Retail Project Manager - Greater China

BIRKENSTOCK is a global brand which embraces all consumers regardless of geography, gender, age and income. The company is deeply footed on a family tradition of shoemaking that can be traced back to 1774. With around 7100 employees worldwide, BIRKENSTOCK is the largest employer in the German footwear industry. To ensure our quality standards, we produce over 95% of our products in Germany and source more than 90% of our materials and components from Europe. The BIRKENSTOCK Group is headquartered in Linz am Rhein and maintains several locations in Germany, as well as sales offices in Europe, North America, the Middle East and Asia.

Oversee the management of construction of new stores set up commencing from the preparatory stage to direct and control budget and expense, construction project management to ultimate finalization for hand over, plus subsequent maintenance, renovation, reinstatement, and relocation of stores.

YOUR SHOES TO FILL:

Retail Construction Project Management

- Manage end-to-end retail construction projects for new store openings, from initial planning, design coordination and tendering to construction supervision, final inspection and handover.
- Plan, monitor and control project budgets, expenses and timelines to ensure cost-efficient and timely project delivery.
- Oversee store maintenance, renovations, reinstatements and relocations throughout the retail store lifecycle.
- Manage contractors and suppliers, including tendering, contract negotiations, performance monitoring, milestone payments and claims resolution.
- Ensure compliance with building regulations, fire safety standards, environmental requirements and retail construction specifications.
- Coordinate construction administration, documentation and approvals with landlords and relevant authorities.

Distributor Store Construction and Support

- Collaborate with global shop fitting teams and local business teams to ensure distributor-operated stores meet brand standards, quality requirements and opening timelines.
- Ensure new store projects comply with global brand guidelines, design concepts, material specifications and fixture standards.
- Provide technical guidance to distributors regarding shop fitting requirements, approved suppliers, material alternatives and installation processes.
- Monitor project milestones, identify potential risks and delays, and recommend corrective actions to ensure timely store openings.
- Develop guidelines, training materials and toolkits to support distributors in implementing brand construction standards.

Seasonal Visual Merchandising Project Management

- Lead seasonal in-store visual merchandising projects, from concept briefing, sampling and sourcing to production and installation.
- Collaborate closely with global and local design teams, Marketing and Store Operations to translate creative concepts into practical and cost-efficient solutions.
- Manage seasonal visual merchandising timelines to ensure timely implementation of campaigns, product launches and special events.
- Oversee the sourcing and production of visual merchandising materials, including props, signage and decorative elements, while ensuring quality standards.
- Manage suppliers, review samples, monitor production progress and coordinate quality control.
- Monitor visual merchandising budgets, track actual expenses against forecasts and identify opportunities for cost optimization through material reuse and efficient design solutions.

YOUR WALK OF LIFE:

- Bachelor’s degree or above in Construction Management, Architecture, Engineering, Project Management or a related field.
- Proven experience in managing end-to-end construction projects, including store openings, renovations and relocations, preferably within the retail, fashion or lifestyle industry.
- Solid understanding of construction processes, building regulations, safety standards and quality requirements.
- Experience in Visual Merchandising project management and coordination of seasonal store installations is an advantage.
- Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple projects, budgets and timelines simultaneously.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with experience working with contractors, suppliers and cross-functional teams.
- Strong organizational skills, proactive mindset and attention to detail.
- Proficient in MS Office applications and familiar with project management tools.
- Communicate effectively in both written and spoken Chinese and English.

WE OFFER:

BIRKENSTOCK offers you all the advantages of a successful, fast growing, global company: dynamic work environment, considerable design freedom, authentic and open corporate culture and excellent development opportunities. Sounds exciting? It is. We are looking forward to receiving your online application, stating your salary expectations!

If you have any further questions, please contact Anna-Lena Schmieschek.