Director, Retail Planning & Strategy

Do you want to help revolutionize a major industry? At Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW), you'll have the opportunity to impact the future of real estate by developing innovative and engaging places that reinvent being together. Come join a team that builds excitement about working at URW. You'll get to work with leaders who are passionate about tackling changing consumer behavior with innovative experiences. All this bold vision means the company culture embraces evolution and change. We believe there is no "perfect" candidate and want to encourage applying even if all the requirements listed aren't met. If you're passionate about URW and looking to learn and grow, then we look forward to reviewing your application!

We are currently looking for our:

Director, Retail Planning and Strategy

What we offer:

The Director of Retail Planning & Strategy, reporting to the Vice President of Tenant Coordination, leads the Retail Plan Management team and provides front-end planning and oversight for large-scale, complex tenant buildouts and landlord work.

This role centralizes early project development and strategic oversight of major retail projects, such as large restaurant openings, tenant package deals, complex cutups ensuring that scope, cost, and contractor alignment is established at inception. By driving consistency early, this position reduces downstream delays, change orders, and cost overruns, while strengthening cross-functional collaboration among Leasing, Operations, Design, Legal Leasing, and Development.

Through direct leadership of the Retail Plan Management team, this role gains early visibility into the leasing pipeline, proactively identifying space constraints and operational challenges prior to LOI and in their concept stages. The Director functions as a player-coach, owning select projects directly while providing strategic guidance and escalation support for field-based Project Managers once projects move into execution.

Scope

Strategic Project Oversight:

• Partner closely with leasing to manage and organize national tenant package deals, ensuring a unified and efficient front-end process. Maintain ownership through initial planning and coordination, then deliver a clear and complete transition to the respective Project Managers.
• Participate in the planning and execution of large-scale projects with cross-functional partners.
• Review tenant work letters and preliminary scope to develop accurate project pricing and budget estimates.
• Provide pricing guidance to leasing and internal stakeholders to support deal structuring and negotiations.
• Coordinate jurisdictional approvals, and construction phasing to mitigate risks and maintain tenant delivery schedules on assigned projects.
• Serve as the primary escalation point for complex design or LLW construction issues, collaborating with On-Site Tenant Coordination, Leasing, Operations, and Development to drive solutions and any necessary funding.
• Develop and enforce comprehensive landlord work pricing policies and procedures that set clear expectations and guidelines for Leasing and Asset Management.
• Partner with Retail Design Management on tenant design challenges, MEP coordination, and scope delineation between tenant and landlord work.
• Conduct site visits as necessary to validate existing conditions, monitor progress, and maintain quality assurance standards.

• Lead and develop the Retail Plan Management team to ensure accuracy, consistency, and timely updates of lease plans, as-builts, and demising drawings across the portfolio.
• Oversee early-stage collaboration between Leasing, Asset Management, and RPM to identify space constraints, building limitations, and infrastructure considerations during LOI and concept design.
• Maintain drawing standards and documentation control, ensuring compliance with corporate, legal, and technical requirements.
• Implement digital workflows and technology solutions to enhance transparency, data sharing, and project visibility.
• Support broader development planning initiatives by providing spatial analysis and documentation for capital or redevelopment projects.

• Serve as a strategic advisor and escalation partner to field-based Project Managers, offering guidance on complex projects. Support Project Managers periodically throughout project execution by providing high-level oversight, stepping in as needed to resolve issues, and ensure timely decision-making.
• Function as the main point of contact for the Vice President, Tenant Coordination, supplying weekly project performance updates and maintain ongoing agendas and progress reports for one-on-one meetings.
• Partner with cross-functional leaders (Leasing and Asset Management) to align project priorities with organizational goals and annual budget plans.
• Ability to prioritize work requests based on budgeted objectives, while maintaining clear communication and accountability of stakeholders on those priorities.
• Cultivate a culture of accountability, collaboration, and proactive problem-solving.
• Provide mentorship and professional development to team members, fostering growth and cross-training opportunities.

• Leadership Agility: Proven ability to lead senior professionals, influence without direct authority, and manage complex workloads across multiple stakeholders.
• Strategic Execution: Strong ability to translate strategy into actionable project outcomes.
• Analytical Acumen: Expertise in cost control, scheduling, and contractor selection for high-value projects.
• Collaboration: Builds strong partnerships across Leasing, Operations, Design, and Legal to drive alignment and results.
• Communication: Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with experience presenting to executives and external partners.

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, Construction Management, Architecture or a related field.
• 8+ years of experience in retail construction, tenant coordination, or development, including 5+ years in a leadership role.
• Proven track record managing landlord work >$1M, including cost analysis, budgeting, contractor sourcing and project oversight.
• Professional certifications such as PMP, LEED, or equivalent an plus.
• Strong technical understanding of MEP systems, codes, and retail construction standards.
• Proficiency with AutoCAD, Bluebeam, Procore, and Microsoft Office applications.
• Experience managing CAD/Retail Plan Management teams and integrating spatial data into strategic planning.
• Competence in Excel for fee comparison and budgeting.
• This role requires domestic travel to project sites