Senior Specialist, Store Development

At Philz, every new store is an opportunity to bring our cups of love to more communities. As our Senior Specialist, Store Development, you’ll help bring new stores to life by coordinating contractors and vendors, managing project documentation and payments, and keeping construction projects on track. Your organization and follow-through will help ensure stores open on time, within budget, and ready to welcome customers.

This role is currently remote and must be based within the Greater Los Angeles area. Our teams will transition to an in-office environment in North Long Beach, CA, Monday through Thursday, beginning April 2027.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

Construction & Project Management

• Independently manage assigned aspects of new store construction projects from kickoff through completion, evaluating priorities, anticipating challenges, and determining appropriate actions to keep projects on schedule and within budget.
• Evaluate contractor agreements, Notice to Proceed packages, change orders, and construction documentation for accuracy, completeness, and alignment with project requirements, identifying discrepancies and recommending resolutions.
• Oversee project closeout activities, assessing documentation, outstanding obligations, and potential risks to ensure construction requirements are satisfied.
• Assess permitting, utility, scheduling, and Certificate of Occupancy requirements, exercising judgment to identify potential delays, resolve issues, and escalate matters requiring leadership intervention.
• Partner with Real Estate to evaluate landlord requirements and Tenant Improvement Allowance documentation, identifying gaps and recommending solutions to support timely reimbursements.

Vendor Management & Financial Oversight

• Independently manage vendor-related financial activities across assigned projects, evaluating proposals, estimates, invoices, and payment requests for alignment with approved budgets, contractual obligations, and project priorities.
• Analyze construction progress billings, retention payments, deposits, and change orders, exercising judgment to identify discrepancies, assess financial exposure, and recommend corrective actions.
• Monitor project financial commitments and payment obligations, proactively identifying budget variances, outstanding liabilities, and opportunities to mitigate financial risk.
• Evaluate vendor onboarding requirements and documentation, resolving exceptions and ensuring vendors meet contractual and payment requirements.
• Assess equipment, fixtures, furnishings, and other project purchases, identifying delivery or payment risks and determining appropriate actions to minimize project disruption.
• Oversee preliminary notices and lien release requirements, identifying potential compliance or financial risks and coordinating appropriate resolutions.

Project Oversight & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Establish and maintain effective project documentation and reporting practices, exercising discretion in determining how information is organized, monitored, and communicated to support project execution.
• Independently assess project status, competing priorities, and outstanding deliverables, identifying risks and recommending adjustments to improve project outcomes.
• Analyze project information and develop updates, recommendations, and actionable insights to support Development leadership in making informed decisions.
• Serve as a key point of contact for contractors, vendors, municipalities, and internal stakeholders, independently resolving routine project challenges and determining when issues require escalation.
• Identify opportunities to improve development processes, financial controls, and cross-functional workflows, recommending and implementing improvements that increase efficiency and reduce operational risk.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED

• 3+ years of experience in a fast-paced, high growth environment overseeing key aspects of construction administration, project coordination, or a related role, preferably supporting multi-unit retail, restaurant, or commercial construction projects
• 2+ years overseeing construction-related financial processes, including vendor invoicing, accounts payable, progress billings, retention, and change orders
• Working knowledge of construction contracts, preliminary notices, lien releases, and related documentation requirements, particularly in California
• Strong organizational and project management skills, with high attention to detail
• Proficient in Excel, Google Workspace, and document management tools, construction and financial systems such as Kahua, Smartsheet, DocuSign, Tipalti, and Capturis a plus
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills

ESSENTIAL PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Visual acuity
• Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word; those activities where detailed or important spoken instructions must be conveyed to others
• Repetitive motions: Making substantial movements (motions) of the wrists, hands, and/or fingers
• Extending hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction
• Bending, Reaching, Pulling, Pushing, Extending arms/hands occasionally during shift
• Sitting for extended periods of time
• Exerting up to 10-20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects