Head of Operations
Overview
Our client is a single-family office supporting family principals across a growing international footprint, with an active build-out of institutional infrastructure in Dubai. This newly created role calls for a senior operations leader to build and run the family office’s Dubai operations, reporting directly to one of the family Principals.
The priority is to establish a watertight, stable foundation for the family office in the region. That means leading the greenfield operational setup, working alongside advisers on the establishment of holding structures such as a foundation and mainland operating vehicles, and then taking ownership of their ongoing administration and running.
The position also supports cross-border co-ordination with the family’s wider network of family offices and provides operational and analytical support to the Principal across estate structuring, tax planning, and financial modelling.
Expectations
Operational Leadership & Setup
- Lead the operational build-out of the family’s Dubai entities, from greenfield setup through to steady-state running, with a focus on getting the foundations right from day one.
- Co-ordinate the implementation of the Dubai structure, including holding vehicles and a foundation, working closely with advisers and the principal on sequencing and delivery.
- Oversee inter-entity cost allocation and cross-charging processes, making sure they are applied consistently and properly documented.
Tax & Compliance Oversight
- Act as the principal operational point of contact on tax and compliance matters. You’ll need enough technical fluency to brief advisers clearly, spot where advice from different jurisdictions doesn’t line up, and bring framed options to the principal.
- Manage statutory residence and compliance processes for the principal, keeping positions current, well documented, and properly supported.
Adviser Management
- Manage day-to-day relationships with external advisers at Big Four, private client law firm, and corporate service provider level, holding them to scope, timelines and cost.
Financial & Operational Reporting
- Build and maintain models and reporting to support the principal’s decision-making. Examples include the running costs of the entity structure, comparisons of alternative structuring scenarios, and residency or funding scenarios.
- Establishes the systems, controls and processes the Dubai operation needs to run on a robust footing as it scales.
Office & Operational Management
- Own corporate secretarial, property, insurance, and vendor matters, along with the day-to-day running of the office itself.
Team Building
- Build and manage the operations team as the branch scales.
Requirements
- Substantial experience in family office operations, corporate operations, or a tax, structuring, or corporate services environment.
- A track record of managing external advisers at Big Four, private client law firm, or corporate service provider level.
- Hands-on experience managing statutory residence and entity compliance processes.
- Strong working knowledge of estate and trust governance, financial systems design, and entity compliance.
- Familiarity with cross-border tax treaties (UAE/UK/Singapore/India) is an advantage.
- A builder mindset, comfortable moving between setting up infrastructure and running it day to day.
- High autonomy under ambiguity.
- Absolute discretion and a collaborative, low-ego disposition.
Hours
Full-time. High flexibility is required, including comfort travelling internationally at short notice and for substantial durations.
Location
Dubai, UAE. Preference will be given to applicants already in Dubai.
Salary
Competitive, depending on experience. This is a salary-only package.
Job ref
EP24: Head of Operations (Family Office) in Dubai, UAE.
