Product Cost Controller

Gloria Jeans is one of the largest fashion retailers in its home markets, with a history dating back to 1988, when our founder registered one of the first jeans workshops in the country. From that single workshop in Rostov-on-Don, we grew into a leading fast-fashion group with over 600 stores across Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus, more than 7,000 employees, and over $1 billion in annual revenue. We dress the whole family - style and quality at prices millions can afford.

Now we have moved our headquarters to the UAE and are rebuilding the business for international growth, with the GCC and Southeast Asia as our first priority markets, alongside a fast-scaling e-commerce business and new categories in Home and Beauty. Our ambition is to create a genuinely global fashion group and, over time, grow it into a $10 billion business. We are still founder-led and entrepreneurial: decisions here are made in days, not quarters.

The role

The Product Cost Controller is the independent financial control over the cost of goods at Gloria Jeans. We source 100% of our product from third-party manufacturers across seven countries, which makes product cost the largest line in our P&L. This role reports directly to the CFO and sits alongside the buying team without reporting to it. It challenges every cost build before it is committed, so that the margin planned at the buy is the margin we actually earn.

This is an individual contributor role, fully based in Dubai, with relocation required and international travel of up to 50% to factories and sourcing offices.

What you will own

• Break vendor quotations down into fabric, trims, CMT, wastage, overhead and supplier margin, and challenge each component on evidence.
• Benchmark cost like for like across vendors and origins, and maintain the benchmark as a living reference for the buying team.
• Support buyers in vendor negotiations with a prepared financial position, including the walk-away price.
• Apply the target initial markup (IMU) framework by category and market, and verify at commitment that the target is achieved.
• Control landed cost end to end — product cost, inbound freight, duty and customs — and its allocation to the unit.
• Report cost and markup performance at a fixed plan exchange rate, so currency movements do not distort commercial results.
• Produce the monthly product cost bridge, plan versus actual, by driver and by vendor.
• Maintain the vendor scorecard covering cost competitiveness, on-time delivery, quality cost, claims and terms.
• Reconcile committed cost to invoiced cost, and to the cost carried in stock.

What we are looking for

• 5+ years in product costing, sourcing finance or commercial finance within apparel, footwear or consumer goods sourced from third parties.
• Proven ability to build and challenge a product cost from its components, not just review supplier price lists.
• Working knowledge of landed cost: freight, duty, customs classification and origin.
• Experience supporting vendor negotiations and holding a financial position with commercial teams.
• Strong modelling and data skills at style and vendor level (advanced Excel, Power BI, PLM).
• Sourcing or buying office experience in Asia or Turkey is an advantage.
• Fluent English (C1); Russian or Spanish is an advantage.
• Willingness to relocate to Dubai and travel up to 50%.

What success looks like

Within the first year, every material buy has a cost the business can explain and defend before it is committed. The role will deliver:

• Initial markup within 1 percentage point of target by category.
• Cost savings of around 2% of addressable product cost.
• Over 90% of buys by value reviewed before commitment.
• Landed cost variance under 1%.
• Vendor scorecards covering the top 80% of spend.

What we offer

• Annual performance bonus
• Relocation and visa support
• Private medical insurance
• Annual leave
• Learning and development
• International team and supplier exposure

From one workshop to 600+ stores - and we are just getting started.

Join the team building a global fashion group. We cannot wait to meet you.

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