• Contributes to shaping the multiyear physical environment strategy, ensuring design standards evolve to meet guest expectations, operational efficiency, cost performance, and brand direction.

• Lead the creation, governance, and continuous improvement of brand design standards, including layouts, spatial logic, FF&E, finishes, detailing, and material specifications.

• Monitor emerging design and construction trends and work jointly with Construction to evaluate impacts, mitigate risks, and develop recommendations that ensure Nando's environments remain operationally efficient, costeffective, and futureready.

• Partner with Brand, Operations, and Development to ensure standards reflect consumer preferences, operational realities, and emerging restaurant formats.

• Lead the design program across NROs, remodels, refreshes, special projects, and strategic initiatives. Ensure alignment with pipeline sequencing and business priorities.

• Set clear workflows, tools, calendars, and approval gates for all teams involved in design, permitting, procurement, and construction.

• Facilitate crossfunctional reviews, ensuring timely decisionmaking and risk mitigation that protects schedule and investment.

• Serve as the primary design leader representing Design in crossfunctional forums, budget reviews, pipeline meetings, and executive discussions.

• Lead and manage multiple external design partners (Architect of Record, Interior Design, MEP, Structural, Kitchen, South African suppliers) to deliver coordinated, highquality work at scale.

• Establish performance expectations, KPIs, and operating rhythms for external partners; manage accountability, scorecards, and alignment across all markets.

• Drive early detection of design issues and ensure timely resolution across disciplines.

• Oversee all design deliverables, including feasibility studies, test fits, design development packages, materials packages, permit drawings, bid sets, construction drawings, and shop drawings.

• Govern the quality and accuracy of technical documentation across all consultants; ensure constructability, code compliance, and alignment with Nando's standards.

• Author and approve critical design guidelines, templates, tools, and review protocols.

• Maintain updated internal documentation to support brand and operational initiaives such as display planograms and marketing initiatives

• Manage the design program budget, including forecasting, prioritizing spend, and approving design-related costs within delegated thresholds.

• Lead value engineering strategy across the portfolio, ensuring cost optimization without compromising design intent or guest experience.

• Partner with Procurement and Construction to evaluate, negotiate, or rationalize FF&E, finishes, and material selections.

• Own the design governance framework, including documentation requirements, risk assessments, and corrective action plans.

• Ensure adherence to life-safety requirements, regulatory codes, material performance standards, and accessibility guidelines.

• Identify and mitigate risks across markets or pipelines; elevate enterpriselevel risks as needed.

• Partner with Operations to ensure layouts, adjacencies, and circulation support peakperiod performance, food safety, and team ergonomics.

• Collaborate with Construction to drive clarity, reduce rework, and support schedule predictability.

• Support Facilities on asset management and long-term maintainability strategies.

• Align with Procurement on material sourcing, lead times, and global/local supply strategies.

• Oversee design-related procurement activities, specifically South African sourced items.

• Manage and maintain all local art and FF&E inventory

• Work in partnership with the greater project team to ensure selections and corresponding logistics are practical, cost-aligned, and delivered according to project timelines.

• Lead design contributors, internal partners, and external teams through influence, coaching, and strong communication.

• Build cross-functional capability by improving tools, processes, systems, and learning programs related to design.

• Rolemodel Nando's values; cultivate psychological safety, constructive challenge, and collaborative problemsolving.

• Bachelor's degree in architecture, Interior Design, Environmental Design, or related field

• 7+ years' design experience, including hospitality or retail environments

• Expert-level understanding of construction documentation, coordination, and design delivery

• Experience leading multiple consultants and cross-functional teams across markets

• Proven ability to lead program budgets, reviews, and VE decisions

• Strong communication, leadership, prioritization, and strategic problem-solving skills

This role is based in Washington, D.C. and includes full-time presence at our Restaurant Support Office.

Salary Range is $100,000 to $140,000 and will be based on experience.