Senior Manager, Store Design

The Store Design Manager is responsible for leading with brand to design and execute retail environments for the A&F Family of Brands (Abercrombie & Fitch, abercrombie kids, YPB) across Owned and Operated locations in the Americas. This role ensures delivery of innovative, brand-right store experiences from design through execution, aligned to business strategies, operational requirements, and brand standards. 

This individual works in close partnership with the Design Director, Store Concept & Design VP, and Real Estate & Construction leaders to execute the capital plan by ensuring projects are delivered on brand, on time, and on budget. 

The ideal candidate is a highly organized and detail-oriented design leader with strong communication skills. They are hands-on with design and actively engaged in projects while also leading a team of designers to execute work at a high level. This individual is an experienced designer with a strong understanding of North America building requirements and general constructability, bringing both strategic thinking and executional rigor to ensure design intent is delivered with precision, consistency, and operational excellence across new stores, remodels, and refreshes. 

What You’ll Do 

Design Leadership & Execution 

• Lead the development and delivery of store design packages, including schematic designs layouts, fixture plans, elevations, and manage external architects to deliver project specific construction documents 

• Remain hands-on in design development, providing direction, review, and input across projects 

• Translate and adapt brand concepts to a variety of site conditions, leading with brand while optimizing each space 

• Uphold high standards of design quality, innovation, and brand expression across all projects 

Cross-Functional Partnership 

• Serve as a key design partner to Real Estate, Construction, Global Procurement, Field, Store Operations, Visual Merchandising, and Marketing 

• Communicate clearly and proactively with partners to ensure alignment on timelines, deliverables, and design intent 

• Identify risks and opportunities early and drive solution-oriented outcomes throughout the project lifecycle  

Project & Portfolio Management 

• Manage multiple concurrent projects with strong organization and attention to detail, ensuring timelines, budgets, and deliverables are met  

• Drive execution of projects aligned to the capital plan in partnership with leadership and Real Estate 

• Oversee consultant partnerships and project workload, including external architecture and engineering partners 

• Lead the RFP process for external consultants, define scope, and align partners to project expectations 

• Manage consultant schedules and deliverables, ensuring clear accountability and timely execution 

• Ensure external partners deliver against timelines to support on-time store openings 

• Support seamless handoff between concept, design development, and execution phases  

• Ensure all design solutions are feasible, constructible, and aligned with project constraints and goals  

Team Leadership & Development 

• Manage and mentor a team of designers, ensuring successful execution of projects across the portfolio 

• Provide clear direction, feedback, and coaching to elevate both individual and team performance 

• Balance hands-on contribution with oversight to ensure quality, consistency, and efficiency 

• Promote a culture of ownership, collaboration, and high-quality execution 

Who You Are 

• Highly organized with exceptional attention to detail and follow-through 

• A clear and confident communicator who can align diverse stakeholders 

• Proactive and takes initiative, anticipating needs and driving work forward with minimal direction 

• Forward-thinking with the ability to assess multiple scenarios and forecast outcomes to inform decisions 

• A strong, hands-on design leader who leads with brand and creates impactful retail environments 

• Experienced in navigating North America building requirements and ensuring constructability of design solutions 

• Able to balance creativity with operational, budgetary, and timeline constraints 

• Comfortable managing multiple workstreams in a fast-paced environment 

What You Bring 

• Bachelor’s degree in Interior Design, Architecture, or a related field 

• 10+ years of experience in retail store design, architecture, or related environments 

• Strong proficiency in design tools (AutoCAD, SketchUp, Revit, or similar) 

• Proven experience managing projects and leading designers through execution 

• Experience collaborating with cross-functional partners in a retail environment