Principal / Associate Director (Arabic Language)

Cedar is a Forbes ranked global management consulting firm with a heritage closely associated with the founders of the Balanced Scorecard. Since 1985, Cedar's teams have been assisting clients in areas of strategy, process, strategic human capital, and technology, with a strong focus on the financial services sector. Cedar's group unit, IBS Intelligence (www.ibsintelligence.com), based in the UK, has been the definitive source for research, news-analysis and advisory specialized in Financial Technology markets for over 30 years. Cedar Hill Capital is an independent FinTech venture capital fund with a sharp lens on B2B FinTech and Financial Services-infrastructure companies. The Innovation Lab in Dubai and Mumbai brings banks and suppliers together with an opportunity to access the relevant Middle East and India market opportunity.

This is a full-time, on-site role based in Dubai. The Principal / Associate Director is a senior delivery leader within Cedar's financial services consulting practice, focused on the end-to-end execution and management of consulting engagements. This role owns the quality and pace of client work, leads internal consulting teams, and serves as a trusted point of contact for senior clients stakeholders. At this stage there is no business development expectation — the focus is entirely on outstanding delivery. The successful candidate will thrive in a high-performance, collaborative environment with a strong emphasis on rigor, structured problem-solving, and client impact. Fluency in Arabic and English is a mandatory requirement for this role.

•  Own the end-to-end delivery of consulting engagements from initiation through to final client presentation and close-out.

•  Structure work plans, manage project timelines, and proactively identify and resolve delivery risks.

•  Take ownership of the quality of all client-facing materials — presentations, reports, frameworks, and data outputs.

2. Client Relationship Management

•  Serve as the primary day-to-day client contact, building trusted relationships with senior stakeholders across financial services organizations.

•  Navigate complex client environments and ensure measurable value is delivered at every stage of the engagement.

3. Team Leadership & People Development

•  Manage and mentor Engagement Managers, Consultants, and Interns on active projects.

•  Ensure high standards of analytical rigor and professional output across all team members.

•  Contribute to the professional development of junior colleagues through real-time coaching and feedback.

4. Problem Solving & Analytical Leadership

•  Translate complex financial services challenges into clear problem statements and actionable recommendations.

•  Lead structured problem-solving exercises and develop analytical frameworks that drive client outcomes.

5. Internal Contribution

•  Collaborate with Directors and senior leadership on engagement strategy and approach.

•  Contribute to internal knowledge development and methodology refinement as the practice grows.

• MBA or relevant postgraduate qualification preferred; strong undergraduate academic record required.
  


• 8–13 years of experience in management consulting, with a strong track record of delivering complex, multi-workstream projects within financial services.
  


• Deep domain knowledge across at least one of: banking (retail, corporate, or investment), insurance, asset management, capital markets, or financial regulation.
  


• Proven ability to manage client relationships at a senior level and navigate complex stakeholder environments.
  


• Strong people leadership skills — experienced in managing and developing consulting teams.
  


• Fluency in Arabic and English is mandatory.
  


• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; able to distill complex analysis into compelling, executive-ready narratives.
  


• Highly structured thinker with sharp problem-solving instincts and the ability to operate independently.
  


• Experience working in or with organizations in the GCC or broader Middle East is an advantage.
  


• Willingness to travel regionally as required.