Expansion Lead (m/f/d)

At LAP Coffee, our mission is to transform the coffee industry by tackling its biggest challenges: high prices, impersonal service, and outdated retail experiences. We believe that specialty coffee should be accessible to everyone, combining high quality with digital convenience while providing a truly personal customer experience. As digital interactions increasingly dominate our lives, we're dedicated to bringing back the human touch—whether it's the aroma of freshly brewed coffee, the warmth of a cup in your hands, or the meaningful conversations sparked by a barista's smile.

We are redefining the traditional coffee shop model by rethinking everything from store design to pricing and customer engagement. Our goal is to create a fresh approach to coffee retail, making premium coffee a daily staple rather than an occasional luxury. With the support of leading investors and an ambitious team, we're entering an exciting growth phase—expanding our presence across Germany and beyond. This is where you come in.

Your Role:

Own the buildout of LAP's store network across Germany – from raw space to keys-in-hand handover, on time and on budget. You'll lead fit-out projects end-to-end, tender and hold contractors accountable on programme, quality and cost, and turn every opening into a sharper template for the next one. Partnering with Real Estate, Store Operations, Finance, Brand and external contractors, you'll open stores faster without cutting corners and keep the existing portfolio performing once the doors are open. This role sits at the intersection of expansion, operations and process-building: hands-on by design, without ever losing sight of the bigger picture.

Responsibilities:

Store Buildouts & Construction · the core of the role

• Own fit-out projects end-to-end: site assessment, contractor management, timeline and budget through to keys-in-hand handover to Operations.

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

• Tender and manage general contractors, subcontractors and suppliers to hold them accountable on programme, quality and budget. No exceptions.

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

• Manage snagging, defect resolution and formal handover, because the job isn't done until the first happy customers can grab their matcha.

Cost & Commercial Control

• Own the capex budget per store: build the cost plan, track it live, and flag deviations before they land.

• Benchmark cost per square metre across projects and drive the build cost down opening by opening.

• Negotiate scopes, rates and framework agreements with contractors and suppliers to standardise what we buy.

Process Optimisation & Systems

• 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 parallel projects.

Portfolio Performance

• Keep existing locations performing: manage ad-hoc requests, coordinate technicians and prevent downtime before it happens.

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

• Improve the customer and barista experience in-store through design, layout and equipment iterations.

Who We're Looking For:

We are looking for a highly organised, hands-on expansion operator who thrives in fast-paced environments and gets stores open. The ideal candidate should have:

Must-haves:

• 3–5 years of real, hands-on experience in construction project management, retail fit-out or a closely related field – not just project support.

• The ability to read architectural drawings and technical specs – and the judgement to know when something doesn't add up.

• Proven experience managing contractors on site, and the instinct 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.

• Willingness to travel ~30–50% and spend real time on construction sites across Germany – this is non-negotiable.

• Fluent German (C1+) and solid English.

• Driver's licence.

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.

Why Join Us?

• Be Part of a Brand on the Rise: LAP Coffee is building the future of accessible specialty coffee, with the backing of top-tier investors and a passionate team.

• Actual Stores: every location you open is a permanent, visible piece of the company – you'll matter from day one.

• Growth & Ownership: direct access to the founding team and short decision paths – real autonomy to shape how a growing retail network gets built.

• Culture & Community: join a team that values craftsmanship, speed and the social experience of great coffee. Plus exceptional coffee. Obviously.

The Practicals

• Contract: Full-time, permanent · start immediately or by arrangement.

• Location: Berlin HQ, with regular on-site presence in Frankfurt, Cologne, Düsseldorf, Munich and Hamburg.

• Travel: ~30–50%

• Language: German C1+ required · English as working language.
  

To ensure that we provide an inclusive and accessible interview process, please let us know if you require any accommodations or adjustments during the interview due to a disability. Your response will help us support you effectively. (For example, adjustments might include accessibility needs, assistive technology, or extra time for certain tasks)