Design And Construction Director

Wild Fork Foods•Doral, FL

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The 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.

Requirements

8–12 years of construction and/or development experience with a multi-unit retail, restaurant, or similar operator — ideally one opening 15+ units per year
Demonstrated experience managing a portfolio of 10+ concurrent projects simultaneously
Strong working knowledge of construction processes: reading plans and specs, interpreting schedules, evaluating change orders, and managing GC and subcontractor performance
Solid understanding of payment bonds, mechanics liens, and construction contract risk — and the discipline to manage them proactively
Track record of delivering projects on time and within budget at volume
Comfortable operating within a cross-functional model where design, real estate, and legal each own distinct lanes; able to coordinate across those boundaries without overstepping them
Sharp communicator — able to give leadership a clear and accurate read on program health without drama
High organizational discipline; builds and uses systems, not just manages by inbox

Nice To Haves

Background in retail, grocery, QSR, or convenience store rollouts — somewhere that builds the same thing over and over, fast
Experience managing both ground-up and second-generation (tenant improvement) builds
Familiarity with lease exhibits, landlord work letters, and construction-related lease obligations
Experience presenting in committee-style approval environments with Legal and Real Estate stakeholders
Degree in Construction Management, Architecture, Civil Engineering, or related field — or equivalent experience

Responsibilities

Maintain real-time visibility across all active projects — budget, schedule, and risk — and report program health to leadership on a regular cadence
Develop and manage the annual project calendar aligned to the 20–25 store opening target
Identify capacity constraints and resource gaps before they become schedule problems
Own the project management system and ensure it reflects accurate, current project status
Participate — alongside the Real Estate team — in regular committee meetings and project approval processes; involve Legal whenever contractual, lien, or compliance matters arise
Upon 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 scope
Manage GC bid process, contract award, and contract administration across all active projects
Oversee construction execution through punch list, Certificate of Occupancy, and clean handover to Operations
Hold General Contractors and subcontractors accountable to scope, schedule, and budget; manage change orders with rigorous scrutiny and appropriate approvals
Proactively 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 manner
Conduct or delegate site visits at critical milestones; escalate and resolve field issues quickly
Build and maintain a regional panel of preferred GCs sized to support 20–25 concurrent openings
Evaluate GC and subcontractor performance continuously; provide recommendations to Real Estate on expanding or exiting vendor relationships
Negotiate favorable terms leveraging volume; standardize scopes of work and unit pricing where possible
Own project cost tracking across the portfolio; ensure actuals are reconciled against approved budgets
Partner with the AP Specialist to ensure contractor billing, draws, and lease-related payments are processed accurately and on time
Drive year-over-year improvement in per-unit build cost without compromising quality or approved brand standards
Ensure all construction deliverables comply fully with design standards as defined and approved by Marketing
Coordinate with Marketing on site-specific deviations or landlord-required modifications; obtain formal approvals before field execution
Lead, coach, and develop the D&C team; set clear priorities and remove blockers
Identify capacity needs proactively — recommend adding a second Construction PM as volume demands it
Build a culture of accountability, urgency, and operational rigor
Serve as the primary D&C liaison to Real Estate, Legal, Marketing, Operations, and Facilities
Flag construction-related lease issues to Real Estate and Legal early; provide documented recommendations
Ensure clean handoffs to Operations: no open punch items, all systems commissioned, documentation complete