Director Store Planning

**Position**:
**Mission Statement**:

- **Responsible for the entire store planning process in Japan**: Oversees the entire store planning process.
- **Key role within the HQ Architecture team**: Contributes to the store planning process.
- **Ensuring high-quality boutique environments**: Ensures that boutique environments enhance the brand and meet high-quality standards.
- **Representing Dior with third parties**: Interacts with general contractors, subcontractors, local architects, and landlords.
- **Developing a sustainable local SP organization**: Builds and maintains a strong and sustainable store planning organization.

**Reporting Structure**:

- **Reports to**: President, South Asia
- **Functional reporting to**: Director of Project Development EAST, HQ Architecture team

**Main Internal Working Relationships**:

- HQ Architecture Department teams
- Store Planning team
- Retail Director, Retail Development Manager, and Retail Managers
- MD Directors (Women, Men, FJ&T)
- Visual Merchandising Director
- COO / Finance Senior Manager
- Stores

**Main External Relationships**:

- Local external architects and vendors
- General contractors and subcontractors
- Department stores and landlords

**Job responsibilities**:

- **Managing boutique projects**: Takes ownership of the entire process from inception, planning, and construction, through handover to opening, for new boutiques and renovations.
- **Collaborating with the Paris team**: Ensures alignment with the Concept Design release for worldwide coherence.
- **Coordinating stakeholders**: Fosters a collaborative environment among the HQ Architecture team, local architects, local stakeholders, general contractors, subcontractors, and landlords.
- **Ensuring LEED/LIFE standards**: Implements sustainable practices within the store planning team for all projects.
- **Managing relationships with key external parties**: Works with local architects, designers, and general contractors.
- **Adhering to HQ standards**: Ensures adherence to cost control, procurement, and project development standards set by the HQ Architecture team.
- **Budget management**: Negotiates with general contractors and vendors, explores creative sourcing options, and ensures an adequate bidding/RFP process.
- **Timeline management**: Strategically lines up local architects and contractors to ensure timely project completion.
- **Local development leadership**: Collaborates with HQ on specified design materials and fixtures.
- **Team management**: Nurtures effective project management skills within the team and provides coaching/guidance for individual growth and retention.
- **Process improvement**: Proposes ideas to enhance efficiency and productivity in boutique openings.
- **Procurement oversight**: Monitors budget and timeline while identifying cost reduction opportunities.
- **Boutique maintenance**: Ensures timely handling of maintenance and repair requests from stores by the local SP team.

**Profile**:

- University degree or equivalent, architecture studies a plus.
- Over 10 years of experience in retail store planning, design, or in an architectural firm, interior design, construction company, or management position in store planning/architecture for a luxury brand.
- Fluent and effective communication in English.
- Ability to conduct tough negotiations with landlords, department stores, and local vendors.
- Strong project management skills.
- Effective team management skills.
- Detailed knowledge of Japan's laws and local regulations around construction and store development.
- Detailed understanding of the luxury retail business.
- Knowledge of department store operations and relationships with internal architects and construction management teams.
- Familiarity with LEED standards, processes, and tools.
- Proficiency in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Adobe Illustrator, and CAD.

**Required Competencies**:

- Results-driven with excellent attention to details.
- Self-motivated, positive mindset.
- People-oriented - cares about and is interested in developing people.
- Ability to deal with ambiguity.
- Endurance under high-pressure situations and ability to manage stress.
- Open-minded and flexible - can take in advice and input from others.
- Creative and innovative - ability to come up with new approaches and solutions to issues.
- Business acumen and client focus.

**_CHRISTIAN DIOR _**
**MAISON***:

- “Whatever you do - whether for work or pleasure - do it with passion Live with passion,” _wrote Christian Dior.
Well before he embarked on his destiny as a couturier, Christian Dior was fascinated with art. The young Normandy native and several friends opened an art gallery when he was just 23. In 1938 he learned the métier of pattern cutter with Robert Piguet and three years later began working as a designer for Lucien Lelong. Right from the founding of his Maison in 1946, he transformed his dreams into irresistible creations, seeking to break with the somber war years by elev