Managing Director Full Time

About the job
About Us

GuestReady is a globally leading short-term rental management and hospitality company, providing great services to property owners, and amazing stays to guests. We are currently operating in the United Kingdom, France, Portugal, Spain and the United Arab Emirates, and we’re growing fast. Launched in 2016, with over 3.3 million guest nights sold, generating over $170 million in Gross Booking Value and managing a portfolio worth over $1 billion, GuestReady is a company on the rise.

At GuestReady, our purpose is to revolutionise the short-term rental industry through innovative technology and a commitment to hospitality. We empower landlords to turn their investments into profitable sources of income by streamlining the rental process from start to finish. From creating listings across multiple platforms to managing guest communications, housekeeping, key exchange, and price optimisation, our team of experts handle every aspect of the rental experience, freeing landlords from the hassle and stress of property management. Our mission is to bring the tradition of hospitality to the short-term rental market and provide peace of mind for our valued clients.

About The Role

As the Managing Director, UAE, at GuestReady Dubai, you will be responsible for driving the growth and development of our business in the United Arab Emirates region. You will be tasked with building and executing the commercial strategy for our property management solution, optimising our existing portfolio, acquiring new customers, and ensuring efficient local operations in line with global standards. With an entrepreneurial mindset, you will lead and develop a team on the ground to strengthen our market position.

The ideal candidate for this role is an exceptional leader with a proven track record in managing operations, sales, client success, and operations teams. You should possess the ability to identify the most effective and efficient methods to drive business growth.

Responsibilities
Lead and manage a team of approximately 50 individuals across the UAE region, with 5-6 direct reports.
Develop and implement high-quality business strategies and plans that align with short-term and long-term objectives.
Ensure successful delivery of business projects, from ideation to implementation, while driving optimization and achieving key performance indicators (KPIs).
Identify unexplored opportunities and adapt the business model to local requirements, taking into account potential regulatory constraints.
Shaping and sharing best practices with the rest of the network towards the constant efficiency improvement of global operations.
Collaborating with Product, Revenue Management, Marketing, Operations, and Onboarding teams to meet the needs of the local market.
Meet and maintain GuestReady standards and metrics such as NPS, standard unit appearance, unit economics, and efficiency.
Manage the budget (P&L) adhering to set annual costs, with the ability to perform a cost-benefit analysis.
Establish and maintain open, collaborative relationships with fellow regional department heads and upper management team.
Create strategic plans with input from Senior Leadership that focus on partner retention, satisfaction, and growth.
Drive master lease conversations and collaborate with the Sales team to identify and execute expansion opportunities.
Review Quality performance with the Operations and Onboarding team to understand how we perform against expectations.
Manage and take ownership for escalations of any serious/urgent issues from or to Partners.
Facilitate requests to property partners for Capex needs and additional requests that surface from our team on the ground.

Requirements
Minimum of 5 years of experience as a Country Manager, Managing Director, or in a critical leadership role.
Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, or a related field.
Strong work ethic with a focus on delivering excellent results consistently.
Extensive experience in team management.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
Knowledge of local regulations and compliance requirements within the UAE region.
Experience in negotiating and closing strategic partnerships and contracts.
Strong network and connections within the UAE region.
Strong financial acumen and budget management experience.
Oversight all operations and business activities to ensure alignment with strategy and mission.
Demonstrated ability to make data-driven decisions and leverage analytics for strategic planning and decision-making.
Experience working in a multinational and multicultural environment.
Fluent oral and written communication skills in English.
Entrepreneurial and start-up-oriented mindset.
Arabic or additional languages spoken within the GCC region would be a plus.

Offer
Fantastic opportunity to lead, build, and grow the UAE market and team.
Be part of a high-growth industry experiencing the biggest travel rebound in a century.
Join a diverse and multicultural team spanning several countries.
Work with a team of entrepreneurs who have successfully built companies before.
A collaborative work culture with no room for office politics and big egos.

We encourage you to apply even if you are missing a skill or two! Don’t undervalue yourself and miss out on an incredible opportunity even though you are a 70% fit- a lot of things can be learned through experience, and skills can be transferable. Let’s work together to fill the gaps!

Diversity and Inclusion

GuestReady is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, and we are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect and inclusion to our teams all over the world. We are proud to say we have a diverse team spread globally and value the unique talents of all our people, with different personal experiences and points of view. We do not accept any discrimination on the basis of race, colour, gender, religion, sexual orientation, disability, age, culture, and warmly welcome applications from members of underrepresented groups.