Retail Store Construction Project Manager

G-STAR RAW; Amsterdam; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Clothing budget

Healthy lunch

Work from home 1 day a week

Bicycle discount

Job summary

G-STAR RAW in Amsterdam seeks a Retail Store Construction Project Manager who translates retail concepts into physically delivered stores. You will own end-to-end construction delivery for new stores, remodels, refits and closures, from site feasibility and landlord negotiation through to handover and financial close-out.

You will work with HQ and cross-functional teams to ensure on-time delivery, adherence to capex budgets, brand standards, and local regulations across markets.

Qualifications

• Bachelor or Master degree in Construction Management, Building Engineering, Architecture, Real Estate or a comparable field.
• Minimum 5 years' experience in construction project management, preferably retail fit-out or store construction.
• Excellent English skills; Dutch is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Site feasibility & landlord negotiation.
• Design & pre-construction management.
• Permits, legislation & compliance.
• Tendering, contracts & vendor management.
• Budget & cost control.
• Planning & construction execution.
• Handover, aftercare & store operations support.
• Sustainability & reporting.

Skills

End-to-end project management

Stakeholder communication

Budgeting & cost control

Risk assessment

Education

Bachelor/Master in Construction Management/Architecture/Real Estate

Tools

Reading architectural/MEP drawings

Job description

The Retail Store Construction Project Manager translates G-STAR retail concepts and store design into physically delivered stores. The position is accountable for the end-to-end construction delivery of new stores, remodels, refits and closures within the assigned portfolio, from site feasibility and landlord negotiation through to handover, aftercare and financial close-out. The position is responsible for delivering every project on time, within the approved capex budget, to the G-STAR brand standard and in full compliance with local legislation.

As Retail Store Construction Project Manager you act as the subject matter expert on construction towards internal and external stakeholders, and you work closely with relevant departments at HQ. The scope of the Retail Store Construction Project Manager is owned & operated and partner full price, and outlet channels.

WHAT WE'LL DO TOGETHER:

YOUR TASKS & RESPONSIBILITIES:

Site feasibility & landlord negotiation

• Assess the technical feasibility of candidate locations together with the Retail Director: building condition, shell & core specification, installation capacity, shopfront and facade possibilities, logistics and accessibility.
• Execute or commission the technical site survey and deliver the survey package to the design team.
• Advise Legal and the Retail Director on the technical annexes to the lease: work letter, shell specification, landlord delivery condition, turnover date, fit-out period, rent-free period and reinstatement obligations at end of lease.
• Flag technical risks and cost drivers early so they can be reflected in the business case before a lease is signed.

Design & pre-construction management

• Develop the concept from initial design into construction-ready documentation together with Design and external architects, within the G-STAR design guidelines and brand standard.
• Lead the constructability review: test the design on buildability, technical consistency, maintainability, cost efficiency and adherence to the brand standard, and resolve deviations with the design team.
• Safeguard the completeness and quality of the design documents and the deliverables of external consultants, and track resolution of outstanding issues.

Permits, legislation & compliance

• Manage or direct all permit applications: building permit, use notification, facade and signage permit and, where applicable, heritage or aesthetics review.
• Ensure compliance with local building codes, fire safety requirements, accessibility requirements and health & safety legislation in every market in scope.
• Ensure a health & safety plan is in place for the design and construction phase, that statutory roles are assigned, and that safe working practices are upheld on site.

Tendering, contract & vendor management

• Define the scope of work and the tender documentation, run the tender, analyse the bids and submit a substantiated award recommendation.
• Negotiate price, planning and terms with contractors, shopfitters and suppliers together with Retail Director and Legal.
• Manage contracts throughout their lifecycle: variations, change requests, payment schedules, delivery obligations, retentions and warranties.
• Procure long-lead and specialist items in time (fixtures, shopfront elements, lighting, HVAC) and control delivery dates.
• Review vendor performance periodically and build a reliable supplier pool per market.

