Job description

The Retail Property Manager will oversee the retail operations of Place Vendôme Qatar, ensuring the delivery of high-quality service standards, operational excellence, and a premium customer experience. This role is pivotal in building strong, sustainable relationships with retail partners and ensuring alignment with the asset’s long-term strategic and commercial objectives.

The incumbent will lead a multidisciplinary retail operations team and serve as the key liaison between mall management, tenants, and brand partners, driving business performance, tenant success, and customer satisfaction in accordance with Qatar’s retail market standards and best practices. 

This role acts as the second-in-command to the Mall Manager, assuming full leadership of retail and tenant operations in their absence.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES & ACCOUNTABILITIES:

Retail Performance & Business Optimization

• Lead and implement strategies to enhance retail performance and achieve targeted KPIs including tenant sales, footfall, and trading density.

• Regularly analyze retail sales data, market trends, and consumer insights to identify performance improvement opportunities.

• Support underperforming tenants through business reviews, training, and joint promotional initiatives.

• Ensure optimal tenant mix and alignment with the mall’s positioning as a luxury shopping and lifestyle destination.

• Collaborate with leasing and marketing teams to enhance the mall’s commercial appeal and profitability.

Retailer Relationship Management

• Build and maintain productive, trust-based relationships with tenants, franchise owners, and brand principals.

• Serve as the main point of contact for all tenant operational matters, ensuring timely resolution of issues.

• Conduct regular meetings with retailers to discuss performance, operational challenges, and customer feedback.

• Partner with retailers during store openings, refurbishments, and visual merchandising reviews to ensure brand compliance and excellence.

• Lead retailer engagement programs and recognition initiatives to strengthen partnerships and loyalty.

Operational Excellence

• Oversee daily retail operations to ensure seamless tenant functioning and adherence to mall operating standards.

• Enforce compliance with Qatar’s commercial regulations, municipal codes, and health & safety standards.

• Collaborate with Facilities, Security, and Customer Experience teams to maintain high operational and aesthetic standards across all retail zones.

• Implement and monitor standard operating procedures (SOPs) for retail operations, ensuring consistency and quality across all stores.

• Drive operational sustainability and support ESG initiatives in alignment with the asset’s corporate responsibility objectives.

Customer Experience & Brand Alignment

• Champion a customer-first culture, ensuring exceptional service delivery across all retail touchpoints.

• Collaborate with the marketing team to curate luxury retail experiences, events, and activations that attract high-value customers.

• Ensure that the mall environment consistently reflects its luxury brand positioning through store presentation, service quality, and ambiance.

• Support the development of loyalty programs and digital engagement tools to enhance customer retention and satisfaction.

Rental Collection & Financial Governance

• Oversee the end-to-end rental collection process in coordination with the Finance, Leasing and Legal teams to ensure timely recovery of all contractual dues, including base rent, service charges, marketing fees, and turnover rent.

• Monitor tenant payment performance, track arrears, and issue notices in accordance with lease terms and company policy.

• Implement escalation and follow-up protocols for overdue accounts, coordinating with Legal for enforcement where required.

• Review monthly aged receivable reports and propose corrective actions to mitigate credit exposure.

• Participate in tenant settlement meetings and negotiate feasible payment arrangements aligned with company interests.

• Verify rent and turnover data accuracy in the property management system and ensure audit-ready documentation.

• Contribute to forecasting and cash-flow planning through accurate reporting of collection status and anticipated receipts.

• Champion financial discipline among tenants through education, transparent communication, and consistent enforcement.

Strategy & Market Intelligence

• Keep abreast of Qatar’s evolving retail landscape, consumer trends, and competitive developments.

• Benchmark mall and tenant performance against regional and international luxury retail standards.

• Provide strategic input to the Mall Manager, Director of Leasing, Marketing team and executive leadership on market positioning, leasing opportunities, and new retail concepts.

• Drive innovation in retail operations and experience delivery to maintain the mall’s market leadership.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Retail Management, Marketing, or a related discipline (Master’s degree preferred).

• Experience: 10–15 years of progressive experience in retail operations or shopping mall management, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role within a luxury retail environment in Qatar or the GCC.

• Industry Knowledge:

• Strong understanding of Qatar’s retail sector, consumer behavior, and regulatory framework.

• Proven success in managing relationships with high-end international and regional brands.

• Familiarity with mall management systems and retail analytics tools.

• Skills & Competencies:

• Strong commercial and analytical acumen.

• Exceptional communication and stakeholder management skills.

• Leadership ability to inspire cross-functional teams and drive performance.

• Excellent negotiation and problem-solving capabilities.

• Proficiency in data analysis and retail performance reporting.

• Languages: Fluency in English required; Arabic is an advantage.