Benefits:- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Company parties
- Competitive salary
- Dental insurance
- Employee discounts
- Flexible schedule
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
- Wellness resources
At
Wild Birds Unlimited, our mission is to bring people and nature together with excellence. We are proud employee-owners through our Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), building communities of nature lovers and supporting local franchise owners across North America.
We are seeking a visionary, collaborative, and structured
Manager of Retail Experience Design to lead the evolution of our in-store customer experience.
As the strategic architect of the WBU physical store environment, you will own store layouts, fixture systems, customer flow, and signage. You will serve as the primary creative and technical consultant for our independent franchise store owners as they build, remodel, and reimagine their spaces, managing vendor relationships with an "owner’s mentality" to maximize store profitability and shared ESOP value.
Key Responsibilities
- Strategic Design & Brand Vision: Develop a forward-looking vision for WBU in-store experiences. Maintain scalable standards, templates, and the WBU Store Design Standards guide while researching innovations in retail tech, sustainability, and customer experience.
- Store Planning & Technical Design: Create accurate, scaled 3D renderings, customized floor plans, and planograms using SketchUp, AutoCAD, or specialized software. Oversee space planning, lighting, A/V, and materials, maintaining a "Model Store" layout to test new concepts.
- Franchisee Support & Consulting: Serve as the primary design consultant for franchisees, guiding them through construction, permitting, local zoning, and site-specific structural challenges. Create clear handbooks and deliver presentations at leadership conferences.
- Vendor Management & Fiscal Stewardship: Negotiate pricing with preferred fixture, signage, flooring, and lighting vendors to deliver cost efficiencies for franchisees. Collaborate with internal teams (Product, Marketing, Operations) to align store layouts with merchandising strategies.
Qualifications
- Education & Experience: Bachelor’s degree in Interior Design, Architecture, or related field (or 5–8 years of direct retail store design/architectural experience).
- Experience Focus: 5+ years preferred in retail store design from concept to execution. Background in specialty retail, space planning, and vendor management required. Experience in a franchise system or visual merchandising is highly preferred.
- Technical Skills: High proficiency in CAD software and SketchUp required. Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel) and project management systems (Asana experience is a plus).
This is a full-time position based in our Carmel, IN office. As an Employee-Owned Company, we believe in rewarding the people who make our mission possible. We offer:
- Competitive salary - $95,000 - $98,00/yr to start
- 401(k) with company match.
- Employee Stock Option Plan
- Comprehensive Medical, Dental, Vision, and Disability insurance.
- Liberal vacation, personal, sick, and holiday leave.
- A generous discount on store merchandise so you can share in the joy of bird feeding!
Ready to own your future while helping us bring nature into backyards across North America? Submit your cover letter and resume to
garcial@wbu.com.
Wild Birds Unlimited is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Each Wild Birds Unlimited franchise location is privately owned and operated by Wild Birds Unlimited franchisees. The Wild Birds Unlimited franchise owner(s) are the employers at each store, and the franchise owner(s) set their own wage and benefit programs, which vary by location. Wild Birds Unlimited, Inc. is not an employer or joint employer of any Store Manager, Assistant Manager, or other staff member of a Wild Birds Unlimited Store Owner.