DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION DIRECTOR

DescriptionPosition at Wild Fork FoodsDESIGN & CONSTRUCTION DIRECTORThe Director of Design & Construction owns the full construction execution lifecycle for every new Wild Fork store — from the moment a lease is signed to the day keys are handed to the Operations team. Real Estate drives site selection, lease execution, LOI management, and GC/subcontractor engagement upstream. Marketing owns brand and design standards. This role sits squarely in between: translating approved plans into built stores, on time and on budget.Execution is the mandate. This Director ensures that Marketing-approved design standards are delivered in the field, that General Contractors and subcontractors are held accountable to scope, schedule, and payment obligations, and that the company's financial exposure — bonds, liens, and contractor payment risk — is actively managed in partnership with Legal and Real Estate.At 20–25 new openings per year, there are 8–12 projects in flight at any given time across multiple markets. The Director leads a construction PM, a coordinator, and an AP specialist, and serves as the primary D&C voice in cross-functional approval processes alongside Real Estate and Legal. Key ResponsibilitiesPortfolio & Program ManagementMaintain real-time visibility across all active projects — budget, schedule, and risk — and report program health to leadership on a regular cadenceDevelop and manage the annual project calendar aligned to the 20–25 store opening targetIdentify capacity constraints and resource gaps before they become schedule problemsOwn the project management system and ensure it reflects accurate, current project statusParticipate — alongside the Real Estate team — in regular committee meetings and project approval processes; involve Legal whenever contractual, lien, or compliance matters ariseConstruction Execution & DeliveryUpon receipt of the executed lease from Real Estate, coordinate with Marketing (design) and the relevant parties (GC, landlord) to manage the permitting and construction readiness process — ensuring timely progress while respecting each party's ownership of their respective scopeManage GC bid process, contract award, and contract administration across all active projectsOversee construction execution through punch list, Certificate of Occupancy, and clean handover to OperationsHold General Contractors and subcontractors accountable to scope, schedule, and budget; manage change orders with rigorous scrutiny and appropriate approvalsProactively track and manage payment bonds and liens related to GCs and subcontractors across all active projects; work closely with Legal and Real Estate to address any disputes, exposures, or required filings in a timely and structured mannerConduct or delegate site visits at critical milestones; escalate and resolve field issues quicklyVendor & GC RelationshipsBuild and maintain a regional panel of preferred GCs sized to support 20–25 concurrent openingsNote: Real Estate retains ownership of LOI management, lease agreements, and formal GC/subcontractor engagement agreements; this role manages performance and execution within those established relationshipsEvaluate GC and subcontractor performance continuously; provide recommendations to Real Estate on expanding or exiting vendor relationshipsNegotiate favorable terms leveraging volume; standardize scopes of work and unit pricing where possibleBudget & Financial OversightOwn project cost tracking across the portfolio; ensure actuals are reconciled against approved budgetsPartner with the AP Specialist to ensure contractor billing, draws, and lease-related payments are processed accurately and on timeDrive year-over-year improvement in per-unit build cost without compromising quality or approved brand standardsCompliance with Marketing-Approved Design StandardsEnsure all construction deliverables comply fully with design standards as defined and approved by MarketingCoordinate with Marketing on site-specific deviations or landlord-required modifications; obtain formal approvals before field executionDo not modify or approve changes to brand standards; escalate any conflicts between landlord requirements and approved design to Marketing and Real Estate for resolutionTeam LeadershipLead, coach, and develop the D&C team; set clear priorities and remove blockersIdentify capacity needs proactively — recommend adding a second Construction PM as volume demands itBuild a culture of accountability, urgency, and operational rigorCross-Functional PartnershipServe as the primary D&C liaison to Real Estate, Legal, Marketing, Operations, and FacilitiesFlag construction-related lease issues to Real Estate and Legal early; provide documented recommendationsEnsure clean handoffs to Operations: no open punch items, all systems commissioned, documentation completeQualificationsRequired8–12 years of construction and/or development experience with a multi-unit retail, restaurant, or similar operator — ideally one opening 15+ units per yearDemonstrated experience managing a portfolio of 10+ concurrent projects simultaneouslyStrong working knowledge of construction processes: reading plans and specs, interpreting schedules, evaluating change orders, and managing GC and subcontractor performanceSolid understanding of payment bonds, mechanics liens, and construction contract risk — and the discipline to manage them proactivelyTrack record of delivering projects on time and within budget at volumeComfortable operating within a cross-functional model where design, real estate, and legal each own distinct lanes; able to coordinate across those boundaries without overstepping themSharp communicator — able to give leadership a clear and accurate read on program health without dramaHigh organizational discipline; builds and uses systems, not just manages by inboxPreferredBackground in retail, grocery, QSR, or convenience store rollouts — somewhere that builds the same thing over and over, fastExperience managing both ground-up and second-generation (tenant improvement) buildsFamiliarity with lease exhibits, landlord work letters, and construction-related lease obligationsExperience presenting in committee-style approval environments with Legal and Real Estate stakeholdersDegree in Construction Management, Architecture, Civil Engineering, or related field — or equivalent experienceEOE/Vets/Disability