Expansion Manager (m/f/d)

LAP (Life Among People) is making specialty coffee radically more accessible – grab-and-go micro-hubs in the heart of Germany's cities, at a price point people can afford every day. We're in Berlin, Munich, and Hamburg, and moving fast into Frankfurt, Cologne, and Düsseldorf. Every new store we open is a bet on what we believe: great coffee should be for everyone.

About the Role

We're looking for someone who takes a raw space and turns it into a LAP store – on time, on budget, and without cutting corners. You'll own every stage of the buildout: from walking the site and reading the drawings to holding the contractors accountable onsite & strategically improving the customer and barista experience..

This role sits at the intersection of expansion, operations, and process-building. It's hands-on by design while never losing the bigger picture out of sight. If you thrive on turning chaos into a finished store – read on.

What You'll Do

Store Buildouts & Construction · This is the core of the role

• Own fit-out projects end-to-end: site assessment, permits, contractor management, timeline, budget – through to keys-in-hand handover to ops

• Be on-site. Read the drawings. Spot the problem before it becomes a three-week delay

• Tender and manage GCs, subcontractors, and suppliers – hold them accountable on programme, quality, and budget. No exceptions

• Conduct technical site assessments (structural condition, floor loads, MEP feasibility) and produce clear go/no-go recommendations

• Manage snagging, defect resolution, and formal handover – the job isn't done until ops signs off

Process Optimisation

• Turn every buildout into a better template for the next one – document what worked, cut what didn't

• Build the procurement, briefing, and cost-tracking workflows that let us open stores faster without losing quality

• Configure and maintain Asana, Notion, and dashboards so the team stays aligned across five projects at once

Portfolio Performance

• Keep existing locations performing – manage adhoc requests, coordinate technicians, prevent downtime before it happens and implement strategic measures

• Identify improvements across the portfolio that drive performance, not just fix problems
  

What We're Looking For

Must-haves

• 1–3 years of real, hands-on experience in construction project management, retail fit-out, or a closely related field – not just project support

• You can read architectural drawings and technical specs, and you know when something doesn't add up

• You've managed contractors on-site before and know how to keep a programme on track when it starts to slip

• Organised enough to run multiple projects simultaneously; decisive enough to make calls without being chased

• Willing to travel ~30% and spend real time on construction sites across Germany – this is non-negotiable

• Fluent German (C1+) · Solid English

• Driver’s license

Nice-to-haves

• Background in F&B, hospitality, architecture, civil engineering, or real estate

• Comfortable with Asana, Notion, or MS Project; curious about AI and automation
  

What's In It For You

• Direct access to the Expansion Lead and founding team – real decisions, short paths

• You build things. Actual stores. You’ll be important from day one.

• Competitive salary + a huge community

• Berlin HQ base with time on the road and on-site across Germany

• Exceptional coffee. Obviously.