Director, Store Design Engineering

About the Role

The Director, Design Engineering is the enterprise leader responsible for translating creative vision into scalable, standardized, and commercially optimized store design solutions across Gap Inc.’s portfolio of brands and formats. This role elevates design engineering from program execution to portfolio strategy, governance, and performance, ensuring alignment between design intent, cost, manufacturability, quality, and operational excellence.

Building on deep expertise in fixture design, materials, and manufacturing, the Director defines and leads the technical strategy, standards, and vendor ecosystem that enable consistent, high-quality delivery at scale. As a leader of leaders, this role drives capability building, cross-functional alignment, and continuous improvement across Creative, Architecture, Sourcing, Procurement, and Construction.

The Director is accountable for portfolio-level outcomes—including cost efficiency, speed to market, durability, and compliance—while stewarding significant OFI/VM investment and shaping the long-term roadmap for design engineering tools, processes, and innovation.

What You'll Do

Strategy, Standards & Governance

• Define and lead the 1–3 year design engineering roadmap, including tools, processes, and capability evolution.

• Establish and govern enterprise technical standards for fixtures, materials, specifications, and documentation.

• Own design control frameworks, including approval gates, exception management, and change control systems.

• Drive portfolio-wide standardization and kit-of-parts strategies to enable scalability across brands.

• Maintain and evolve centralized technical libraries, specifications, and digital assets.

Portfolio Delivery & Performance

• Oversee delivery of design engineering across multi-brand store programs (new stores, remodels, refreshes).

• Ensure seamless translation of creative concepts into buildable, compliant, and rollout-ready solutions.

• Optimize design cycle time, first-run quality, and execution consistency across the portfolio.

• Lead enterprise quality and durability programs, from prototype validation through lifecycle performance.

Financial Stewardship & Value Engineering

• Own and deliver portfolio-level cost optimization strategies, balancing first cost with total cost of ownership (TCO).

• Partner with Sourcing and Finance to manage and influence significant OFI/VM capital investment.

• Drive value engineering, cost transparency, and trade-off decisions aligned to brand and business priorities.

• Identify and scale component consolidation and material efficiencies across brands.

Vendor Ecosystem & Manufacturing Strategy

• Define and lead vendor and manufacturing strategies, including sourcing models, capabilities, and performance standards.

• Establish technical specifications, SLAs, and quality expectations for vendors and manufacturers.

• Evaluate emerging materials, fabrication methods, and sustainability opportunities to improve outcomes.

• Lead vendor performance management, escalation resolution, and continuous improvement initiatives.

Risk, Compliance & Technical Integrity

• Ensure all design engineering outputs meet jurisdictional codes, safety standards, and accessibility requirements.

• Translate enterprise risk, safety, and warranty requirements into clear technical policies and specifications.

• Proactively identify and mitigate design, manufacturing, and installation risks at scale.

Cross-Functional Leadership & Integration

• Partner with Creative, Architecture, Visual Merchandising, Construction, and Operations to align on design intent and execution strategy.

• Drive clarity and alignment on technical feasibility, cost implications, and operational performance.

• Influence enterprise decision-making through data-driven storytelling and executive communication.

• Lead continuous improvement loops through structured hindsight and performance insights.

Talent Leadership & Organizational Development

• Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing team of managers and technical experts.

• Build organizational capability in design engineering, including succession planning and skill development.

• Augment internal teams with external partners and consultants, ensuring clear accountability and performance.

• Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and operational excellence.

Who You Are

• 10+ years of experience in design engineering, industrial design, architecture, engineering, or construction, with significant experience in retail or multi-site environments.

• 5+ years of leadership experience, including managing managers and building high-performing teams.

• Deep expertise in fixture design, manufacturing processes, sourcing strategies, and installation methodologies.

• Proven ability to operate at both strategic and execution levels, translating design vision into scalable solutions.

• Demonstrated success in portfolio-level cost management, value engineering, and total cost of ownership optimization.

• Strong knowledge of codes, compliance, and risk management for manufactured and installed elements.

• Advanced proficiency in CAD/BIM tools (e.g., Revit) and experience with technical documentation and data systems.

• Exceptional communication and leadership skills, with the ability to influence cross-functional partners and executive stakeholders.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with a track record of driving process improvement and operational efficiency.

• Bachelor’s degree in industrial design, architecture, engineering, construction, or related field; advanced or professional credentials preferred.