Corporate Director of Internal Controls

About the Role
Join our dynamic corporate team and become part of the company. As the Corporate Director of Internal Controls based in the Dubai Corporate Office and reporting to the Chief Financial Officer, you will lead the company's internal controls, governance, and enterprise risk management agenda across the Group's corporate offices, hotels, and residences. This role is responsible for the Group Internal Control Framework, Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) Framework, and SOX readiness programme, setting the strategy, standards, and annual plan delivered by the Internal Controls team.

Acting as a trusted adviser to Executive Management and the Audit Committee, you will provide independent oversight of control effectiveness, drive accountability for remediation, and promote a strong culture of governance and compliance. This role is instrumental in safeguarding the Group's assets, ensuring the integrity of financial reporting, protecting stakeholder interests, and supporting the company's ultra-luxury, guest-centric operating model through practical and effective controls.

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead the Group's internal controls strategy, ensuring alignment with the company's growth plans, risk profile, and governance standards.
• Own and maintain the Internal Control Framework, driving consistent implementation across corporate offices, hotels, and residences.
• Deliver the annual risk-based internal controls plan, prioritising reviews and resources based on business risk.
• Lead the Group's SOX readiness programme, including control design, testing, remediation, and executive reporting.
• Manage the Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) Framework and Corporate Risk Register, partnering with leaders to identify and mitigate key risks.
• Provide regular reporting and insights to Executive Management and the Audit Committee on controls, risks, and remediation progress.
• Oversee control self-assessments, policy governance, and compliance with key financial and operational controls across the portfolio.
• Lead fraud risk management activities, investigations, and whistleblowing matters in partnership with Legal and Human Resources.
• Support hotel openings, acquisitions, system implementations, and strategic projects by embedding effective control environments from inception.
• Build a strong culture of governance and accountability through training, stakeholder partnership, data analytics, and leadership of the Internal Controls team.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Economics, or a related field; an MBA or Master's degree is an advantage.
• Professional qualification such as CPA, CA, ACCA, or CIA is required; additional certifications including CISA, CFE, or CRMA are highly desirable.
• Minimum 15 years' experience in Internal Controls, Internal Audit, Risk Management, or External Audit within a multinational organisation or Big Four environment.
• Demonstrated experience leading global internal controls or SOX compliance programmes across multiple countries and business units.
• Strong knowledge of COSO Internal Control and ERM frameworks, financial controls, fraud risk management, and governance best practices.
• Proven ability to influence and advise senior executives, Audit Committees, and Boards on risk, controls, and compliance matters.
• Experience within hospitality, luxury, real estate, or other multi-site operating environments is preferred.
• Commercially minded with the ability to balance robust controls with operational efficiency and an exceptional guest experience.
• Strong understanding of ERP systems, control automation, data analytics, and governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) platforms.
• Outstanding leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build high-performing teams in a multicultural, global organisation and travel frequently across the portfolio.

Benefits
At the company, we believe that our colleagues are at the core of our success. We offer competitive benefits including exciting international career opportunities in a company that is expanding rapidly. We prioritise and support your career journey, making you feel valued, included, and at home. If you thrive in an ultra-luxury environment and are passionate about warm and personalized hospitality where every detail matters, we invite you to apply to join us on our journey.