Design Manager, Greater China

Company Description

Vuori is re-defining what athletic apparel looks like: built to move and sweat in but designed with a casual aesthetic to transition into everyday life. We draw inspiration from an active coastal California lifestyle; an integration of fitness, creative expression and life. Our high energy fast paced retail environment is reflected in the clothes we make. We aim to inspire others to take on all aspects of their lives with clarity, enthusiasm and purpose…while having a lot of fun along the way. We are proud to be an outlet for opportunity and for personal growth and success.

Job Description

We are seeking a seasoned Greater China Design Manager to own the end-to-end execution of our global retail design standards across the China market.

Your mission is to bring the Global brand's vision to life in China—faithfully, efficiently, and with uncompromising quality. This requires technical rigor, pragmatic creativity, and confident navigation of local site, materials, and regulatory challenges. You are the critical link between Global design and local execution, ensuring every store opening translates concept into reality.

You will partner with the local business team to assess site conditions and lead landlord design coordination calls, gathering essential technical and regulatory information to inform every project from day one. This role requires a dynamic balance between protecting Global design integrity and adapting to local site conditions, regulatory requirements, and commercial realities.

You will dually report to the VP, Brand Environment and the Greater China GM, taking full ownership of all aspects of store design. You will collaborate extensively with cross-functional teams including Real Estate, Construction, Retail Operations, Visual Merchandising, and Marketing.

What you'll get to do:

Design Leadership & Concept Development

- Partner with the VP, Brand Environment to develop initial test fit floor plans, facade design and signage concepts, and design detail drawings to convey design intent to the Architect of Record (AOR). 
- Create compelling presentation materials for design concepts—including plans, 3D renderings, hand sketches, inspiration boards, and material sample collections—for presentation to Senior Management. 
- Actively research current trends in global culture, retail design, architecture, fashion, and art to inform and elevate design solutions. 
- Support the development and maintenance of store design standards and prototype documentation.

Local Execution & GC Team Leadership

- Lead and direct the local GC's in-house design team (architects, CAD/Revit drafters, MEP engineers). Assign daily tasks, set clear design deliverable deadlines, and ensure the team's output aligns with Global brand standards. 
- Review and approve all local drawing sets (schematic, design development, and construction documents) produced by the GC team, ensuring they are fully coordinated and strictly adhere to the Global prototype. 
- Upon space acquisition, partner with the local business team to conduct thorough site assessments and lead design coordination calls with landlords, collecting all necessary technical, regulatory, and structural data to ensure a seamless and informed design kick-off. 
- Identify potential design-site conflicts early and propose pre-vetted solutions to the Global team to avoid project delays.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

- Work closely with all internal departments including Real Estate, Construction, Visual Merchandising, Marketing, Tech, and Operations to ensure store design is fully aligned with brand standards. 
- Partner with the Greater China GM and local business teams to ensure alignment with cultural nuances and business needs. 
- Conduct weekly meetings with external consultants and internal cross-functional teams to ensure alignment and drive progress.

Consultant & Vendor Management

- Source and qualify regional design, architecture, and design-build partners to support Greater China projects. 
- Manage external Architects of Record and design teams across all project phases (Due Diligence, Schematic Design, Design Development, Construction Documents, and Construction Administration). 
- Coordinate and manage permit expeditors in conjunction with the AOR to ensure regulatory approvals meet schedules. 
- Work closely with owner-supplied vendors on design, shop drawings, purchase orders, and schedules. 
- Negotiate and maintain design budgets and contracts with consultants.

Project Delivery & Timeline Management

- Manage and forecast the schedule of assigned pipeline projects, updating the Development team weekly on progress. 
- Review and approve architectural plans, elevations, and relevant shop drawings to ensure design details are accurate and meet brand standards. 
- Conduct regular site inspections and act as the final design authority on-site—empowered to make quick, informed decisions to resolve RFIs and keep construction moving. 
- Own the overall project master schedule, setting clear milestone deadlines for the GC design team and holding them accountable. 
- Ensure the GC team delivers precise "As-Built" drawings at project close-out, clearly documenting any local substitutions or adjustments for future reference.

Global Communication & Quality Assurance

- Serve as the primary design interface between the Global Design Team and the local execution team, filtering and translating Global feedback into clear, actionable instructions. 
- Provide transparent weekly progress reports, photo-documentation, and risk registers to Global stakeholders, proactively flagging potential delays or quality issues along with proposed mitigation plans. 
- Ensure the final built store reflects the Global team's design intent. Document any deviations and secure Global approval. 
- Travel within Greater China and occasionally to Asia markets as required to support project success (~20% time), with a flexible work schedule accommodating multi-time zone collaboration.

Qualifications

Who you are:

- Education: Bachelor’s degree in architecture, Interior Design, Architectural Engineering, or Construction Management. 
- Experience: Minimum of 8+ years of experience in retail store design, project architecture, or design management. At least 3-5 years of experience managing or leading a design team (internal or external). 
- Industry: Proven track record of working with multinational retail brands and managing design-build contractors. Experience with premium or lifestyle retail is highly preferred. 
- Software: Expert proficiency in AutoCAD and Revit (to review, redline, and approve drawings). Proficiency in SketchUp, Adobe Creative Suite, and Bluebeam for mark-ups and quality control. 
- Regulatory Knowledge: Deep, practical knowledge of Chinese building codes, fire safety regulations, and municipal permitting processes. 
- Construction Acumen: Strong understanding of local construction methodologies, material supply chains, and cost structures. 
- Language: Fluent in Mandarin and English (written and spoken) to seamlessly translate between local teams and Global HQ. 
- Leadership: Ability to guide and direct a team without micromanaging. Set clear expectations and hold people accountable. 
- Decision-Making: Confidence to make on-site design decisions that keep projects moving while protecting brand integrity. 
- Commercial Awareness: Understanding of how design decisions impact budgets, timelines, and ultimately, store profitability. 
- Relationship Management: Capable of managing contractor and consultant relationships with authority and respect.

Additional Information

Vuori is proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.