Job Description

The Senior Manager of Design drives the overall design development of Nordstrom stores and related projects. In partnership with the Design Director, this role will lead a team of designers and consultants to provide industry leading design solutions that meet the need of overall Nordstrom strategies, customer demands and ever-changing industry expectations. The Senior Manager of Design is exceptional at all aspects of the design process from intake, design development, executive level presentations, budgeting, fabrication, install and follow up.

A day in the life…

• Support the business by providing interiors merchandising concept planning, design evolution and solutions.
• Have a strong POV and creative vision along with a clear, concise ability to provide direction to internal and external partners.
• Stay current on emerging design trends and broader technologies – and proactively identify opportunities to incorporate best current thinking into designs, strategies, and projects.
• Manage highly visible and complex projects that have wide impact across the business and/or span across multiple teams or locations.
• Help lead enhancing store design vision and strategies to support company goals
• Solve for business, customer, and stakeholder requirements while building creative that is unique, stunning, and effective.
• Ensure the development, implementation and ongoing management of department programs and projects
• Develop overall project plan, objectives, and resource estimates to achieve goals
• Build and lead project teams, providing clear roles and responsibilities through all phases of the project lifecycle
• Develop and evolve standardized project management tools for the process, including goals, scope, timeline, and task documentation to ensure progress on milestones
• Manage and communicate information about project status and changes in strategy, initiatives, standards, priorities, and resource allocation
• Identify ways to enable the team to scale and optimize quality for recurring projects – through mechanisms like guidelines, tools, templates, and processes
• Partner with management and others to anticipate future business changes and challenges and proactively develop and implement new or revised plans
• Provide team leadership, coaching and mentoring for team of Designers with an innate focus on continuous improvement
• Assist in the development of a budget for each assigned project

You’ve got this if…

• 5-7+ years management experience in store design or visual merchandising
• Minimum 5 years’ experience in management roles with progressively larger responsibility
• Degree or diploma in architecture, interior design, visual merchandising, or related field will be an asset
• Ability to build strong relationship with peers, consultants, vendors, and senior leadership
• Passion for design thinking and the strategic, business impact of design
• CAD, Revit, SketchUp, Enscape or similar software proficiency
• Proficiency in MS Office suite, experience with POMS, Micro Station and Adobe Creative Suite a plus

• Skilled in the visual, written, and verbal communication of design issues, project planning and management. Knowledge of architectural details and specifications.
• Ability to apply knowledge of multidisciplinary business principles and practices to achieve successful outcomes in cross-functional projects and activities.
• Ability to balance design with operational needs and budget objectives resulting in exceptional store environments.
• Strong Organizational skills; attention to detail and ability to multi-task.
• Ability to focus and extract complex situations to find key insights and drive simple solutions.
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively with multidisciplinary cross functional internal, as well as external teams.
• Capacity to manage a high volume of work within compressed timeframes.
• Relationship management and negotiation skills a must.
• Ability to think strategically and build processes that accommodate growth and change
• Passionate about continuous improvement. Experience in process improvement methods, such as Six Sigma, Lean, Total Quality Management a plus!