Director of Design

Mendocino Farms

. Lead, coach, and develop internal designers and external design resources .

Posted 10/9/2026full-timeRemote • Texas • United StatesLead💰 $117,000 - $190,000 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates extensive experience in leading design teams and managing complex restaurant design projects, with a strong focus on operational efficiency, design standards, and stakeholder collaboration. Proficient in construction documentation and financial management related to design budgets and value engineering.

Highest-signal resume keywords

10+ Years Experience In Restaurant DesignLeadership In Design Team ManagementStrong Command Of Restaurant OperationsProficiency With Bluebeam RevuFinancial Fluency With Design Budgets

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Prototype DevelopmentDesign QA/QCConstruction DocumentationDesign DetailingAccessibility StandardsValue EngineeringKitchen Equipment IntegrationSite-Specific AdaptationOperationally Intensive Commercial DesignGuest Circulation Design

Soft Skills

Coaching And DevelopmentCross-Functional CollaborationStakeholder CommunicationProblem Solving

Tools & Technologies

Bluebeam RevuExcelPowerPointProject-Management Platforms

Industry Keywords

Restaurant DesignHospitality DesignInterior DesignBuilt-Environment DisciplineHealth CodesBuilding CodesErgonomicsFood SafetyDesign StandardsMarket Adaptation

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Lead, coach, and develop internal designers and external design resources
Align internal and external design resources to the development pipeline
Serve as the senior design leader for complex, high-visibility, or high-risk projects and decisions
Own and evolve Mendo’s restaurant prototype, design standards, material palettes, finishes, furniture, fixtures, lighting, equipment integration, and reusable design details
Ensure restaurants deliver a recognizable Mendo experience while adapting to site conditions, market needs, and business priorities
Set and elevate Mendo’s creative design point of view
Maintain and evolve design standards supporting guest flow, ordering and pickup, digital and delivery activity, seating, accessibility, storage, serviceability, and operations
Partner with Operations, Culinary, Facilities, Construction, and equipment vendors to improve kitchen planning, back-of-house flow, equipment integration, ergonomics, throughput, food safety, and maintainability
Incorporate post-opening learning into future layouts, prototypes, and specifications
Oversee design delivery for new restaurants, remodels, and refresh programs from feasibility test fits and concepts through permit-ready documentation and construction support
Establish design QA/QC and phase-gate practices
Lead cross-functional reviews and translate stakeholder input into clear direction
Partner with Construction to protect design intent, improve constructability, and reduce rework, RFIs, and change orders
Select, brief, manage, and evaluate architects, interior designers, engineers, and specialty vendors
Make value-engineering recommendations and balance brand expression, operating performance, durability, cost, schedule, and long-term unit economics
Track design-function performance, capacity, risks, and priorities
Develop the annual design operating plan with Real Estate and provide regular updates on design delivery

Requirements

What you’ll need

10+ years of progressive experience in restaurant, retail, hospitality, architecture, interior design, or another related built-environment discipline
Experience leading a design team, studio, function, or substantial network of external design partners in a fast-moving, multi-project environment
Significant hands-on experience with restaurant or similarly operationally intensive commercial design, including prototype development, new-unit growth, remodels, and site-specific adaptation
Strong command of restaurant operations and design, including FOH/BOH flow, kitchen equipment, labor and ergonomics, guest circulation and accessibility, pickup/delivery, food safety, storage, and maintainability
Experience managing architects, interior designers, engineers, and specialty vendors against quality, schedule, scope, and budget expectations
Working knowledge of construction documentation, design QA/QC, permitting, building and health codes, design detailing, accessibility, shop-drawing review, and constructability
Financial fluency with design budgets, cost drivers, value engineering, specification tradeoffs, lifecycle durability, and unit economics
Bachelor’s degree in Architecture, Interior Architecture, Interior Design, Environmental Design, Product Design, or a related field; equivalent relevant experience may be considered
Proficiency with Bluebeam Revu, Excel, PowerPoint, and project-management platforms
Ability to travel occasionally for market visits, project milestones, and team meetings
Must be able to lift 25 pounds
Sitting / standing 6-8 hours
Hand use: single grasping, fine manipulation, pushing and pulling
Work requires bending, twisting, squatting and reaching

Benefits

Comp & perks

Competitive salary
Meal privileges
Health benefits
401k Plan
Paid Vacation