Budget & cost control

• Own the project budget (capex and project-related opex) from first estimate through to financial close-out.
• Prepare the investment request and substantiate any deviation from the approved business case.
• Control the contingency, approve invoices and variations within mandate, and report monthly on forecast versus budget.
• Contribute to cost benchmarking per square metre and per store format, and to structural cost reduction through standardisation and bundled purchasing.

Planning & construction execution

• Build the project schedule and critical path, aligned with the commercial opening date and with trading periods in which construction is not permitted.
• Chair the site meetings, monitor progress on site and take action on delay, quality deviations and disruption.
• Coordinate third-party deliveries in cooperation with the store opening & development team: IT and POS, security, music and AV, visual merchandising and the first goods delivery.
• Provide the business with clear, timely and factual progress insights, and upscale risks with a proposed solution.

Handover, aftercare & store operations support

• Organise the handover: pre-inspection, snag list, resolution of outstanding items, handover file, warranties, maintenance instructions and the building manual.
• Formally hand the store over to Store Operations and Facility Management and manage the aftercare and warranty period.
• Assist in all relevant store opening, refit and closure processes.
• Ensure that store locations, retail concepts and floor plans meet and improve brand and sales targets.

Sustainability

• Translate the G-STAR sustainability targets into concrete project requirements: energy performance, lighting, HVAC, material choice, re-use of fixtures and waste separation on site.
• Manage certification tracks where applicable (BREEAM, LEED) and measure and report the results per project.

Programme management, standards & reporting

• Manage the project pipeline and deliver periodic reporting on status, budget, planning and risk to the Retail and Store Development leadership.
• Contribute to the development of the fit-out toolkit, standard specifications, standard details and ways of working, and to the roll-out of new store concepts and pilots.
• Record project information consistently in the project management systems and keep the project file complete and auditable.
• Identify, share and implement best practices across stores and on a higher level.

Stakeholder management & culture

• Work closely with Real Estate, Retail Design, Visual Merchandising, Store Operations, Facility Management, Finance, Procurement, IT, Loss Prevention, Legal and HR at HQ.
• Provide clear direction, information and guidance to contractors, consultants and third-party partners to ensure accurate and efficient project execution.
• Ensure and drive a safe and inclusive environment & culture on every site and in every project team.
• Drive and optimize team engagement across internal and external project partners.

This list is not limited and may be updated on a regular basis depending on business priorities

WHAT YOU BRING TO THE TABLE:

• Bachelor degree/Master degree in Construction Management, Building Engineering, Architecture, Real Estate or a comparable field. Any suitable combination of education, experience and training will be considered.
• Professional accreditation is an advantage: PMP, PRINCE2, IPMA, BREEAM AP or LEED AP.
• Minimum 5 years' experience in construction project management, of which demonstrable experience in retail fit-out or store construction.
• Experience delivering multi-store roll-outs and managing several projects simultaneously.
• Solid understanding of tendering, contracting and negotiating with contractors and suppliers, and of capex budgeting, forecasting and cost control.
• Able to read and assess architectural and MEP drawings fluently; familiar with the key trades, construction terminology and contract types.
• Knowledge of European building, fire safety and health & safety legislation and of permit procedures in the markets in scope.
• Industry: preferably Denim/Fashion or Luxury Goods; Beauty & Cosmetics.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English; [Dutch is an advantage].

WHAT WE BRING TO THE TABLE:

Located in Amsterdam, our G-STAR HQ offers the chance to work in a diverse environment, with a team of about 200 employees who represent more than 35 nationalities. We all work and collaborate together to be on top of the game and become the number one denim brand!

Beyond a competitive salary, working at G-STAR brings many other perks and exciting opportunities:

• A work environment that offers room for fun, inspiration and innovation,
• A clothing budget to showcase your personal style while representing G-STAR,
• A healthy lunch at our canteen,
• Flexibility to work from home 1 day a week,
• A discount on a new bicycle.