As our VP of Construction and Design, you’ll play a critical role in shaping the future of Philz Coffee by leading the strategy and execution for construction and design for our expansion. You’ll oversee the full lifecycle of new store development, remodels, relocations, and capital improvements – ensuring every project brings the Philz brand to life, delivering on quality, timelines, and financial objectives. As a senior leader, you’ll build and develop cohesive and high-performing teams and partner with internal and external stakeholders to fulfill our mission of Bettering People's Days.
This role is currently remote and must be based within the Greater Los Angeles area. Our teams will return to a hybrid office environment in Long Beach, CA in Q1 of 2027.
WHAT YOU’LL DO
Strategy & Team Leadership
- Develop and execute the long-term design and construction strategy for all Philz growth.
- Establish department standards, project controls, playbooks, and construction governance, and lead use project tools.
- Set KPIs and deliver clear executive reporting on project status, forecasts, and risks.
- Recruit, develop, and lead a high-performing team.
- Own the annual design and construction capital budget and multi-year forecast.
- Manage project budgets, change orders, cash flow forecasts, contingencies, and ROI against pro forma, and support Finance with underwriting for new locations and remodels.
- Establish and enforce stage-gate approvals.
Brand Standards
- Own and evolve the Philz prototype, design standards, and construction criteria across in-line, end-cap, freestanding, drive-thru, and non-traditional formats.
- Oversee store design, décor, furnishings, equipment selection, and layout, balancing brand standards, guest experience, operational efficiency, and financial goals.
- Oversee all design phases, from concept and schematic design through construction documents and FF&E coordination, and approve architectural, engineering, and consultant deliverables.
- Lead value-engineering efforts that lower cost and shorten schedules while maintaining design intent and brand quality.
Project Delivery
- Lead all projects from site feasibility through grand opening, partnering with Real Estate on site selection and lease negotiation and establishing schedules, milestones, and risk-mitigation plans.
- Oversee technical lease requirements, including construction exhibits, work letters, landlord obligations, TI allowances, delivery conditions, and permitting responsibilities.
- Direct construction for new openings, remodels, relocations, and capital improvement projects, managing entitlements, permits, licenses, inspections, and certificates of occupancy, and continually improving speed-to-open.
- Partner with Operations, Marketing, Technology, and Finance on turnover, opening readiness, and closeout, and feed post-opening lessons back into the prototype and processes.
- Select, manage, and evaluate architects, designers, engineers, general contractors, and vendors, and build relationships with landlords and developers.
- Lead bid processes, negotiate contracts and pricing with Legal and Finance, and hold vendors to clear performance standards for schedule, specification, and workmanship.
- Champion job-site safety and quality, and ensure compliance with building codes, ADA, OSHA/Cal-OSHA, health department, and environmental requirements, while mitigating risk, delays, and operational disruption.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
- 15+ years of progressive design and construction leadership, including 7+ years in multi-unit restaurant, food & beverage, retail, or hospitality development and 5+ years at the Senior Director or VP level, preferably with an owner/operator.
- Demonstrated success leading a high-volume, multi-market restaurant expansion program (10+ openings per year) on time and on budget
- Comprehensive knowledge of commercial construction, restaurant design, permitting, and project delivery, plus experience negotiating complex lease provisions, work letters, and landlord obligations.
- Financial acumen in project budgets, investment analyses, pro formas, and capital plans; a design or architecture background is a strong plus.
- Proven ability to build and develop teams, negotiate with vendors, and communicate and build consensus at every level of the organization.
- Advanced proficiency with Kahua (or a comparable platform), Bluebeam, Adobe, Smartsheet, and Google Workspace.
- Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Architecture, Engineering, Business, Real Estate, or a related field; MBA, Licensed Architect, or PMP preferred.
ESSENTIAL PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
- Visual acuity
- Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word; those activities where detailed or important spoken instructions must be conveyed to others
- Repetitive motions: Making substantial movements (motions) of the wrists, hands, and/or fingers
- Extending hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction
- Bending, Reaching, Pulling, Pushing, Extending arms/hands occasionally during shift
- Sitting for extended periods of time
- Exerting up to 10-20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects
**Compensation & Benefits
A reasonable estimate of the starting annual base salary for this role is $235,000 to $260,000 plus bonus. Please note that the base salary will vary based on qualifications, previous experience, and work location.
When you join our team, we better your days through our benefits and support programs – we offer our team members medical, dental, and vision insurance, company-paid basic life insurance, optional family life insurance, 401(k) with company match, flexible spending accounts, commuter benefits, mental health support, holiday pay, Vacation & Sick Time, Team Member discounts, freebie drinks and discounted beans, fun Philz swag, opportunities for growth and advancement, and more!
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