Innovation Tech Lead

INSPIRE | EXHILARATE | DELIGHT

For over six decades, Chalhoub Group has been a partner and creator of luxury experiences in the Middle East. The Group, in its endeavour to excel as a hybrid retailer, has reinforced its distribution and marketing services with a portfolio of eight owned brands and over 300 international brands in the luxury, beauty, fashion, and art de vivre categories. More recently, the Group expanded its expertise into new categories of luxury watches, jewellery, and eyewear.

Every step at Chalhoub Group is taken with the customer at heart. Be it constantly reinventing itself or focusing on innovation to provide luxury experiences at over 750+ experiential retail stores, online and through mobile apps, each touch point leads to delighting the customer.

Today, Chalhoub Group stands for 14,000 skilled and talented professionals across seven countries, whose cohesive efforts have resulted in the Group being ranked third in the Middle East and first in Saudi Arabia as a Great Place to Work®.

To keep the innovation journey going, the Group has set up “The Greenhouse”, which is not just an innovation hub, but also an incubator space and accelerator for start-ups and small businesses in the region and internationally. This is just one of the several initiatives taken by the Group to reinvent itself, catalysed by forward thinking and future-proofing. The Group has also been embedding sustainability at the core of its business strategy with a clear commitment towards people, partners and the planet, and by being a member of the United Nations Global Compact Community and signatory of the Women’s Empowerment Principles.

What you’ll be doing

The Innovation Tech Lead will be responsible for:

• Exploring and validating new business models through prototyping and technical experimentation.
• Building and testing POCs, MVPs, and scalable AI-driven solutions that can transform customer experience, retail operations, and new revenue streams.
• Supporting and co-developing Corporate Innovation Ventures, acting as the technical lead for venture-backed initiatives within the Group.
• Working at the intersection of technology, business, and strategy, bringing cutting-edge solutions to life that can be scaled across multiple business units.

This role requires a hands-on builder who is equally comfortable coding (AI-driven) applications and experimenting with monetization models for next-generation retail concepts.

Key Responsibilities

1- New Business Model Validation & Prototyping

• Develop technical prototypes, MVPs, and automated workflows to test new business models
• Utilize no-code/low-code tools and automation platforms to validate ideas at speed
• Identify scalable opportunities that can create long-term competitive advantages for the Group

2- AI & Automation for Business Impact

• Develop (AI-powered) automation tools that optimize workflows and business processes
• Use Zapier, Make (Integromat), n8n, and other automation platforms to streamline operations
• Build automated workflows that integrate with CRM, e-commerce, and supply chain systems
• Experiment with (Gen) AI and task automation to enhance creativity, productivity and operational efficiency

3- No-Code/Low-Code Development for Rapid Experimentation

• Utilize no-code/low-code platforms (e.g., Bubble, Retool, Zapier, Webflow, Airtable) to build and test MVPs faster and at lower cost
• Automate workflows using AI-powered automation tools to streamline operations and validate new business concepts
• Integrate AI-driven automation with existing enterprise tools to improve efficiency

4- Corporate Venture Building & Scale-Up Execution

• Act as a technical co-founder for Corporate Innovation Ventures, building scalable, AI-powered, and automated business models
• Guide projects from proof of concept (POC) to full-scale commercialization, ensuring operational automation for scalability

What you’ll need to succeed

1. Full-Stack Engineer with AI & Automation Expertise

• 5+ years of experience in full-stack development, AI, automation, or machine learning
• Proven ability to build and deploy AI-powered applications and automation solutions
• Comfortable with cloud-based infrastructure, serverless architectures, and APIs

2. Proficiency in Automation & Workflow Optimization

• Experience with automation tools like Zapier, Make (Integromat), n8n, and API-based automation
• Ability to connect and automate enterprise tools, integrating AI-driven solutions where applicable
• Understanding of workflow automation, AI-based process improvement, and AI-driven RPA (Robotic Process Automation)

3. Entrepreneurial Mindset & Bias for Execution

• You think and act like a technical co-founder, focusing on execution, iteration, and scaling
• You build, test, and automate—removing inefficiencies wherever possible
• You have experience working in corporate innovation, startups, or venture-backed initiatives

Why Join Us?

• Be part of a strategic innovation team shaping the future of luxury retail
• Work on cutting-edge AI, automation, and new business model validation
• Operate with autonomy and ownership, bringing disruptive ideas to life
• Competitive salary with potential long-term incentives and ghost equity in new ventures
• Opportunity for career progression into venture leadership roles

Application Process

• We are looking for technologists who build and execute. Expect a practical, hands-on hiring process:
• Technical Challenge – Develop a prototype showcasing AI/automation applied to a business model innovation.
• Live Coding & Problem-Solving Session – A deep dive into technical execution and decision-making.
• Business & Innovation Interview – Discuss how technology can enable new revenue models and business impact.
• Final Culture & Fit Assessment – Ensuring alignment with our innovation-driven approach.

What we can offer you  

With us, you will turn your aspirations into reality.  We will help shape your journey through enriching experiences, learning and development opportunities and exposure to different assignments within your role or through internal mobility. Our Group offers diverse career paths for those who are extraordinary, every day.  

We recognise the value that you bring, and we strive to provide a competitive benefits package which includes health care, child education contribution, remote and flexible working policies as well as exclusive employee discounts.  

We Invite All Applicants to Apply

It Takes Diversity Of Thought, Culture, Background, Differing Abilities and Perspectives to truly Inspire, Exhilarate and Delight our customers. At Chalhoub Group, we are committed to inclusion and diversity.

We welcome all applicants to apply and be part of our exciting future. We ensure equal opportunity for all our applicants without regard to gender, age, race, religion, national origin or disability status.