Senior Design Manager - Full-time / Part-time

The Senior Design Manager has the following core responsibilities:

• Design Pipeline & Resource Management – lead design team on critical milestones of project development including: site assessment, concept review, final design lock, and permitting. Communicate to stakeholders, give team members greater visibility into the status of each project by building, maintaining, and publishing project schedules, track licenses and permits, remove obstacles, & solve problems.
• Design Innovation –help drive execution of “intimacy at scale” through store uniqueness and design ideation. Work with design consultants to evolve material palette and kit of parts in line with cost targets. Map the customer journey to maximize design impact of each touch-point. Help drive design team to create solutions that elevate experience & hit budget targets.
• Cross Functional Partnerships – engage internal stakeholders around design changes, develop expertise on store needs, plan and execute refresh and remodel projects, create cross-functional communication tools for NSOs.
• Build the Network– be the voice of sweetgreen to external partners. Effectively manage and on-board new AORs/vendors who align with the company’s core values and help the organization scale.. Build relationships through collaboration and honest feedback. Conduct review and benchmarking of existing vendor network
• Maintain Design Prototype Standards- create and maintain prototype set of drawings for all AOR use. Compile & confirm design standards with cross-functional partners. Incorporate new Kit of Part elements into CAD, Revit, and Standard libraries. Generate and issue design bulletins for program updates to internal and external team.
• 2017 Objectives
  • Drive Store Weeks – instill the process required to drive expedited scale in 2017 & 2018, own resolution of issues that threaten projected timeline including design challenges and permitting obstacles. Create cross-functional relationships required to deliver scheduled opening pipeline and deliver on financial plan.
  • Improve Design Document Quality – create clearer commitment at Final Design Lock of design phase, improve rendering quality for internal alignment. Implement more stringent Construction Document Quality Check to eliminate errors or missing details from construction set.
  • Update Prototype Design – help create a modular design set that is flexible for future improvements in technology, menu and brand innovation. Improve customer journey- identify and implement new “freshness cue” for brand by incorporating sampling into the store design and front line kitchen equipment package.
  • Expand FFE Kit of Parts – work with internal and external design teams to create new furniture kit of parts that is tailored to different use cases and markets. Finalize lighting design package and dimming system and create standard system for national roll-out
  Desired Traits
  • Experience with creating foundational tools and organizational discipline to help a company scale.
  • Think creatively and quickly about problem solving and open to new ideas.
  • You know how to get things done through formal channels and your informal network
  • Inefficient process drives you crazy, you enjoy streamline
  • You naturally build trusting collaborative relationships, but also know when to stand your ground
  • You have an impeccable aesthetic, attention to detail and love of design
  • Ability to travel for up to 25%-40% of work schedule.
  • Desire to work in a fast-paced, high-growth startup environment
  Desired Experience
  • 8 years’ experience in development for a high growth retail or restaurant business leading complex cross functional design & construction projects
  • 5+ years experience creating & leading project management processes, driving project schedules & managing design execution
  • 5+ years experience with kitchen design, customer journey mapping, and layout optimization
  • 5+ years experience with license & permitting for a multi-state business
  • Ability to analyze the financial and operational implications of design choices
  • Expesite Experience and PMP certificate preferred but not required
  • Autocad/Revit/Sketchup skills required.

About our sweetlife

A passionate, fun, and positive work environment, with a welcoming and supportive team
Competitive pay and bonus plan – employees are rewarded for both personal and company-wide performance
Health, dental, and vision insurance
Flexible vacation policy
Dog-friendly office
Mobile phone reimbursement
Free sweetgreen gear and tenure rewards through our ‘shades of green’ program. And of course… complimentary fresh food from sweetgreen

About Us

sweetgreen is a seasonal fast-casual restaurant company on a mission to change the way people think about food. With a strong sense of passion and purpose, we’re working to revolutionize our industry and the food system. We make delicious, real food from scratch in our kitchens every day, which supports local farmers and helps us create authentic, meaningful connections with our guests.