Director of Construction
CAVA

Company Profile:

At CAVA we make it deliciously simple to eat well and feel good every day. We are guided by a Mediterranean heritage that's been perfecting how to eat and live for four thousand years. We prioritize authenticity, curiosity and the pursuit of excellence in everything we do. We are working towards something big, together.

We foster a culture built on five core values:

• Generosity First: We lead with kindness. Our best work happens when we act in service of others.
• Constant Curiosity: We are eager to learn, grow, and explore beyond the obvious.
• Act with Agility: We welcome change; it's the only constant. We embrace, adjust, adapt.
• Passion for Positivity: We greet each day with warmth and possibility.
• Collective Ambition: We have high aspirations that are achieved when we work together with a shared purpose.

Director of Construction:

What You'll Do:

• Establishes metrics of success related to the guest-first mindset; holds self and others accountable to a high standard of performance
• Sets expectations of high-quality work and goal setting across departments
• Leads diversity and inclusion efforts within teams; influences managers to do the same
• Accountable for assessing team's talent and ensuring the right people are in the right roles
• Establishes what team success looks like and effectively communicates that vision to direct reports
• Oversees innovation and growth at the team level; takes accountability for these elements aligning with our Key Initiatives
• Models emotional resilience and intelligence in all facets of their role
• Lead Construction efforts, for the expansion of CAVA restaurants and Special Programs/Projects
• Align with Operations Regional Directors on New Restaurant Openings communication, collect feedback from the Field and identify Opportunities for Improvement.
• Partner with Principal Design Manager to vet and execute Continuous Improvements to Prototype.
• Provide guidance and oversight to Construction Managers executing projects
• Ensure CapEx Targets are met, provide Periodic Reports to Sr Director of Construction
• Lead team to successfully execute to plan, identify opportunities for continuous improvement, and create proposals to implement change.
• Partner with Peers in Development Leadership to determine national strategy for Contractors, Vendors, and Suppliers, to support 5-year growth plans.
• Evaluate Performance of Regional GC partners, make recommendations to Sr Director of Construction for changes/additions to National GC partner pool.
• Review master service agreements with Contractors/Vendors/Consultants to ensure they meet long-term business needs. Partner with CAVA enterprise Procurement team to ensure consistency and alignment with company standards.
• Provide Guidance to CM's in the preparation of budgets for Project Validation, as well as Bid review and negotiation, as needed.
• Serve as point of contact to Landlords during preliminary project phases, and for escalation of issues.
• Participate in construction progress meetings and perform site visits as needed, to ensure CAVA business objectives are achieved. Provide high-level status updates to Department and Company leadership.
• Recruit, hire, and lead the onboarding and training of new team members.
• Lead and Execute programs including, Remodels, Roll-outs, Strategic Initiatives, and deliver projects within budget and on schedule.
• Lead programs with multi-disciplinary teams through Planning, Bid, Construction and post-occupancy.
• Work with leadership & stakeholders to develop and report on program funding and budget management including approved and speculative projects.
• Act as a partner and guide on prioritization during the project execution process.
• Work with CM Team to adapt and/or develop internal PM tooling to enhance decision making and facilitate best practice adherence
• Identify program level risks, gaps, and opportunities and communicate to stakeholders and other teams to drive resolution
• Responsible for coordinating with multiple cross-functional partners to ensure site feasibility and compliance with Cava standards. Perform preliminary site visits as needed.
• Responsible for daily project management activities during construction and close-out phases for the national expansion of CAVA restaurants, CAVA Products production facilities.
• Assist Real Estate and Design teams in the evaluation of prospective locations and provide feedback on draft Letter of Intent and/or Landlord Work Letter.
• Prepare and execute to approved project budgets during project execution. Partner with RE and Design team members to validate scope and input data into cost projections and pro-formas.
• Advise design team/consultants/vendors during design development phase, on matters related to constructability, means and methods, and cost. Bring in General Contractors for additional input as needed.
• Review and markup design documents and specifications, provide feedback relative to constructability, budget, and schedule impacts.
• Manage GC Bid process, from issuing Request for Quotes, through Validating/Negotiating Bids, obtain required department leadership approvals for final Contract Award.
• Partner with Design, Architects of Record, and Expediters to ensure building and other permits required for CAVA's build out are obtained.
• Coordinate the transfer of existing utility accounts, and/or if required, installation of new utility services.
• Moderate regular progress meetings and perform routine site visits to ensure CAVA project goals are achieved (standard branding, quality, schedule, cost, etc), provide high-level status updates to Department and Company leadership.
• Coordinate with Marketing/Operations on any pre-opening efforts, as required.
• Ensure openings are successfully executed with no outstanding items, and oversee high-quality Turnovers to Operations Team.
• Ensure all OSI items are priced and procured accordingly for individual restaurant projects, manage Vendors for project-specific needs.
• Coordinate with Operations team in scheduling delivery of loose equipment and/or goods required to commence staff training and open for operations.
• Support Operations/Facilities teams post-occupancy on significant repairs and/or renovations, and ensure all construction warranty items are addressed and closed out in a timely manner.
• Review, negotiate and administer contractor and vendor contracts for projects
• Perform project close-out administration, including but not limited to: ensuring Entitlements for individual projects are obtained and all permits are fully closed-out, obtain a complete and accurate set of as-built drawings, with appropriate documentation in CAVA files and/or on site as applicable.
• Work with Department Lead and Finance for Capital Planning at a regular cadence.
• Drive a culture of continuous improvement, evaluating successes and opportunities of each project.
• Turn information gathered into results that influence current processes or recommend new/improved initiatives that drive results.
• Ensure construction industry best practices are being applied for all projects.
• The Qualifications:
• Professional college degree (engineering or construction management preferred)
• Project Management Certification (PMP) Preferred
• Minimum 12 years of post-collegiate experience in a relevant construction field.
• Minimum 5 years in a project management role overseeing retail roll-out construction projects, with at least 3 years in the restaurant/foodservice industry
• Minimum 1 year in a Construction/Development Leadership role (Director or Equivalent).
• Ability to read/interpret construction drawings, specifications and other technical documents.
• Experience in managing multiple construction projects simultaneously
• Demonstrated ability to effectively manage general contractors, specialty vendors, and other professionals providing services for construction projects.
• Knowledge of all project documents, including but not limited to construction documents, specifications, GC contracts, purchase orders, standard daily correspondence forms, submittals, RFI's.
• Understanding of basic Lease terms.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, including MS Project and Excel
• Experience using cloud-based Project Management Platforms (such as Procore, Tririga, Lucernex)
• Proficiency with AutoCAD/REVIT, Bluebeam a plus
• Ability to travel up to 50%

