Director, Store Design
sweetgreen is on a mission to build healthy communities by connecting people to real food. We passionately believe that real food should be convenient and accessible to everyone. Every day in each sweetgreen, our 5,000 team members make food from scratch, using fresh ingredients and produce delivered that morning. And in our local communities, we're committed to leaving people better than we found them. We're in the business of feeding people, and we're out to change what that means. Our teams are our most valuable ingredient, the heart of our company, the face of our brand, and what truly makes the sweetgreen experience special and unique.
The Director of Store Design is part of the Store Development Leadership Team, responsible for the creative vision, interior design, and design execution of the store design studio across the full project lifecycle, from prototype and site-specific design through permitting, construction, and turnover. This role owns Sweetgreen's interior design point of view — spatial planning, materials, finishes, furniture, fixtures, and equipment — with equal accountability for the architectural and engineering rigor that brings that vision to life. You will work closely with counterparts across the extended store development team, including Real Estate, Construction, and Facilities Management, and partner directly with Operations, Marketing, and Creative.
This position reports to the Chief Development Officer, with the expectation that you set a high bar for talent and lead the design team to deliver thoughtful, highly creative design solutions that elevate the brand while accommodating business considerations and functional goals within Sweetgreen's typically aggressive timelines.
As the Director of Store Design, you will:
- Lead and inspire the design team to create high-quality, highly creative interior design and architectural solutions that align with current design strategies and Sweetgreen's design and brand standards, providing timely coaching, feedback, leadership support, and development opportunities to achieve design and business results
- Build a strong creative studio culture that encourages open discourse, collaboration, and critical thinking, bringing a passion for design that spans history, current trends in design, furniture, and fashion, along with technical understanding and hands-on detailing of materials and finishes common in the industry
- Own the interior design point of view for the brand — including space planning, materials, finishes, furniture, fixtures, lighting, and equipment — ensuring every restaurant delivers a distinctive, on-brand guest and team member experience
- Own the review and approval of all restaurant designs, including new and renovation projects, leading open-forum and offline design reviews that keep projects on schedule and elevate design output through focused design direction
- Own and evolve Sweetgreen's design standards and design catalog (materials, finishes, furniture, fixtures, and equipment specifications), ensuring consistency, brand elevation, and buildability across the fleet
- Manage relationships with interior design, architecture, engineering, and specialty vendors — including selection, performance, pricing, and accountability to Sweetgreen's design and delivery standards
- Ensure the quality, accuracy, and on-time delivery of layout and concept packages and construction drawings, and lead the oversight of outside Architecture and Engineering firms so that construction documents meet or exceed Sweetgreen drawing standards, comply with building codes and health and safety regulations, and are delivered on time and on budget
- Support cross-functional goals with Real Estate, Construction, Operations, Facilities Management, and Marketing to develop effective store layouts that meet functional and business needs, meet project timelines and construction budgets, and hit annual new store, remodel, and sales weeks goals
- Partner with the cross-functional team to understand project-by-project investment costs and value engineer where possible, meeting investment targets and protecting buildout cost, durability, and unit economics without compromising customer experience or operational execution
- Continuously build operational and equipment expertise within the design team to improve labor requirements and ergonomics of the operating model
- Develop the annual operating plan, budget, and regular forecast updates, and monitor and report on studio design performance and progress toward annual goals, collaborating with Real Estate and Construction on variances in store costs and store count forecasts relative to the store development strategic plan
- This role is based in-office 4 days per week at the Sweetgreen Support Center in Los Angeles
Desired Traits:
- Excellent oral and written communication skills, highly organized and detail-oriented
- A strong creative point of view and design sensibility, with the ability to translate brand strategy into distinctive, memorable physical spaces
- Self-starter with the ability to work both independently and in a team environment, and to foster teamwork among diverse groups and disciplines
- Strong work ethic and professional attitude, with the ability to thrive in a fluid, fast-moving, high-pressure, and constantly changing business environment
- Ability to manage multiple project timelines and schedules simultaneously and produce high-quality work on strict timelines with little supervision
- Proficient in AutoCAD (Revit), SketchUp, and Adobe Creative Suite, as well as Excel, PowerPoint, or equivalent
- Willing to travel 10-25%, depending on business needs
Desired Experience:
- 10+ years of design experience, including team leadership, in an architecture, interior design, or design office environment
- 5+ years of general business experience in a medium- or large-sized, matrixed organization
- 5+ years of hands-on interior design experience with retail, restaurant, residential, and/or hospitality environments preferred
- Strong experience with construction documentation, QA, technical standards and implementation programs, relevant professional building codes, health codes, permitting requirements, and shop drawing reviews for constructability
- 5+ years in the restaurant space with an in-depth understanding of kitchen equipment, operational design, and engineering requirements
- Experience managing design, architecture, or vendor relationships, including scope, budget, and performance accountability
- 4-year degree in Architecture, Interior Architecture, Interior Design, Product Design, or a related field
What you'll get:
- Highly competitive pay + bonus plan
- Three different medical plans to suit your and your family's needs
- Dental and Vision insurance
- Flexible PTO plan
- 401k program
- Employee HSA and FSA
- Complimentary greens
- An opportunity to make a real impact on the people around you, both by growing them and by connecting them to real food
- To live the sweetlife and celebrate your passion + purpose
- A collaborative team of people who live our core values and have your back
- A clear career path with opportunities for development, both personally and professionally
- Free sweetgreen swag
Come join the sweetlife!
About sweetgreen
Sweetgreen is a national restaurant brand dedicated to building healthier communities by connecting people to real food. Since 2007, Sweetgreen has reimagined fast food to be fresh, flavorful, and rooted in relationships with farmers and communities. As we grow, we are committed to developing our people in our restaurants and at our support center, so that everyone can be part of the movement. When you join Sweetgreen, you not only invest in your own future but help create spaces where food, people, and purpose come together
Salary range for this role:
Starting salary range based on experience
$155,000—$191,000 USD
Sweetgreen provides equal opportunities for all employees and applicants, without regard to sex or gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, race (including traits historically associated with race, such as hair texture and protective hairstyles), religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, any service in the uniformed services of the United States, or any other consideration protected by federal, state, or local law.
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