* SQL
* Python
* R
* Customer analytics
* Customer segmentation
* Recommendation engines
* Loyalty analytics
* Pricing optimization
* Demand forecasting
* Inventory optimization
* Supply chain analytics
* Merchandising analytics
* Ecommerce analytics
* Omnichannel reporting
* POS integration
* CRM integration
* ERP integration
* Stakeholder management
* Program management
* Data architecture

Why Join Us

This is a senior opportunity to lead enterprise data, AI, and intelligence transformation within Dubai’s fast-moving Retail sector. The role offers strategic influence across customer experience, merchandising, ecommerce, supply chain, store operations, and executive decision-making. It is ideal for a data leader who wants to build scalable platforms, guide responsible AI adoption, unlock commercial insights, and create measurable impact across a multi-brand retail organization with regional scale and long-term growth ambitions.

About the Company

GMG is a global well-being company headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, with a strong portfolio across sport, everyday goods, health and beauty, food, properties, logistics, and consumer goods. Under the ownership and management of the Baker family for more than 45 years, GMG has grown into a trusted partner for leading international and home-grown brands across the Middle East, North Africa, and Asia. With more than 120 brands introduced across 12 countries, GMG continues to invest in retail innovation, digital growth, data intelligence, customer experience, and operational excellence across its expanding business portfolio.