Design Associate

Design Associate

Location: CHANEL Toronto Offices, ON

Reports to: Design Manager

Contract: Full-time and Temporary until September 2025

Your role @ Chanel:

Reporting to the Design Manager, your role will be to Lead all phases of design coordination, construction project management, procurement, and financial reporting for new Fashion boutique projects within Canada. Demonstrate absolute command of the brand's image in-store, adhere to global corporate guidelines, whilst helping to highlight any key local opportunities for the Canadian market.

What impact you can create at Chanel:

Management of Design Process

• Project management and execution for new Fashion boutique builds throughout all phases.

• Be responsible for the local adaption and drawings received from UK region Store Planning team.

• Design and coordinate all back of house stockrooms and operational spaces.

• Prepare full working/construction drawing packages for permit, tender, and construction with local architect and engineers.

• Work closely with cross functional teams to understand and their needs and implement their operational requirements into the design.

• Prepare the planning, budgeting and forecasting of new builds and review with the Head of Store Planning and the CFO.

• In collaboration with the Head of Store Planning, preform site visits to ensure standards are maintained but also to highlight future opportunities (space, merchandising, competitors, etc.)

• Appropriate presentation of design intent drawings to receive alignment from key members of the management team.

• Once design intent positions agreed, timely production of the proposed finished illustrations

• Gain relevant approval for proposed design and ensure subsequent detailing, specification and overall project management is of the highest standard

• Update the Project Critical Path, ensuring that the design is both on time and on budget

• Manage and ensure rapid and efficient work output

• Responsible for managing, reviewing, and implementing the design of audio visual, security, information technology, lighting, and RFID. A through understanding all of fields are required.

• Work with the landlord's store design team and negotiate best outcomes for the brand.

• Ensure landlord's handover conditions meet brand standards and executed lease document.

• Select and award general contractors, suppliers and consultant team.

• Lead walk throughs on the construction site with external and internal team members as required.

• Ability to identify discrepancies between approved drawings and site conditions. The candidate will find resolutions for such variances to not affect timeline and budget.

• Issue status reports to regional and local teams during the construction process.

• Inspect quality of all finishes, furniture, materials, and products that arrive on site. Will work with suppliers on replacements if required.

Management of Shop fitters and Installation

• Effective management of the chosen shop fitters to ensure timely and high-quality installation of CHANEL branded millwork.

• Review and approval of shop drawings

• Appropriate inspection of all sites before and during design of each project as necessary and in person shop review of millwork within two weeks of installation on site.

• Ensure timely and appropriate delivery to site of all necessary components for installation as well as timely distribution of relevant drawings to Merchandising Manager, Display Representatives and other relevant parties.

Administrative and Procurement

• In collaboration with the Head of Store Planning and the CFO, ensure all design briefs work within agreed budgets.

• Timely, accurate and efficient management and coding of incoming and outgoing invoices as well as payments related to each project, in conjunction with other members of the team.

• Write POs and issue them to vendors, track invoices and coordinate with finance for payment.

• Work with legal team to coordinate working visas for international workers as required.

• Manage directly procured product shipments from various suppliers. Work with customs agent brokers to clear goods at the boarder. Arrange for delivery of goods from boarder to a local storage facility or to construction site.

• Ensure negotiated quotes with suppliers are of the best value and quality.

• Adhere to the brand's global procurement policy, green guidelines and sustainability efforts.

What you will bring to the role:

• Minimum of 10+ years retail store design experience on client or agency side

• Degree in Interior Design or Architecture is preferred. In lieu of the former degrees, on-site luxury retail construction management experience may be acceptable

• Strong comprehension of architectural and engineering drawings (required)

• Confidence and practical understanding of a construction side (required)

• PMP designation or LEED accreditation is as asset

• Use of AutoCAD is mandatory

• Use of Sketch up, Photoshop, Indesign, Ilustrator and Excel is an asset

• Experience with COUPA is as asset

• Ability to travel.

At Chanel, we are focused on creating an inclusive culture that nurtures personal growth, contributing to collective progress. We believe the uniqueness of each individual increases the diversity, complementarity and effectiveness of our teams. We strongly encourage your application, as we value the perspective, experience and potential you could bring to CHANEL.