Director, Planning & Project Strategy (Loblaw Real Estate)

Come make your difference in communities across Canada, where authenticity, trust and making connections is valued - as we shape the future of Canadian retail, together. Our unique position as one of the country's largest employers, coupled with our commitment to positively impact the lives of all Canadians, provides our colleagues a range of opportunities and experiences to help Canadians Live Life Well.

At Loblaw Companies Limited, we succeed through collaboration and commitment and set a high bar for ourselves and those around us. Whether you are just starting your career, re-entering the workforce, or looking for a new job, this is where you belong.

Job Profile: Director, Planning & Project Strategy

Reports to: VP, Store Planning & Design

The Director, Planning & Project Strategy is responsible for leading and coordinating space planning projects across all banners nationally. This role also oversees the internal design studio, managing a team of design technologists and planners responsible for project plans, fixture layouts, and design technology innovations. The Director plays a key role in shaping the organization's future by identifying growth opportunities, optimizing planning processes, and ensuring cross-functional alignment to drive business success.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Growth

• Develop and implement strategic plans that support long-term growth initiatives and align with corporate objectives and priorities.
• Synthesize insights from multiple business units to create action plans that enhance operations and overall efficiency.
• Influence senior leadership on decision-making by providing key insights, innovative solutions, and industry best practices.
• Lead industry research and competitive analysis to identify trends and emerging concepts that can enhance store design and customer experience.

Internal Design Studio Leadership & Innovation

• Lead a high performing design studio, managing a team of design technologists responsible for various aspects of projects by providing strategic direction, mentorship, and professional development.
  • Producing detailed project plans and fixture plans for multiple store formats and scopes.
  • Developing and maintaining design technology innovations and standards.
  • Ensuring seamless integration of new technologies into the planning and design process.
• Drive continuous improvement in processes by leveraging technology, automation, and digital tools.
• Establish and enforce design best practices, workflows, and quality standards for all deliverables.
• Collaborate with internal and external partners to introduce and implement advanced design software, visualization tools, and digital planning solutions.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, and innovation across teams.
• Define objectives, monitor performance, and provide coaching to enable success across departments.
• Stay updated on retail design trends, market research, and emerging technologies to incorporate innovative design elements into new store concepts.

Project Planning & Execution

• Lead the team responsible for key business operations, focusing on process optimization, governance, compliance, and executive reporting to drive efficient decision-making and business growth.
• Manage store planning and design from site selection to construction, ensuring budgets, timelines, and quality for new stores, renovations, and strategic projects across all banners.
• Working with the planning leads & design leads to manage inflow of projects. Kickoffs for all new stores as per site intro from Construction Meetings.
• Work with cross-functional teams including Real Estate, Construction, Merchandising, and Operations to ensure project alignment with business needs. Set schedules in partnership with teams and communicate to internal and external team and meets all established deadlines.
• Analyze site specifics, customer traffic patterns, and merchandising requirements to develop optimal store layouts, including fixture placement, product flow, and visual merchandising strategies.
• Providing input/approvals in architect & consultant meetings based on standards & site feedback.
• Ensure all store designs adhere to building codes, ADA regulations, and company brand standards.
• Participate in cross functional initiatives, committees and strategic projects to provide key insights related to LRE
• Create standards for layouts to ensure stores optimize productivity, minimize capital, operating costs & enhance customer shopping experience
• Drive continuous process improvements to enhance project efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
• Ensure compliance with corporate governance, approval processes, and budgetary guidelines.
• Lead project debriefs to assess successes, challenges, and areas for future improvement.

Collaboration & Stakeholder Engagement

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including Real Estate, Construction, Merchandising, and Operations to ensure project alignment with business needs. Set schedules in partnership with teams and communicate dates to internal and external team and meets all established deadlines.
• Participate in landlord coordination meetings, ensuring adherence to design standards and timelines.
• Align strategic planning with operational priorities to enhance customer experience and performance.

Required Qualifications & Skills

• Education: Post-secondary degree in Business, Architecture, Project Management, Design Technology, or a related field.
• 10+ years of experience in retail planning, design, project strategy, or design technology.
• 5+ years of leadership experience managing teams, large-scale projects, and innovation initiatives.
• Skills & Competencies:
  • Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills with the ability to influence at senior levels.
  • Proven ability to manage budgets, optimize resources, and drive innovation.
  • Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
  • Experience in design technology software, digital planning tools, and automation is an asset.
  • High proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint); experience with AutoCAD, Revit, and other design software is a strong asset.
  • Ability to lead change, work in a fast-paced environment, and drive execution.
  • Ability to think strategically and translate brand vision into tangible store designs
  • Strong project management and process optimization capabilities.

Our commitment to Sustainability and Social Impact is an essential part of the way we do business, and we focus our attention on areas where we can have the greatest impact. Our approach to sustainability and social impact is based on three pillars - Environment, Sourcing and Community - and we are constantly looking for ways to demonstrate leadership in these important areas. Our CORE Values - Care, Ownership, Respect and Excellence - guide all our decision-making and come to life through our Blue Culture. We offer our colleagues progressive careers, comprehensive training, flexibility, and other competitive benefits - these are some of the many reasons why we are one of Canada's Top Employers, Canada's Best Diversity Employers, Canada's Greenest Employers & Canada's Top Employers for Young People.

If you are unsure whether your experience matches every requirement above, we encourage you to apply anyway. We are looking for varied perspectives which include diverse experiences that we can add to our team.

We have a long-standing focus on diversity, equity and inclusion because we know it will make our company a better place to work and shop. We are committed to creating accessible environments for our colleagues, candidates and customers. Requests for accommodation due to a disability (which may be visible or invisible, temporary or permanent) can be made at any stage of application and employment. We encourage candidates to make their accommodation needs known so that we can provide equitable opportunities.

Please Note:
Candidates who are 18 years or older are required to complete a criminal background check. Details will be provided through the application process.