Divisional Program Manager Hybrid- Seattle, WA

Nordstrom, Inc.; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 94,000 - 155,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical/Vision/Dental

Retirement/401k

Paid Time Away

Life Insurance

Disability

Merchandise Discount

EAP Resources

Job summary

Nordstrom, Inc. seeks a Program Manager to lead store planning programs, partnering with Design & Construction, Merchandising, store regional teams, and brand partners to drive initiatives from conception to execution.

You will manage high‑impact, complex projects, develop tracking tools, and communicate risks and milestones to leadership while balancing scope, schedule, and budget. Travel up to 40% may be required, with on‑site collaboration across retail locations.

Qualifications

• 3+ years in project/program management within retail or design (architecture, interior planning, construction, vendor sourcing, product development) or 5+ years in corporate Visual Merchandising Management.
• Degree in architecture, interior design, visual merchandising, or related field (or equivalent experience); ability to understand construction documents, shop drawings, and architectural details/specifications, preferred.
• Strong organizational abilities; adept at managing multiple priorities under tight deadlines; able to adapt own tools and standards to the work.
• Ability to balance design excellence with operational and budget constraints; strategic thinker.
• Proficient in visual, written, and verbal communication; strong negotiation skills.
• Technical skills: AutoCAD, Bluebeam, Smartsheet, Microsoft 365, Confluence, Coupa, POMS (Purchase Order Management Software), preferred.
• Experience with process improvement (Six Sigma, Lean, TQM) a plus.
• Ability to travel up to 40%, work off-hours/weekends as needed.

Responsibilities

• Lead store planning programs and projects as the primary Store Planning partner to Design & Construction, Merchandising, Store/Regional Teams, and Brand Partners.
• Develop, maintain, and own tools and processes to track program status and communicate progress; improve operating practices for speed and cost efficiency.
• Identify issues early and drive solutions; present status updates and risk/mitigation strategies to leadership.
• Serve as the primary contact for store/regional teams on store-specific projects, ensuring alignment on schedule and store support needs.

Skills

Program management

Retail/design experience

Cross-functional collaboration

Vendor management

Communication

Education

Architecture/Interior Design degree

Tools

AutoCAD

Bluebeam

Smartsheet

Microsoft 365

Confluence

Coupa

POMS

Job description

Job Description

The Program Manager leads assigned programs and projects as the primary Store Planning partner to Design & Construction, Merchandising, Store/Regional Teams, and Brand Partners. The role drives workstreams from inception through execution in stores, building and executing integrated plans across multiple teams. The role manages programs of high impact, risk, and complexity, influences cross‑functional teams, and navigates ambiguity and competing priorities – always grounded in what matters most to our customers and our business.

Key Responsibilities:

Program Management

• Responsible for Fixture and Space Planning, partnering with Visual Merchandising (VM) Planning and Design Teams.
• Responsible for developing and maintaining Store Planning Standards, Fixture Catalogs and Department Concepts.
• Develop, maintain, and own tools and processes to organize, track, and communicate program/project status; continuously improve operating practices for speed and cost efficiency.
• Identify issues and changes early and independently drive solutions; present status updates and risk/mitigation strategies to leadership.

Planning

• Identify and document Scope of Work and prioritize business needs, in partnership with Design & Construction, ensuring the request is met and Store Planning Standards are maintained.
• Make and communicate trade‑off decisions on scope, timeline, and budget to merchants and leadership, including the timing and rationale for design choices.
• Collaborate with peers and leaders, influence stakeholder expectations through direct relationships, and mentor others on the team.

Financials and Budget

• Responsible for preparing cost estimates on CapEx project requests and financial Work Orders (WOs) for all assigned projects.
• Monitor work streams to ensure deliverables meet budget, timeline, and quality expectations.
• Responsible for timely and accurate Cost Report updates on all assigned projects, forecasting spend ahead and explaining variances.
• Partner with Regional Leadership in developing project specific budgets and prioritization of work.

Execution

• Serve as the primary contact for Store/Regional teams on store‑specific projects – ensuring alignment on schedule and store support needs.
• Support projects on‑site, as needed – including fixture installations, floor sets and merchandising.
• Partner with Install Planner on Purchase Orders (POs) and vendor logistics commitments.

Core Competencies:

• Drive Results: Emphasizes the importance of achieving results; challenges poor outcomes or unproductive behaviors. Focuses on overcoming obstacles and delivering results through the team.
• Builds Trust: Gains trust by showing consistency between what is said and what is done.
• Communicates Effectively: Takes steps to ensure effective communication between individuals and teams, communicating clearly and concisely through VP level. Pays attention to others’ input and perspectives; asks questions and summarizes input to confirm understanding.
• Decision Quality: Demonstrates an ability to make tough decisions and advance initiatives that may be unpopular. Integrates analysis, experience, and other inputs to make effective decisions.
• Manages Complexity: Explores issues and uncovers the underlying issues and root causes. Determines the new information needed to solve problems and incorporates these concepts into the analysis.

Qualifications:

• 3+ years in project/program management with demonstrated successful program delivery within retail or design (architecture, interior planning, construction, vendor sourcing, product development) or 5+ years in corporate Visual Merchandising Management.
• Degree in architecture, interior design, visual merchandising, or related field (or equivalent experience); ability to understand construction documents, shop drawings, and architectural details/specifications, preferred.
• Strong organizational abilities; adept at managing multiple priorities under tight deadlines; able to adapt own tools and standards to the work.
• Ability to balance design excellence with operational and budget constraints; strategic thinker.
• Proficient in visual, written, and verbal communication; strong negotiation skills.
• Technical skills: AutoCAD, Bluebeam, Smartsheet, Microsoft 365, Confluence, Coupa, POMS (Purchase Order Management Software), preferred.
• Experience with process improvement (Six Sigma, Lean, TQM) a plus.
• Ability to travel up to 40%, work off‑hours/weekends as needed.

Pay Range Details

The pay range(s) below has been provided in compliance with state specific laws. Pay ranges may be different for other locations.
Pay offers are dependent on the location, as well as job‑related knowledge, skills, and experience.

$93,500.00 - $155,000.00 Annual

We’ve got you covered…

Our employees are our most important asset and that’s reflected in our benefits.Nordstrom is proud to offer a variety of benefits to support employees and their families, including:

• Medical/Vision, Dental, Retirement and Paid Time Away
• Life Insurance and Disability
• Merchandise Discount and EAP Resources

Benefits include 401k, medical/vision/dental/life/disability insurance options, PTO accruals, Holidays, and more. Eligibility requirements may apply based on location, job level, classification, and length of employment. Learn more in the Nordstrom Benefits Overview by copying and pasting the following URL into your browser: https://careers.nordstrom.com/pdfs/Ben_Overview_17-19.pdf

A few more important points...

The job posting highlights the most critical responsibilities and requirements of the job. It’s not all-inclusive. There may be additional duties, responsibilities and qualifications for this job.

For Los Angeles or San Francisco applicants: Nordstrom is required to inform you that we conduct background checks after conditional offer and consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with legal requirements per Los Angeles, Cal. Muni. Code 189.04 and the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance. For additional state and location specific notices, please refer to the Legal Notices document within the FAQ section of the Nordstrom Careers site.

Applicants with disabilities who require assistance or accommodation should contact the nearest Nordstrom location, which can be identified at www.nordstrom.com.

Please be mindful that there may be legal notices and requirements related to this job posting that are specific to your state. Review the Career Site FAQ’s for relevant information and guidelines.

Nordstrom keeps job postings open for at least one day after the posting date.