Immediate Job Opportunity for Senior Store Planner/Architectural Designer - The Fountain Group

Develops Fixture Plans and Architectural Criteria Drawings for new stores, relocations, expansions, remodels, and special projects for all Client chains. Makes design and layout decisions in order to create plans for each project based upon site-specific requirements and budget guidelines, ensuring that Client standards are met. Thoughtful decision making and attention to detail will result in an overall enhanced customer and associate “in-store experience”. End result…drive sales!

In conjunction with Store Planning Manager, assigns projects for all new stores, relocations, expansions, remodels and special projects for designated Client chains to Store Planning associates and outside consultants. Provides guidance to Store Planners and outside consultants with regards to conformance to planning guidelines, prototypical requirements, and site-specific criteria.

Major Areas of Responsibility:

• Gather and analyze project data to design site-specific plans. Make design and layout decisions for each project, relying on experience and judgment. Recommend solutions for efficient overall store layout, including all support areas and department adjacencies. Collaborate with Store Planning Management, Design Department, Store Operations, and Merchandise Planning and Analysis. Enhance overall customer and associate in-store experience to drive sales.

• Create architectural drawings that meet Client standards and construction specifications, balancing design and operational needs. Collaborate with Architects and Construction Department to interpret local building codes, adhere to store opening timelines, budget and lease requirements.

• Troubleshoot site-specific challenges that arise during planning, drawing, and the construction phase of assigned projects. Develop creative solutions to resolve problems. Proactively partner with both internal and external teams to communicate changes and resolve project scheduling conflicts.

• Responsible for ensuring timely and accurate distribution and archiving of drawings and project data to meet Construction and Real Estate store opening schedules.

• For design-build stores, review completed site survey with collected data about existing conditions. Interprets and analyzes collected data to facilitate design development decisions with internal team. Conducts design-build meeting with appropriate team members. Develop site specific plans and architectural drawings that adhere to Construction budget and store opening schedule.

• Assists Store Planning Management in training and providing technical guidance to Store Planners and outside consultants with regards to implementation of planning guidelines and chain specific prototype requirements for new stores, relocations, expansions, remodels, and special projects for designated Client chains. Delegates projects to Store Planners and outside consultants, ensuring timely and accurate distribution of drawings to meet Construction and Real Estate store opening schedules.

• Special Projects as assigned.

Job impact

Specify the measure and size of this job’s financial responsibility (e.g., $100,000 payroll budget, $8,000,000 sales volume):

• New stores cost in excess of $1,000,000 to construct.

• Expanded stores average $750,000

• Remodel stores average between $350,000 - $450,000 each.

• Currently building an average of 125-150 new stores annually and remodeling 200 stores.

Decision making

• Describe the kinds of decisions made by the incumbent (e.g., hire/fire, technical decisions, markdowns, merchandise pricing/selection).

• Also, specify what recommendations are referred to the next level of management or others for approval.

• Recommends solutions to overall store layout, including all support areas and department adjacencies to enhance both the associate and customer in-store experience to drive sales.

• Collaborate with Store Planning Management, Design, and Construction to develop solutions for non-prototypical stores.

• Work closely with outside Architects to ensure chain-specific prototype requirements and construction specifications.

• Assign projects and provide guidance to Store Planners.

Job knowledge: Education (preferred):

• Associates Degree in Architecture, Architectural Engineering Technology, or Interior Design OR equivalent Certificate.

• Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting or Law Degree.

Minimum job skills required to perform this job (for example: programming languages, strong interpersonal skills, computer software packages):

• Must have working knowledge of REVIT (explain usage in resume or summary) and ACAD/AUTOCAD (required) (Retail store and fixture layout preferred but open to experience with an architectural firm)

• Retail store and fixture layout

• Strong understanding of retail store operations, building architecture, construction procedures and related codes.

• Excels at problem-solving and analytical skills

• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and multi-task while remaining flexible

• Time management oriented

Minimum experience required to perform this job:

• 8 plus years related planning experience, preferably in retail design, store planning, interior design or architecture