Senior Manager New Business Models & Acceleration

Position Description:

As consumer behaviors towards car buying and aftersales services evolve rapidly due to technological trends and disruptive business models, Al-Futtaim is committed to transforming its automotive division to deliver top-notch customer experiences in the new mobility era.

The New Business, Strategy, and Transformation (NBST) team’s mission is to shape the future strategy of the automotive division, exploring new business avenues through M&A, partnerships, and incubation both locally and internationally.

Within NBST, the Senior Manager of New Business Models & Acceleration at Al-Futtaim Automotive is tasked with identifying and developing innovative business models. Collaborating closely with the Head of Incubation, they assess market potential, create business concepts, and drive agile incubation projects to ensure Al-Futtaim’s competitiveness in the evolving automotive and mobility landscape.

Operating within a dynamic, startup-like environment, this role requires leadership in automotive innovation projects, deep industry knowledge, and proficiency in agile methodologies. The ideal candidate will spearhead cross-functional initiatives, collaborating with internal partners to swiftly experiment and deliver cutting-edge solutions to the market.

Responsibilities:

Incubation Planning and Delivery:

Curate a pipeline of future incubation ideas aligning with the 3-year automotive strategy, spanning various brands and markets.
Facilitate ongoing ideation sessions with Department Heads and Brand MDs to develop and prioritize new business concepts.
Assess initial market potential for identified ideas and refine project vision through strategic workshops.
Prepare comprehensive business cases to secure project approval.
Implement tailored agile processes to expedite project development phases, including exploration, validation, and execution.
Incubation P&L Management:

Oversee project budgets and ensure efficient resource allocation.
Establish portfolio dashboards for tracking project progress.
Collaborate with procurement and finance teams to procure necessary resources and market data.
Incubation Project & Change Management (Development and Implementation Phase):

Work closely with business stakeholders to define project roadmaps and corresponding go-to-market strategies.
Engage internal and external technology experts to guide implementation methods for optimal outcomes.
Provide guidance and supervision to scrum teams, ensuring alignment with project vision and strategy in all stages.
Leverage market and customer intelligence experts to enhance customer propositions.
Manage program and project execution, mainly focusing on priority and complex initiatives.

Key Success Factors:

Previous experience within Automotive OEMs
Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously
Background in consultancy, new business development, or startup environments
Hands-on approach to project ownership
About the Team:

You’ll be part of a dynamic team, reporting directly to the General Manager of New Business in a fast-paced and diverse setting.

Qualifications for the Role:

Bachelor’s degree in Business or Finance; an MBA is preferred
Over a decade of experience in strategy consulting, new business development, and product/service innovation within the Automotive sector, with a focus on managing profit and loss
Track record of successfully launching disruptive products/services and achieving market fit
Proficiency in constructing business cases and conducting due diligence activities
Strong analytical capabilities
Demonstrated ability to collaborate with various stakeholders and negotiate effectively
Certification in Agile or similar project management methodologies
Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, along with networking proficiency
Strong interpersonal skills, adept at team building and negotiation