Vice President of Construction and Design

At Naya, we share Middle Eastern flavors that nourish, inspire, and connect us. Serving Middle Eastern goodness since 2008. Our mission has always been to provide authentic, fresh, and nutritious Middle Eastern meals that look great and taste amazing. Consistency is key to our success; we commit to delivering excellent service and quality to our customers in all of our locations, all day.

Reports to: Chief Development Officer

Salary: 180k - 200k

How You’ll Impact

The Vice President of Design and Construction is responsible for overseeing all restaurant design and construction related activities. They will ensure that all restaurants are constructed in accordance with the approved construction drawings. This role is responsible for applying effective management techniques to the planning, design, and construction phases of a new and remodel restaurant projects from inception to completion for the purpose of controlling cost, time and quality.

 

What You’ll Do

Lead the design, facilities and construction teams for all new and existing restaurants across all geographies

Manage all phases of projects from site feasibility through store turnover, ensuring quality and brand consistency

Build, lead, and scale a high-performing Design and Construction team, including internal staff and external partners

Hire and oversee architects, engineers, contractors, suppliers and vendors to ensure alignment with company standards and maintain competitive pricing.

Implement and manage project management systems to track progress, budget, timelines, and reporting

Own and optimize construction budgets, driving cost efficiency across all projects

Review and red-line Construction Drawings page by page to assure compliance with brand standards

Create and maintain standard design packages and prototypical plans. Standardizing and prototyping is a key initiative.

Develop and enforce processes, systems, and KPIs to support scalable growth (20+ new stores annually)

Drive on-time, on-budget delivery of all new units, remodels, and special projects

Collaborate closely with Real Estate, Operations, Finance, and Marketing teams with clear communication throughout the development cycle.

Direct and facilitate weekly development meetings with internal teams and external partners

Oversee all permit and inspection processes, ensuring code compliance and timely approvals, including utilities (gas) and final fire inspection.

Monitor and resolve field level construction issues, delays, contractor disputes and minimizing any associated change orders.

Set and maintain vendor relationships and pricing agreements

Lead the development of a maintenance handoff process post-opening with Facilities