Director, National Construction; Dorval

Job Overview

Recipe Unlimited Corporation is Canada's leading full service restaurant company. Home to iconic brands such as Swiss Chalet, Harvey's, St.Hubert, Montana's, Olive Garden Canada, Kelseys, Bier Markt, East Side Mario's, The Landing Restaurant Group, New York Fries, The Pickle Barrel, State Main, Elephant and Castle, Original Joe's, Fresh Kitchen + Juice Bar, The Burger's Priest, Blanco Cantina and Anejo. With this diverse portfolio of restaurants our Home Office teammates have the opportunity to work on a wide variety of some of the most popular, well‑loved brands in Canada.

Reporting to the VP of Design & Construction, the Director, National Construction oversees all construction activities related to new restaurant development across Canada & the United States.

• Develop and implement strategic plans for new restaurant development that support the company's objectives
• Responsible for preparing the annual plan, creating tactical action plans, and developing the people plans necessary to execute the yearly plan
• Collaborate with senior leadership to align construction activities with organizational growth targets

• Oversee the planning, scheduling, and execution of all construction projects
• Ensure projects are completed on time, within budget, and to the highest quality standards
• Manage project timelines, budgets, and resources effectively
• Build corporate and franchise restaurants to specification and within set budgets and construction parameters across Canada & U.S., including preparing bid specifications, estimating, awarding construction contracts, solving problems, and developing project budgets and forecasts

• Lead and mentor a team of project managers and construction professionals
• Build, coach and retain Recipe's construction management team, creating a positive, fun, cooperative, results‑oriented working environment
• Foster a culture of excellence, collaboration, and continuous improvement
• Collaborate closely with brand leads, operations, franchisees, real estate, franchising, external contractors, vendors, and architects, and oversee the planning and all construction activities across Recipe Brands

• Establish and maintain relationships with contractors, architects, engineers, and other external partners
• Negotiate contracts and ensure compliance with company standards and regulatory requirements

• Implement and oversee quality control processes to ensure construction standards are met
• Conduct regular site inspections to monitor progress and address any issues promptly
• Responsible for fostering a continuous improvement mindset to track and learn from previous builds; formulate recommendations to improve building methods and standards to help reduce costs
• Establish and maintain a construction center of excellence department; develop construction‑related tools (processes, procedures, training materials, technology enhancements) to improve Recipe's ability to support our brands in delivering best‑in‑class construction services

• Develop and manage the annual construction budget
• Track project costs and implement cost‑saving measures without compromising quality
• Responsible for overseeing over $75M per year of total project costs

• Ensure all construction activities comply with federal, state, and local regulations
• Promote a safe working environment and adherence to all safety protocols

• Provide regular updates to senior leadership on project status, risks, and opportunities
• Prepare detailed reports and presentations for stakeholders

• Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Civil Engineering, Architecture, or a related field; advanced degree preferred
• 10+ years of restaurant construction experience
• 5+ years of people management and leadership experience
• Restaurant, hospitality or retail industry experience is an asset
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Proven track record of successfully managing large‑scale construction projects
• Strong leadership and team‑building skills
• Excellent project management and…