Panera is recognized as a leader in the fast casual food business, delivering quality food in a warm and inviting environment. Today, with over 2000 cafes in the US serving passionate and loyal guests, we are bringing this same level of innovation to the development of next-generation cafe design. As a result, our need to elevate design to the highest level has never been greater. To support this effort, we are on the hunt for an experienced, passionate and highly skilled team member to join our in-house design studio.

With a broad mandate to deliver high quality design work in a fast-paced environment, our studio-based designers have a unique opportunity to work with a world-class design team. The ideal Panera Design Manager is highly organized, deadline driven and effective in creating order and priorities within complex schedules. This role seeks to propel projects through the development cycle, with broad retail, restaurant and hospitality design experience. S/he has a passion for design and is able to work effectively as part of a collaborative creative team to execute projects to the highest brand standards.

Role Overview

We are looking for an experienced and talented design professional to join Panera's Store Design Studio, with experience working in high caliber creative teams. The Designer Manager will work with others on the design team and cross-functional partners and will report directly to the Directors of Store Design. As an integral part of the design studio and broader development team, the designer will design and deliver thoughtful and highly creative cafe design solutions that elevate the brand while accommodating business considerations, functional goals and our typical aggressive timelines.

Elevating Design

• Responsible for the design and overall look/feel of new and renovated cafes and to create thoughtful and highly creative regional cafe designs that align with current design criteria (strategies) and Panera's high-quality brand standards.
• Actively participate in a strong creative studio culture, engage in open discourse, and leverage critical thinking skills to solve design problems. Has a passion for all things design that includes an understanding of history and current trends in design, furniture and fashion, etc.
• Approach project work, collaboration and feedback with a positive attitude and a focus on design quality and achieving business results.

The Work

• Directly responsible for the functional layout, schematic design, and furniture/material/finish palettes for Company and Franchise new and remodeled cafes, and other brands/concepts as may be identified over time.
• Bring projects into regular open-forum style design reviews as well as offline review as needed, and respond to design direction, coaching and guidance so that the projects meet Panera's high-quality brand standards.
• Responsible for the quality, execution and timely deliverable of design development and construction drawings by Panera's outside Architectural firms. Ensure all scope of work, design intent and federal, state and municipality code requirements are met on drawings.
• Work with Franchise partners to ensure that Panera design intent is executed to the highest standards and in coordination with their outside Architect's design development, and construction documents.
• Support Panera's cross-functional team goals (Company Owned and Franchise; operations, ops services, real estate, construction, etc.) in order to:
  • Deliver effective store layouts that meet functional and business needs.
  • Provide effective collaboration and communication with broader store development team so that projects meet internal project timelines and construction budgets, hit annual project counts for all project types and achieve sales weeks goals.
  • Monitor the work quality of the external architect consultants to ensure they deliver high quality construction documents that comply with architectural and quality standards, building codes and health and safety regulations, on time and on budget.

Summary of Experience

• 5+ years of broad experience, including design, detailing and preparation of construction documents.
• 3+ years of design experience in a restaurant or retail brand preferred.
• 3+ year's management of outside architectural, MEP and/or other design consultants.
• Professional degree in Architecture, Interior Design and/or a related field of study.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Current working knowledge and experience with:
  • 3D visualization (SketchUp, Revit, hand sketching/CAD programs, etc.)
  • Working knowledge of design and color principles, architectural detailing and specifications.
  • Current knowledge of relevant professional building codes, health codes and compliance issues.
• Strong oral and written communications skills, highly organized and detail oriented.
• Self-starter with ability to work both independently and in a team environment.
• Strong work ethic and professional attitude with 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 work with little supervision to produce high quality work on strict timelines.