Director of Design & Construction

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Are you a hands-on design and construction leader who can take a restaurant concept from prototype through opening while finding smarter ways to reduce cost and complexity? This is an opportunity to lead design, construction, reimaging, and FF&E across a growing multi-unit restaurant system while directly influencing how the brand builds for the future.

Key responsibilities will include personally developing and modifying restaurant concepts, floor plans, elevations, exterior treatments, finishes, and presentation materials rather than simply overseeing outside design partners. You will lead prototype and reimage development, challenge construction costs and specifications, oversee franchise plan approvals, manage the development pipeline from permitting through opening, and hold internal and external partners accountable for budget, schedule, quality, and execution.

Director of Design & Construction Benefits and Compensation:

• Base salary: $150,000–$180,000

• Executive-level leadership opportunity reporting directly to the Chief Development Officer

• Hybrid work schedule based in Tampa, Florida

• Leadership responsibility for Construction Managers and Equipment/FF&E functions

• Opportunity to directly influence restaurant prototypes, remodels, reimages, conversions, and new development

• High-visibility role with significant ownership over capital investment, project execution, and development strategy

• Travel required

Director of Design & Construction Requirements & Qualifications:

• 8–12+ years of progressive experience within restaurant, retail, hospitality, or another multi-unit development environment

• Demonstrated leadership experience spanning both design and construction

• Strong restaurant design portfolio including architecture, interiors, operational flow, constructability, prototype development, and remodel/reimage work

• Current hands-on proficiency with AutoCAD and SketchUp or comparable design and 3D visualization platforms

• Proven success with value engineering and design optimization, including measurable capital savings implemented in actual construction projects

• Strong knowledge of construction budgeting, estimating, bidding, scheduling, change orders, project closeout, equipment, FF&E, and procurement

• Experience managing multiple simultaneous projects across geographically dispersed locations

• Experience directly leading Construction and/or Procurement teams

• Ability to travel as required

• Bachelor’s degree in Architecture, Interior Design, Construction Management, Engineering, or related field preferred

Director of Design & Construction Preferred Background & Skills:

• Experience within a franchise restaurant system

• Strong background developing and evolving restaurant prototypes and scalable reimage programs

• Experience working directly with franchisees, architects, engineers, general contractors, and suppliers

• Strong understanding of kitchen equipment, furniture, fixtures, lighting, décor, signage, and restaurant FF&E

• Experience establishing KPIs around project schedules, budgets, change orders, plan approvals, procurement, and value engineering

• Ability to balance brand standards with constructability, operational functionality, guest experience, and investment requirements

• Commercial mindset with the ability to challenge legacy specifications and simplify expensive or overly complex designs

• Comfortable moving between hands-on design work and executive-level leadership, including reviewing plans, challenging budgets, leading pipeline meetings, and solving procurement issues

JOB ID: 181170

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Rogers Hornsby

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