Director of Design & Architecture

Call Your Mother; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 117,000 - 143,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Health Insurance

Unlimited PTO

Parental leave

401(k) with company match

Language classes & Duolingo reimbes??n

Early Wage Access

Wellness & Fitness Classpass

Mental health resources

Bagels on the house

Job summary

Call Your Mother is seeking a Director of Design & Architecture in Washington, DC to lead creative and technical development of shops from concept through opening. You’ll translate brand vision into spaces, set standards, and drive coordination with Real Estate, Brand, Operations, Construction, IT, Supply Chain, and external consultants.

The role combines hands-on design leadership with strategic tooling like prototypes, Design Guide, and repeatable processes.

Qualifications

• 5+ years experience leading restaurant or hospitality design projects.
• Understanding how kitchen equipment, team workflow, guest experience, and construction shape a great shop.
• Ability to turn a brand vision into compelling plans, materials, elevations, and renderings.
• Know how to direct architects, engineers, and other consultants while keeping design decisions moving.
• Balance creativity with durability, cost, schedule, and the needs of the people who use the space every day.

Responsibilities

• Lead early fit plans and space planning for potential and approved sites, including kitchen layouts, front- and back-of-house flow, guest experience, and exterior and signage opportunities.
• Lead the design portion of site investigations, coordinating field verification and technical input from architects and consultants so constraints are understood early.
• Develop preliminary shop design packages with plans, elevations, finishes, sketches, and visualizations. Partner with Brand on site-specific ideas and secure approvals before architectural documentation advances.
• Bring Operations, Construction, IT, Supply Chain, and New Shop Openings into design decisions at the right time so each shop works as well as it looks.
• Direct external architects, engineers, and design consultants from approved design through construction documents. Review their work for design intent, completeness, and coordination.
• Partner with Construction on constructability and value engineering, weighing brand impact, team needs, durability, cost, and schedule.
• Stay engaged during construction, reviewing design-related submittals, RFIs, substitutions, and field conditions to help the finished shop reflect the approved design.
• Create and improve CYM’s prototype, Design Guide, specifications, and other repeatable design tools. Maintain the Design Change Matrix and apply lessons from construction and open shops to future projects.
• Lead the Design + Architecture function and help develop internal design talent as the team grows.

Skills

Restaurant design leadership

Project management

Architectural coordination

Brand implementation

Job description

Call Your Mother is the Jew-ish deli where Boca meets Brooklyn, grandma-level hospitality meets seriously good bagel sandwiches, and hard work meets face-melting vibes.

Husband-and-wife team Andrew and Chef Dani built Call Your Mother around a simple idea: make scrumptious, nostalgic food and unforgettable experiences without being bougie or taking ourselves too seriously. From our first little farmer’s market stand in 2018, to shops across the DMV, Colorado, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Miami in 2026, we’re spreading carb love all over the map and our ovens are just getting warmed up! We’ll take bagels to mars if the locals are hungry up there.

WE’RE HIRING A DIRECTOR OF DESIGN & ARCHITECTURE, BASED IN WASHINGTON, DC!

The Director of Design and Architecture leads the creative and technical development of Call Your Mother shops from early site evaluation through opening, translating CYM’s brand vision into thoughtful, functional and executable physical spaces.

Working in close partnership with our Marketing team, this role brings CYM’s established brand standards and creative direction to life in each shop while developing new design ideas and solutions for review and approval. The Director owns the development and continuous improvement of CYM’s architectural and design standards, prototype, specifications and repeatable design tools.

This is a hands-on design leadership role responsible for early site planning, shop and kitchen layouts, interior and exterior design development, design visualization and architectural coordination. This role will partner with Real Estate, Brand, Operations, Construction, IT, Supply Chain and external architects/consultants to drive timely design decisions, improve documentation and protect design intent through opening

If you’re picking up what we’re laying down, keep reading!

YOU'LL CRUSH THIS ROLE IF YOU...

• Have 5+ years experience leading restaurant or hospitality design projects from early planning through construction and opening.
• Understand how kitchen equipment, team workflow, guest experience, and the realities of construction shape a great shop.
• Can turn a brand vision into compelling plans, materials, elevations, and renderings—and explain the thinking behind your choices.
• Know how to direct architects, engineers, and other consultants while keeping design decisions and documentation moving.
• Balance creativity with durability, cost, schedule, and the needs of the people who use the space every day.
• Catch site constraints and coordination issues early, bring practical solutions, and follow through in the field.
• Can build useful design standards while leaving room for each shop’s personality.
• Are digging our BIG V.I.B.E.S. (Vibrancy, Integrity, Belonging, Energy, and Seize the Moment).

Shall we proceed? If you blurted out an audible “YES INDEED!” then please keep reading.

WHAT YOU’LL REALLY BE DOING

• Lead early fit plans and space planning for potential and approved sites, including kitchen layouts, front- and back-of-house flow, guest experience, and exterior and signage opportunities.
• Lead the design portion of site investigations, coordinating field verification and technical input from architects and consultants so constraints are understood early.
• Develop preliminary shop design packages with plans, elevations, finishes, sketches, and visualizations. Partner with Brand on site-specific ideas and secure approvals before architectural documentation advances.
• Bring Operations, Construction, IT, Supply Chain, and New Shop Openings into design decisions at the right time so each shop works as well as it looks.
• Direct external architects, engineers, and design consultants from approved design through construction documents. Review their work for design intent, completeness, and coordination.
• Partner with Construction on constructability and value engineering, weighing brand impact, team needs, durability, cost, and schedule.
• Stay engaged during construction, reviewing design-related submittals, RFIs, substitutions, and field conditions to help the finished shop reflect the approved design.
• Create and improve CYM’s prototype, Design Guide, specifications, and other repeatable design tools. Maintain the Design Change Matrix and apply lessons from construction and open shops to future projects.
• Lead the Design + Architecture function and help develop internal design talent as the team grows.

AND FINALLY, IF YOU NEED MORE REASONS TO APPLY:

• Competitive salary $130,000, plus annual bonus opportunity and stock options.
• Health Insurance. Health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Unlimited paid time off because you deserve it…duh.
• 100% Paid, 12 week parental leave for time with the itty, bitty baby!
• 401(k) with 4% company match. Plan for a bright and beautiful future!
• Step your knowledge game up. Free English and Spanish classes, plus Duolingo reimbursement.
• Early Wage Access. Instantly get up to 50% of your eligible earned wages before payday!
• Wellness & Fitness Membership through Classpass to stay healthy and balanced!
• Real support when life gets complicated. Confidential therapy and professional resources for mental health, legal guidance, financial wellness, and more.
• BAGELS ON THE HOUSE! Plus 50% off when you're off the clock.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

The physical demands for this position include seeing, hearing, speaking, reading, and communicating effectively; standing, walking, reaching, bending, and performing repetitive physical movements; lifting up to 50 pounds; and safely operating equipment and tools using manual dexterity. This role also requires working in a fast-paced environment around hot equipment, sharp tools, and varying temperatures, and occasionally working in confined spaces. These physical requirements may be accomplished with or without reasonable accommodation.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Call Your Mother is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We enthusiastically celebrate the diversity of our team and believe that talent, passion, and experience are the only relevant criteria for considering new team members. We provide equal opportunities to everyone who works for us and every applicant. We consider applicants for all positions without regard to sex or gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, or any other legally protected status.

CALL YOUR MOTHER PARTICIPATES IN E-VERIFY.