Store Construction Specialist

🔝 Reports to: Principal Real Estate Specialist

📑 Permanent contract

📍 EMEA HQ, Geneva, Switzerland

👩‍💻🏡 Hybrid mode (2 days/week home-office)

📆 Start date: at the earliest convenience

At Columbia Sportswear, we're as passionate about the outdoors as you are. And while our gear is available worldwide, we're proud to be based in the Pacific Northwest, where natural wonders are our playground.

Every product we make and every task we undertake is inspired by the famous words of our founder Gert Boyle: “It’s perfect. Now make it better.” As pioneers of relentless improvement, we are constantly evolving.

We believe the outdoors is ours to protect and strive to keep our planet healthy. We believe in empowering people to experience the outdoors to the fullest.

And we believe in you.

To support the growth of our retail network across Europe, we are strengthening our Store Construction team at our EMEA headquarters in Geneva.

As Project Manager Store Construction, you will lead the construction, opening and refit projects for all our retail spaces: outlets, shop-in-shops, branded stores, partner stores (owned and operated by a partner), showrooms and more. You will work across both retail and wholesale business models, even though the role reports into Retail.

This is a Europe-wide role, with around 35 projects per year in different countries. That means many store openings, regular travel and a fast pace. You will work closely with our architects, external partners, mall and outlet center owners, and internal teams (Retail, Marketing, Finance).

Your mission: make sure every project is delivered on time, on budget and in line with Columbia's retail concept and standards. You will also help fine-tune our ways of working, so the team can manage its time and workload as efficiently as possible.

• Lead projects from A to Z, from data collection (plans, photos, brief) to final handover

• Manage several projects in parallel across different countries, while keeping the big picture

• Work closely with architects to design the spaces, adjust plans in AutoCAD and make sure our partners comply with Columbia guidelines

• Request, validate and negotiate quotes to secure the best conditions with suppliers

• Track construction sites and costs rigorously, and protect opening deadlines

• Travel regularly to visit sites, meet local stakeholders and secure smooth execution

• Contribute to our key objectives: budget per m², consistency of the retail concept, and on-time delivery

• Help improve our processes so the team can work more efficiently and make the best use of its time

• Experienced and autonomous, able to take ownership of complex projects and keep communication smooth with all stakeholders

• Very well organized, able to manage your own time and prioritize according to deadlines and business stakes

• A decision-maker who stays calm and makes the right call under pressure, when timelines are tight

• Comfortable juggling multiple projects and tasks at the same time without losing sight of the overall picture

• A strong communicator who adapts to different audiences: internal Retail, Finance and Marketing teams, architects, suppliers, clients, and landlords or outlet center teams

• Solution-oriented, flexible and reactive when the unexpected happens

• Ready for an intense, high-volume environment with frequent travel

• Proven experience in managing construction projects, store openings or store refits, in a multi-country scope

• Solid track record in delivering projects within deadlines, budgets and brand standards

• Excellent time and budget management skills

• Fluent English, spoken and written (mandatory, as English is our working language)

• Very good command of AutoCAD, to read and adjust technical plans accurately

• Ease with cost follow-up and budget analysis in Excel, and with collaborative tools (SharePoint, Smartsheet...)

• The ability to understand and check the technical information in construction and fit-out contracts

• Willingness to travel regularly across Europe

• At Columbia Sportswear, we value an inclusive and open culture that emphasizes the absence of barriers between team members. We are committed to fostering a sense of belonging by encouraging personal connections at all levels, which creates a cohesive and supportive work environment.

• Team members serve as ambassadors for our brand, finding motivation in being part of an organization dedicated to activities they are passionate about. This dedication reflects our commitment to building a team that takes pride in our products and values.

• We offer the opportunity to work for a US-based company within a multicultural environment, where your job has an impact across different countries.

• Our "Always Be Learning" culture of continuous learning enables our employees to identify and develop skills that will enable them to continue to grow within the company.

• "Unlock Your Potential" is the spirit that characterizes our vision of employees' development: to offer them opportunities to grow, in their job, in their team or even to change jobs completely. We grow our people to grow our business.

To learn more about us and our culture, visit our page on Welcome To The Jungle: https://bit.ly/49bl1i5

1️⃣ Ready to unlock your potential at Columbia Sportswear Company? Apply now to help us connect active people with their passion! The hiring team will review your application in the following weeks.

2️⃣ If your application is selected: a 30-45mn introductory interview with our Talent Acquisition Team to talk about yourself, your motivations and the role

3️⃣ Online interview with the hiring manager

4️⃣ In-person interview with the hiring manager at our Geneva headquarters, including a case study

5️⃣ Your unique strengths align perfectly with our team: we are thrilled to extend you an offer!

This job description is not meant to be an all-inclusive list of duties and responsibilities, but constitutes a general definition of the position's scope and function in the company. 

At Columbia Sportswear Company (CSC), we’re committed to creating an inclusive and respectful workplace where everyone has the same opportunity to thrive. We welcome talent from all backgrounds and do not discriminate based on age, gender, nationality, race, religion or any other characteristics protected by applicable law.​

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are at the heart of our success as a global brand. We aim to recruit, develop, and retain exceptional people,ensuring fair practices and transparency in line with evolving standards. We are committed to equal pay for equal work and make employment decisions based on qualifications, merit, and business needs.

The expected pay listed on this job posting reflects the gross expected pay for Full Time positions.
This pay disclosure will not apply to roles subject to different pay structures due to age or employment category (such as minors, apprentices, or interns) permitted under applicable law/CBA