Senior Manager, Design

Bridgestone Tower

Full time

2026_25494

Company Overview

Bridgestone Americas, Inc. (BSAM), headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, and Bridgestone Europe, Middle East and Africa (BSEMEA), headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, operate collectively as a “Bridgestone West” strategic region. This region services the strategic business needs of teams across the Americas, Europe, Middle East and Africa. BSAM and BSEMEA are subsidiaries of Bridgestone Corporation, globally headquartered in Japan. Bridgestone and its subsidiaries develop, manufacture and market a wide range of Bridgestone, Firestone and associate brand products and solutions to address the needs of a broad range of customers and industries.

Job Category

Engineering & Science

Position Summary

The Senior Manager, Design provides strategic leadership and oversight of architectural design, engineering coordination and design standards across the Bridgestone Retail Operations (BSRO) portfolio. This role leads the design function supporting new store development, remodels, expansions, acquisitions, conversions and other strategic portfolio initiatives, ensuring projects are designed to meet BSRO operational requirements, brand standards, financial objectives and aggressive growth targets.

The Senior Manager, Design establishes and maintains scalable design standards, prototypes and processes that enable consistent, cost-effective and efficient execution across a growing national retail portfolio. Working closely with Real Estate Development, Construction, Facilities, Store Operations, Marketing, Environmental Health and Safety (EHSS) and external architects, engineers, developers and consultants, the Senior Manager ensures design solutions balance speed to market, constructability, operational performance, customer experience and long-term asset value.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and direction for BSRO’s architectural design and engineering functions - establishing priorities, performance expectations and accountability while building and developing a high-performing design organization capable of supporting long-term growth.

• Lead architectural and engineering design activities across BSRO’s portfolio - including new stores, relocations, remodels, expansions, acquisitions and conversions, from initial due diligence through construction document completion and turnover to Construction.

• Develop, maintain and continuously improve prototype designs, design criteria, technical standards, specifications and approved materials - establishing effective design governance that balances brand consistency, operational requirements, jurisdictional requirements, project economics and site-specific needs.

• Lead architectural due diligence and technical evaluation during the real estate development process - partnering with Real Estate Development to identify site, building, code, utility, entitlement and constructability risks and establish appropriate design requirements, scopes of work and development obligations.

• Direct the development, coordination and technical review of architectural and engineering deliverables - ensuring plans and construction documents are complete, accurate, constructible and compliant with BSRO standards, applicable codes and permitting requirements.

• Drive design standardization, value engineering and innovation initiatives - reduce project costs and timelines while improving constructability, sustainability, energy efficiency, maintainability and lifecycle performance without compromising safety, quality, brand or customer experience.

• Develop and manage BSRO’s network of architects, engineers and specialty consultants - including consultant selection, scopes of work, contract negotiations, capacity planning, performance management and KPIs related to cost, schedule, quality and project delivery.

• Partner closely with Construction, Facilities and Store Operations throughout project execution - ensuring effective design-to-construction turnover, resolving design and field issues, and incorporating operational and maintenance lessons learned into future prototypes, standards and specifications.

• Serve as a subject matter expert and strategic advisor to Real Estate, Construction and BSRO leadership - providing oversight of design-related budgets and professional services while fostering a collaborative, accountable and continuous-improvement culture that supports BSRO’s growth objectives.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Architecture required; master’s degree in Architecture or a related discipline and professional architectural licensure preferred.

• Minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience in architecture, retail design, real estate development, or a related field, including experience leading design programs, teams, and external consultants.

• Demonstrated experience leading high-volume design and development programs involving new construction, remodels, conversions, and complex site-specific projects; experience supporting a large-scale, multi-unit retail, restaurant, automotive, or similarly distributed portfolio strongly preferred.

• Comprehensive knowledge of architectural design, site planning, engineering disciplines, construction practices, building codes, permitting processes, and jurisdictional requirements.

• Demonstrated experience developing and managing prototype designs, design standards, specifications, and scalable design programs, with a strong understanding of value engineering, lifecycle costs, and the impact of design decisions on construction costs and operating performance.

• Proven ability to identify design, technical, and development risks and develop practical, cost-effective solutions while managing multiple complex projects and priorities in a fast-paced environment.

• Strong leadership and stakeholder management skills, including experience managing and developing teams, architects, engineers, consultants, and external service providers, as well as influencing senior leaders and cross-functional partners.

• Exceptional communication, collaboration, negotiation, and presentation skills, with proficiency in relevant design and project management platforms such as AutoCAD, Revit, Bluebeam, Microsoft Project, and Microsoft Office; experience with enterprise real estate or construction management systems preferred.

At Bridgestone, you are Free to Be

We believe people can only provide superior service and quality to others when they feel safe bringing their chosen version of themselves to work. We believe in championing all perspectives, individuals and teams because we understand the importance of seeing the world and our business through many different lenses. So, show us what you are made of, because who you are is what we need.

What we offer

At Bridgestone, what really matters is to foster co-creation opportunities and empowering you to be creative and curious to make mobility safer, more efficient, and more sustainable for future generations. Whatever role you fill, when you represent Bridgestone, you are a valued teammate, and part of our larger mission to “Serve Society with Superior Quality”, for that, we offer you more than just a competitive compensation; we will provide you:

• A supportive and engaging onboarding experience to ensure a smooth transition into our team.

• The opportunity to develop and grow, through training and regular mentorship.

• Corporate Social Responsibility activities.

• A truly global, dynamic and challenging work environment.

• Agility and work/life effectiveness and your long-term well-being.

• An effective and inclusive team.

Bridgestone is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. It is our policy to consider all individuals for employment based on their unique merit and without regard to age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law.

Employment Eligibility

If hired, a Form I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification must be completed at the start of employment. Temporary work authorization or the need for sponsorship may disqualify you from employment.

Based in Nashville Tennessee, Bridgestone Americas, Inc. is the U.S. subsidiary of Bridgestone Corporation, the world’s largest tire and rubber company. Bridgestone Americas and its subsidiaries develop, manufacture and market a wide range of Bridgestone, Firestone and associate brand tires to address the needs of a broad range of customers, including consumers, automotive and commercial vehicle original equipment manufacturers, and those in the agricultural, forestry and mining industries. The companies are also engaged in retreading operations throughout the Western Hemisphere and produce air springs, roofing materials, and industrial fibers and textiles. The Bridgestone Americas family of companies also operates the world’s largest chain of automotive tire and service centers. Guided by its global corporate social responsibility (CSR), commitment Our Way to Serve, Bridgestone embraces its responsibility as a global leader by striving to improve the way people move, live, work and play.