Dir-Int'l Design & Const

This role is a strategic business leader accountable for how CKE's International Carl's Jr. and Hardee's physical footprint evolves to meet future guest needs. The position owns the end-to-end asset strategy, including format innovation, capital discipline, and project execution across all international markets, ensuring every new build, remodel, and channel investment strengthens brand equity while delivering franchisee ROI.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Mandate
  • Own the strategic roadmap for restaurant formats, brand evolution, and asset innovation across international markets in partnership with the COO, CMO, CTO, and Regional GMs.
  • Lead the shift from in-premises to off-premises/omnichannel formats, translating consumer and channel trends (delivery, mobile order-ahead, drive-thru-only, dark-kitchen models) into next-generation prototypes that reduce footprint and improve unit economics.
  • Build the “Restaurant of the Future” capability for International, including digital ordering, kiosk/voice AI, kitchen automation, EV-charger readiness, and multi-lane/pickup-only configurations.
  • Champion brand evolution of the physical and digital guest experience, ensuring design decisions reinforce brand identity while remaining economically viable for franchisees.
• Project Management & Development Execution
  • Manage the development pipeline, leading review and approval of international new-site and remodel proposals for feasibility, brand compliance, and speed-to-market.
  • Drive disciplined execution, overseeing schedules, milestones, vendor coordination, and risk mitigation from site approval through restaurant opening.
  • Coordinate market delivery by partnering with franchisees, architects, and local consultants to align construction timelines with global benchmarks.
• Format Innovation & Omnichannel Strategy
  • Monitor and translate global QSR trends, adapting concepts like small-footprint restaurants, drive-thru-only prototypes, and dark-kitchen models to international markets.
  • Redesign assets for off-premises growth, optimizing restaurant size, layout, and guest flow for delivery, mobile ordering, and drive-thru sales.
  • Lead technology-enabled format innovation, advancing digital ordering infrastructure, kitchen automation, and guest-facing technology to improve speed and competitiveness.
• Capital Discipline & CapEx Stewardship
  • Plan and benchmark CapEx and cost for new units and remodels, partnering with franchisees to protect ROI and payback periods.
  • Establish post-launch feedback loops to capture performance data and apply insights to strengthen future prototypes.
  • Report CapEx performance against targets and recommend corrective actions for deviations.
  • Identify prototype and specification changes to lower build cost and shorten construction timelines without diluting brand standards.
• Brand Standards & Design Governance
  • Protect brand consistency by ensuring all international assets meet CKE standards for trade dress, layout, guest experience, and operational functionality.
  • Maintain and evolve prototype plans, design manuals, and specification standards to align with market realities and brand strategy.
  • Qualify regional execution partners for FF&E, signage, and fabrication to ensure quality, cost competitiveness, and reliable execution.
• FF&E & Regional Vendor Network Strategy
  • Build resilient vendor networks across multiple countries for furniture, fixtures, equipment, signage, and fabrication to reduce reliance on single-source suppliers.
  • Optimize sourcing by market, balancing landed cost, freight, duties, currency exposure, and lead times to control per-unit CapEx.
  • Define vendor qualification criteria for quality, cost competitiveness, delivery reliability, and sustainability.
  • Maintain contingency sourcing plans for markets with higher volatility to protect continuity of execution.
• Franchisee & Market Support
  • Guide franchisees through construction, coordinating with local architects, contractors, and regulators.
  • Provide feasibility feedback and practical recommendations on new restaurant and remodel proposals across diverse international markets.

Success Metrics

• Achieve CKE International’s annual new-restaurant development targets.
• Reduce average CapEx per new unit and remodel year over year while protecting brand equity.
• Meet or beat global construction and development benchmarks from site approval through opening.
• Maintain full brand and remodel compliance across approved projects.
• Increase adoption of next-generation, off-premises-optimized formats across new development.
• Improve franchisee satisfaction and ROI performance on newly developed and remodeled assets.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Architecture, Engineering, Construction Management, Real Estate, Design, Business, or related field; MBA or PMP preferred.
• 8 to 12+ years of relevant experience in restaurant design, including 6+ years leading multi-country development programs.

Skills

• Deep QSR industry acumen, fluent in off-premises growth, digital penetration, drive-thru and delivery economics, and their impact on real estate and format decisions.
• Strategic and financial fluency with strong command of CapEx, unit economics, and ROI to prioritize investment decisions with data.
• Proven project management excellence in leading complex, multi-market development pipelines from concept to opening.
• Innovation mindset with a track record of translating emerging technology and consumer behavior into real-world restaurant design.
• Working knowledge of design and construction, comfortable reviewing CAD/design deliverables and construction methods.
• Cross-cultural, multi-market leadership experience developing brands across diverse international economies and regulatory environments.
• Skilled in negotiation and vendor management to deliver on cost and quality with architects, contractors, and regional supply partners.
• Additional languages are an asset.

Schedule

• 30%-50% international travel required.

Location: Based in the United States (preferred: Franklin, Tennessee).