Job Description

Since its founding over 80 years ago, Krispy Kreme’s focus has remained the same - making fresh, premium quality doughnuts inspired by their founder’s original recipe. The brand’s iconic Hot Light lets guests know when doughnuts are being made fresh in shop so they can enjoy hot doughnuts fresh off the line. To make Krispy Kreme’s in-shop experience even sweeter, many shops across the globe feature the brands one-of-a-kind doughnut theatre, an immersive, interactive experience through which guests can see Krispy Kreme’s melt-in-your-mouth doughnuts being made right before their eyes.

Krispy Kreme’s Director, Global Shop Design & Standards is responsible for establishing and maintaining the design systems, standards, and governance framework that support scalable shop development across the Krispy Kreme Doughnuts global network. This role ensures that shop environments across all markets deliver consistent brand experience while remaining operationally effective, financially disciplined, and scalable.

This position is responsible for building and maintaining the global design framework that enables consistent and efficient shop development across multiple markets. The role works closely with internal development teams, franchise partners, and external architecture and engineering firms to ensure that shop design standards, prototypes, and processes support both speed of development and operational performance.

In addition, the Director plays a critical role in early-stage development by supporting new market entry and greenfield areas for site evaluation through architectural test fits and prototype adaptation. This work ensures that potential locations can accommodate the proprietary Krispy Kreme Doughnuts doughnut production equipment, operational workflow requirements, and customer experience standards. Through strong cross-functional collaboration and effective governance, the Director ensures that the Krispy Kreme Doughnuts shop environment remains operationally efficient, cost-effective to build, and consistent with the brand’s design intent across all global markets.

A TASTE OF WHAT YOU WILL BE DOING:

Global Design Standards & Governance

Establish and maintain the global design system that enables consistent and scalable shop development.

• Develop and maintain global shop design standards, prototype frameworks, and design documentation that guide development across company-owned, franchise, and joint venture markets.
• Strengthen and standardize design governance processes to ensure consistent application of Krispy Kreme Doughnuts brand standards while allowing appropriate adaptation for local market requirements.
• Maintain a comprehensive design standards library including architectural drawings, equipment layouts, finish specifications, and prototype documentation.
• Define scalable design workflows and manage the engagement model with external architecture and design partners to support a high-volume development pipeline while maintaining brand consistency and regulatory compliance.
• Partner with Procurement and key suppliers to leverage Krispy Kreme Doughnuts global scale through standardized materials, fixtures, and finishes, enabling preferred supplier programs that improve cost efficiency and create system-wide value for development partners.

Prototype Development, Cost Efficiency & Brand Expansion

Lead the evolution of shop design prototypes to support scalable and cost-effective global expansion.

• Oversee the development and continuous refinement of global shop prototypes and layout standards.
• Identify opportunities to simplify designs and develop lower CapEx prototype solutions that support efficient development while maintaining strong brand presentation.
• Partner with internal stakeholders and external consultants to improve constructability, cost efficiency, and speed of delivery.
• Ensure shop environments consistently reflect the Krispy Kreme Doughnuts brand identity while supporting both new shop development and lifecycle remodel programs.

Operationally Effective Shop Design

Ensure that shop design standards support efficient operations, strong shop performance, and an exceptional team member and customer experience.

• Partner with Operations, Franchisee partners, Field Leadership, and Development teams to ensure shop layouts support operational workflows, production environments, and overall shop performance.

• Translate operator and field feedback into continuous improvements to prototypes, layouts, and design standards.

• Design layouts that optimize product flow, team member movement, production throughput, customer circulation, and drive-thru operations.

Franchisee & Partner Collaboration

Work closely with franchise partners and internal stakeholders to ensure consistent application of shop design standards.

• Build strong relationships with franchise partners and external architecture and engineering firms to accelerate design approvals and support development timelines.
• Partner with franchisee-led design teams to align development with global shop design standards and prototype frameworks.
• Provide guidance on prototype implementation and adaptation to support local and market requirements.
• Serve as an escalation point for design interpretation, standards application, and implementation questions.

Organizational Leadership, Capability & Culture

Strengthening the design function by building scalable systems, fostering cross-functional collaboration, and modeling the leadership behaviors that support the Krispy Kreme Doughnuts culture.

