Reporting to the EVP, Property Development, the Senior Vice President of Design and Construction is responsible for strategically planning, improving processes, and executing our New Store growth program. This senior leadership position is pivotal in Burlington’s growth agenda and will be responsible for leading the existing Construction, Store Planning, Fixtures & Capital Projects teams to successfully deliver and drive the overall success of our New Store growth program. This leader will identify opportunities for improvement and influence decisions made across the organization regarding cost efficient and timely new stores delivery as we continue to expand our footprint at a record pace.

This position will combine hands-on direct leadership of analytic and project management teams with close collaboration and influence of departments across Burlington to ensure we achieve our new store performance outcomes.  Specific objectives include:

• Delivering highly accurate new store underwriting estimates and building a robust learning feedback loop for continuous refinement and improvement of our modeling and estimation processes.
• Supporting the new store site review and approval processes to ensure efficient but thorough and effective decision making.
• On time new store opening of set target dates.
• Identifying process improvement opportunities at every stage of the new store development process, collaboration to influence process changes in other departments and directly implementing changes.
• Being the overall senior executive champion and owner for new store delivery outcomes.

Duties and Responsibilities:

New Store Delivery Strategy:

• Develop New Store Strategy to drive the successful and on time delivery of new stores. Oversee use of data, systems and statistical models used in new store planning and delivery process.
• Proactively drive preparation and support Real Estate Committee and Asset Management Committee presentations.
• Establish strong working relationships with Property Development peers and cross functional business partners to develop market level growth strategies, ensure project selection and store specific development strategies are in line with company objectives.

 New Store Delivery Process Management:

• Align cross-functional stakeholders across the entire new store planning, construction and delivery process spanning from lease-signing to Grand Opening
• Pre-opening:
• Engage with Real Estate underwriting team, New Store Merchandise Planning team, Store Operations team, Visual Merchandising team, Grand Open Marketing team, Fixture procurement team, and Outbound Logistics team. Ensure key decisions and pre-opening milestones for new store cohorts are cascaded to these partners. Identify unique challenges and mitigation and/or escalation needs.
• Coordinate forums for cross-functional collaboration and information sharing
• Identify and escalate unique stores and situations to executive leadership team for input
• Post Grand Opening:
• Proactively engage teams when issues are found in process timing or performance post Grand Opening
• Track and report on new store delivery schedule
• Ongoing process management, improvement and ownership of results across key new store development areas:
• Achievement of target opening date for new stores
• Identification of complex stores that require exception timelines/processes
• Quick resolution of identified issues and challenges both pre-opening and post-opening
• Successful implementation of resolution plans to post-opening challenges in new stores
• Ensuring stability for New Store planning team, i.e., limiting Grand Opening date changes within prescribed timeline (typically 60-90 days from Grand Opening)

New Store Delivery Decision Support:

• Serve as a thought partner for functional teams as they work through new store openings
• Support functional teams with data driven decisions such as:
• Deviating from store plan on record (change orders)
• Identifying appropriate exterior signage for unique locations (e.g. vertical power centers)
• Changing store opening date
• Moving store to exception workflow
• Adjusting floorplan/fixture/equipment
• Proactive management of required permits

Leadership:

• Business Leadership - Influences enterprise level strategies and approaches work with a global and innovative perspective. Helps streamline processes to drive timely and cost-effective store delivery. Acts with a sense of urgency, builds and adjusts the plan to deliver results that meet or exceed expectations.
• Team Leadership - Optimizes organizational capabilities and removes barriers through relationship building. Strategic and diplomatic in forging relationships, inspiring trust and motivating others to achieve goals. Is inclusive, seeks out varying perspectives and multiple alternatives, shares information and finds common ground. Understands and maximizes business interdependencies. Flexible in revising plans to support changing business needs. Brings out the best in people through coaching, feedback, support and encouragement. Teaches and mentors people beyond direct reports.
• Self-Leadership - Anticipates future opportunities and challenges. Outstanding communication skills - formal and informal. Approaches work with inquisitiveness and can challenge the status quo.  Effectively drives organizational change in function and culture. Acts with integrity and courage, focuses on greater good over personal benefit.

Education and Qualifications:  

Education:

• BA in Architecture, Construction, Engineering or related field
• MBA or Masters a plus, but not required

 Experience:

• 10 + years in retail development with deep topic specialization in at least two operational functions across Property Development, Construction, Design.
• Proven track record of successfully managing multi-unit development projects.
• 10 + years experience leading teams to achieve set objectives, and fostering a collaborative, results oriented environment.

Skills and Abilities: 

Analytic Skillset – Ensure all  activities are aligned with financial objectives and company strategy.

Process Management and Improvement - The ability to structure processes, identify opportunities to drive efficiency, and implement changes that drive improved outcomes.

Influencing – Ability to rally and motivate teams to adhere to the agreed upon course of action and influence results.

Leadership - Proactive leadership style with a desire to develop, grow, and mentor a high performing team; Strong sense of accountability; passion for owning projects and driving them to completion; ability to multi-task and thrive in a fast-paced environment.

Storytelling and Communication - Able to take data from various sources, leverage Excel, Word and PowerPoint to put together effective analysis, recommendations, and presentations.

Passion for Retail - A people-friendly mindset who enjoys working with frontline associates, our merchants, and also our corporate executives; someone seeking to put our customer needs first and helping us become the destination of choice for our customers and employer of choice for our associates.