Food Trading Manager - Retail Operations

commercial priorities into practical store-level execution across the food business. The role will establish clear trading rhythms, merchandising expectations, and operating guidelines while working closely with store teams, regional leaders, and support functions to improve consistency and commercial performance.

The position has a strong transformation and coaching element. Success depends on helping retail teams understand trading priorities, implementing change effectively, and maintaining high standards during product launches, seasonal activity, and wider store improvement programs. The role will also contribute to stronger customer experience by ensuring that commercial decisions are reflected clearly and consistently across the sales floor.

Key Responsibilities

* Develop and maintain a structured trading calendar covering key food retail activities, seasonal priorities, launches, promotions, and commercial events.
* Produce trading management information that gives stores and leadership teams clear visibility of priorities, execution, and performance.
* Establish practical trading guidelines that create a consistent operating cadence across food hall locations.
* Ensure store teams understand required merchandising, trading, and execution standards.
* Coach retail teams to deliver right first-time implementation across routine trading activity and transformation initiatives.
* Lead the rollout of best in class trading standards across stores and major retail projects.
* Review store execution and identify gaps in merchandising, layout, communication, or commercial implementation.
* Work with Regional Managers and Store Managers to resolve trading issues quickly and maintain operational momentum.
* Support transformation projects from initial concept through implementation and post-launch review.
* Manage multiple live projects with different priorities, dependencies, and delivery timelines.
* Adjust plans when operational challenges, trading conditions, or customer needs change.
* Maintain a strong customer-focused approach when shaping retail trading initiatives and store improvements.
* Champion the retail perspective within the Food Business Unit and ensure commercial decisions remain practical for store operations.
* Deliver strong visual merchandising standards for new product introductions, seasonal launches, and promotional activity.
* Ensure products are presented clearly and commercially on both the sales floor and relevant backstage areas.
* Coach teams on merchandising techniques that improve product visibility, customer navigation, and selling opportunities.
* Monitor execution quality and provide practical feedback to improve store-level performance.
* Build productive relationships with store leadership, support centres, and senior stakeholders.
* Influence stakeholders when trading priorities, execution standards, or project requirements need to be challenged or adjusted.
* Use commercial judgment to evaluate opportunities, solve operational problems, and support profitable trading decisions.
* Review completed initiatives and capture lessons that can improve future trading programs and store execution.
* Promote consistency while allowing appropriate flexibility for different markets and store environments across the MENA region.

Ideal Profile

* Strong leadership and store management background, preferably gained with established food retailers.
* Demonstrated experience managing commercial or trading activity within a high-volume retail environment.
* Strong understanding of food retail operations, merchandising standards, and customer-facing store execution.
* Proven capability in visual merchandising and the ability to coach teams on presentation standards.
* Experience leading transformation, rollout, or store improvement projects.
* Comfortable managing several projects simultaneously while maintaining focus on deadlines and operational quality.
* Strong coaching skills with the ability to improve team capability and consistency.
* Confident engaging with Store Managers, Regional Managers, support functions, and senior stakeholders.
* Able to influence and challenge constructively when commercial or operational decisions require adjustment.
* Strong commercial awareness with the ability to balance customer experience, store practicality, and financial outcomes.
* Capable of making informed decisions under pressure in fast-moving retail environments.
* Strong communication and organizational skills across both field and support-centre teams.
* Experience operating across multiple stores, markets, or regional environments would be advantageous.
* Practical understanding of store launches, promotional campaigns, seasonal trading, and merchandising implementation.

Skills Set

* Food retail trading
* Retail operations
* Store management
* Trading calendar development
* Trading management information
* Commercial planning
* Retail transformation
* Visual merchandising
* Food hall merchandising
* Store execution
* Product launches
* Promotional implementation
* Seasonal trading
* Retail coaching
* Team development
* Store standards
* Customer experience
* Commercial decision-making
* Project management
* Multi-project management
* Change management
* Regional retail operations
* Stakeholder management
* Senior stakeholder influencing
* Store performance
* Retail communication
* Merchandising guidelines
* Trading guidelines
* Sales floor execution
* Backstage retail operations
* Operational problem solving
* Commercial acumen
* Performance improvement
* Retail leadership
* MENA retail operations

Why Join Us

This position offers the opportunity to influence food trading standards across a large Retail operation with exposure to multiple stores, regional markets, and transformation initiatives. The role provides meaningful responsibility for merchandising execution, commercial planning, team capability, customer experience, and the successful delivery of high-profile retail projects.

For an experienced food retail leader, the position offers a strong platform to expand regional commercial expertise while working across operational and strategic priorities. The combination of store leadership, transformation activity, visual merchandising, and trading performance creates valuable long-term development opportunities within a diversified retail environment.

About the Company

Al-Futtaim is one of the Middle East\'s most established and diversified privately held regional businesses, headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Its Retail operations manage a broad portfolio of international brands across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, supported by extensive experience in store operations, food retail, merchandising, customer experience, and regional business development.