Director of Strategy and Research

About the role

Arada, a developer of communities focused on health, happiness and sustainability, is looking for a Director of Strategy and Research in Dubai. The role leads global research initiatives in real estate and adjacent sectors such as fitness, healthcare, education, F&B and hospitality, covering macro and micro economic trends, customer buying patterns and urban development innovations. It also selects and manages external consultants for independent studies and drives tools and processes that give the organization timely, actionable data.

Key responsibilities

• Develop and execute the research agenda aligned with corporate strategy and emerging opportunities.
• Oversee market intelligence and build an in-house platform for real-time data analysis and visualization.
• Prepare RFPs, select and manage external consultants for feasibility, high and best use, demand-supply, product market fit, benchmarking and cost studies.
• Track policy, regulatory and macroeconomic developments and assess their strategic impact.
• Provide market and strategic input for investment committee papers on new investments, joint ventures, partnerships and M&A.
• Deliver insights on market trends, customer behaviour, economic data and competitors, and design dashboards and reporting for leadership.
• Identify and implement AI and data tools that improve data collection, processing and distribution.
• Liaise with external research firms, industry bodies, government and regulatory stakeholders.
• Lead, mentor and develop a research team.

Required profile

• Master's degree in Economics, Urban Planning, Real Estate, Business, Data Science or a related field.
• Minimum 10 years of experience in consulting, real estate research, data strategy or urban development, with at least 3 years in a leadership role.
• Strong understanding of the UAE and broader GCC real estate markets.
• Ability to turn complex data into clear business recommendations, with excellent leadership, collaboration and communication skills.

Required skills

• Business intelligence tools such as Power BI and Tableau.
• Advanced Excel and spatial or statistical tools such as GIS, Python and R.
• Strategic analysis and financial modelling.
• Exposure to sectors such as hospitality, healthcare, education and F&B is an advantage.