Head of Construction

Blank Street•New York, NY

1d•Remote

About The Position

Blank Street is seeking a Head of Construction (US) to lead the planning and execution of a high-volume pipeline of new café builds across the United States. This role owns end-to-end delivery — from pre-construction due diligence through closeout — ensuring projects are delivered on time, on budget, and to brand standards at scale. Reporting to the Director of Real Estate, the Head of Construction will lead two Senior Project Managers and will have the ability to grow the team as our footprint expands. This is a highly cross-functional role partnering closely with Real Estate Strategy, Design, Operations, Finance, and external vendors to bring new cafés to life.

Requirements

10+ years of construction and/or project management experience, including significant experience delivering commercial retail/hospitality projects.
5+ years leading teams, with demonstrated success developing talent and creating accountability.
Proven track record delivering multiple concurrent projects across varied geographies.
Deep knowledge of the full construction lifecycle including budgeting, scheduling, contracts, permitting, and closeout.
Strong financial acumen with experience managing capital budgets, forecasting, and change control.
Working knowledge of US building codes, safety practices, and contractor management best practices.
Willingness to travel regularly to US project sites as needed.
Authorized to work in the United States.

Nice To Haves

A construction leader who combines strategic planning with hands-on execution and a bias toward action.
Strong people manager and coach with experience building and scaling high-performing teams.
Direct experience managing dozens of concurrent retail construction projects, ideally in QSR and/or food & beverage, while balancing complex stakeholders and fast-moving timelines.
A clear communicator who can influence across disciplines and levels, and who values high standards and attention to detail.
Comfortable in ambiguity, able to create structure, and excited to build repeatable processes.

Responsibilities

Lead the US construction function, setting strategy, standards, and operating rhythm to support rapid growth.
Deliver an aggressive annual new café opening plan, building the team, tools, vendor network, and operating cadence required to consistently open many sites each year.
Manage, mentor, and develop a team of Senior Project Managers; define resourcing plans and hire to scale as needed.
Own project delivery for new store builds and remodels initiatives from pre-construction through turnover and punch-list.
Establish and maintain project schedules, scopes, budgets, and risk mitigation plans; provide clear reporting to leadership.
Drive vendor and partner performance including general contractors, subcontractors, architects/engineers, expeditors, and consultants.
Partner with Real Estate and Design to confirm site feasibility, optimize constructability, and protect the customer and brand experience.
Ensure compliance with building codes, permitting requirements, safety standards, and Blank Street policies.
Build and continuously improve tools and processes (playbooks, templates, cost benchmarking, closeout standards, lessons learned).
Oversee procurement and cost control practices, change order management, and forecasting accuracy.
Lead handoff to Operations and Facilities, ensuring readiness, documentation, and smooth openings.

Benefits

$170,000 - $190,000 annual base salary
Equity package
15 days of paid annual leave (on top of company-observed holidays and sick time)
Three health plan options, with full coverage available for two employee-only tiers
Commuter benefits
Parental leave
Bereavement leave
Exclusive access to our coveted Regulars program – yes, that means free coffee, matcha and more! ☕️
Regular social outings with the team
Free Blank Street swag