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to maintain stationary position to be able to operate a computer and other office equipment
• Must be able to identify, analyze and assess details
• For certain positions, must be able to occasionally move or transport items up to 50 pounds
• Ability to communicate with others and exchange information accurately and effectively
• Constantly positions self and move about to support ordinary restaurant or food production support or office operations, as applicable
• Ability to work in a constant state of alertness and in a safe manner

What we offer:

• Competitive salary, plus bonus and long-term incentives*
• Early Wage Access!
• Unlimited PTO, paid parental leave, plus paid opportunities to give back to the community
• Health, Dental, Vision, Telemedicine, Pet Insurance plus more!
• 401k enrollment with CAVA contribution
• Company-paid STD, LTD, Life and AD&D coverage for salaried positions*
• Free CAVA food*
• Casual work environment
• The opportunity to be on the ground floor of a rapidly growing brand
• All exempt and non exempt employees are eligible for benefits. Benefits are effective the 1st of the month following 30 days of service and you have until the day before the effective date to enroll. A new hire can enroll in our benefit program by selecting a link that is emailed directly to the new hire at their personal email address once hired.
• The posting range is an all-cash range.

*Indicates qualifying eligible positions only

CAVA - Joining "A culture, not a concept"

As an equal opportunity employer, CAVA considers applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, age, height, weight, marital status, sexual orientation, familial status, genetic information or any other characteristic or protected classes as defined by federal, state, or local law.

---