• Drive alignment across Development, Construction, Operations, Marketing, IT, and Procurement to ensure shop design standards support efficient development, operational performance, and consistent brand experience.
• Provide strategic design direction and establish scalable processes that enable a lean internal team to support a high-volume global development pipeline while maintaining quality and consistency.
• Lead as a culture ambassador for Krispy Kreme Doughnuts by modeling the Leadership Mix—promoting collaboration, ownership, continuous improvement, and a commitment to delivering customer wonder through great shop environments.

Development Support & Architectural Test Fits

Support early-stage development and new market entry through architectural feasibility analysis and site evaluation.

• Guide the preparation of architectural test fits for potential development sites in partnership with Development teams.
• Evaluate whether sites can accommodate proprietary doughnut production equipment, operational workflows, and customer experience requirements.
• Adapt prototype layouts to site conditions while maintaining brand standards and operational performance.
• Provide design expertise that informs real estate decision-making and early-stage project feasibility to support franchisees and company owned growth

YOUR RECIPE FOR SUCCESS:

• 15+ years of relevant business experience and proven performance in retail/ restaurant and/or food & beverage industry design, construction and development required
• 10+ years of Project Management experience preferred
• Corporate strategy/ Global Strategic initiatives experience
• Experience working closely with and reporting directly to C-level Executives
• International work experience
• Knowledge and experience working with franchise business partners
• Comfortable in a unique and very fast-paced company culture environment

*The above statements are intended to describe the general nature of work performed by the employees assigned to this job and are not the official job description for the position. The official job description will be provided during the application/interview process.

BENEFITS

• Comprehensive benefits (medical, vision, and dental insurance)
• Employee discount program
• 401K plan
• PTO and “dream” days
• Company events
• Education Reimbursement
• Hospital Indemnity Insurance
• Adoption Assistance
• Life Insurance
• FSA/HSA Plans
• Pet Insurance

?Learn more at www.kkbenefits.com

WHY KRISPY KREME?

At Krispy Kreme, we focus on:

• Loving People:
• Our global culture is best captured by our Leadership Mix, a dozen behaviors that define how we work with one another across the world and give back to our communities. Check out our leadership mix here
• Belonging happens once each Krispy Kremer knows their bold authentic self is welcomed, dignified, and loved, where their wonderfully original identities flourish and thrive.
• Loving Communities:
• At Krispy Kreme, sharing joy is at the center of everything we do, and we strive to inspire this in our communities. Our brand purpose truly shines through our Acts of Joy and community fundraising initiatives.
• In the U.S., we have been donating unsold doughnuts to local food banks, with a goal of bringing a smile to our consumers as they enjoy a small, sweet treat. We partner with Feeding America and Convoy of Hope, who in turn partner with organizations nationwide to distribute donations to people in need through diverse types of programs and services.
• In 2022, we helped community groups raise $40 million globally. Last year in the U.S., we supported more than 83,000 fundraising events, raising nearly $37 million.
• Loving Planet:
• We have been conducting a multi-year global GHG emissions assessment to establish an emissions baseline, using this foundation to soon set goals for greenhouse gas emission reductions.
• We are working on reducing food waste through donation efforts, animal feed, and composting programs.

Krispy Kreme is an Equal Opportunity Employer:?

At Krispy Kreme, we believe that your originality sweetens our recipe. We value the diverse ingredients of the ethnicity, national origin, race, age, sex, gender, intersex, or veteran status of every individual. We strive for an inclusive culture that allows each of our peeps to bring their bold authentic self to work regardless of their religion, gender identity & expression, sexual orientation, or disability.?

About Krispy Kreme

Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Krispy Kreme is one of the most beloved and well-known sweet treat brands in the world. Our iconic Original Glazed® doughnut is universally recognized for its hot-off-the-line, melt-in-your-mouth experience. Krispy Kreme operates in more than 35 countries through its unique network of fresh doughnut shops, partnerships with leading retailers, and a rapidly growing Ecommerce and delivery business with more than 14,000 fresh points of access. Our purpose of touching and enhancing lives through the joy that is Krispy Kreme guides how we operate every day and is reflected in the love we have for our people, our communities and the planet. Connect with Krispy Kreme Doughnuts at www.KrispyKreme.com, or on one of its many social media channels, including www.Facebook.com/KrispyKreme and www.Twitter.com/KrispyKreme