Job Responsibilities

Lead the design and delivery of CBD's annual and multi-year corporate strategy, coordinating inputs across business units, Finance, Risk, and Technology
Conduct macro-environmental, competitive landscape, and market opportunity analyses to inform strategic direction and identify white spaces for growth
Develop and maintain the corporate strategy narrative, including strategic pillars, KPI frameworks, and long-range financial and non-financial targets
Prepare high-quality strategy materials for ExCo, Board Strategy Committee, and senior leadership sessions, including strategic reviews and decision papers
Translate complex analytical findings into clear strategic options and recommendations that enable senior leadership decision-making
Design and operationalise the strategy execution framework, defining initiative owners, milestone governance, and escalation mechanisms
Maintain a consolidated view of CBD's strategic initiative portfolio, tracking progress against KPIs and proactively flagging risks, interdependencies, and delivery gaps
Partner with business unit heads and transformation leads to embed strategic priorities into operational planning and resource allocation cycles
Lead quarterly and annual strategy performance reviews, producing executive-ready reporting on strategic progress for the Head of Strategy & Transformation and ExCo
Facilitate prioritisation decisions across the portfolio when resources or timelines are under pressure
Serve as the primary interface for all external strategy consulting engagements, including scoping, contracting, and day-to-day management
Evaluate consulting proposals and ensure scope, deliverables, and commercial terms are aligned with CBD's strategic objectives and value expectations
Provide active oversight and challenge throughout engagements to ensure consulting output is context-specific, actionable, and fit for internal decision-making
Build internal capability by actively absorbing and institutionalising methodologies and insights from consulting partners
Manage consulting budgets and track ROI across advisory spend within the Strategy & Transformation function

Requirements:

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree in Business Administration, Finance, Economics, or related field strongly preferred
Professional certifications in strategy, finance, or project management are an advantage (e.g. CFA, PMP)
Minimum 10 years of total experience, with at least 5 years in a strategy role within a top-tier management consulting firm or an in-house strategy function at a financial institution
Demonstrated experience leading end-to-end strategy development and execution governance in a complex, multi-stakeholder environment
Prior experience managing or working closely with external consulting vendors in a client-side capacity strongly preferred
UAE or GCC banking experience is a significant advantage
Practical knowledge of implementing and managing OKR framework is an advantage

Senior Manager, Strategy Planning