Design Coordinator

Associate Designer

Based in Pasadena, California, Dine Brands Global, Inc. through its subsidiaries and franchisees, supports and operates restaurants under the Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar®, IHOP®, and Fuzzy's Taco Shop® brands. As of December 28, 2025, these three brands consisted of over 3,500 restaurants across 20 international markets. Dine Brands is one of the largest full-service restaurant companies in the world and in 2022 expanded into the Fast Casual segment.

The Role:

We are seeking a motivated and detail-oriented Associate Designer to join our Architecture & Design team. This role primarily supports the day-to-day administrative and operational needs of the A&D team, including document organization, material tracking, and coordination of project-related information. The candidate must have a genuine interest and appreciation of architecture and design.

The Associate Designer will play a critical role in maintaining organized project documentation, supporting the upkeep of design resources, and assisting with executional tasks that enable A&D and cross-functional teams in delivering high-quality design solutions.

While this position focuses on administrative and coordination responsibilities, it provides exposure to design processes, tools, and standards within a global brand. The ideal candidate is creative, organized, and eager to grow within a collaborative design environment. Over time, there will be opportunities to take on more design-focused responsibilities based on performance, team needs, and individual interest.

This role contributes to Dine Brands success by supporting the development and execution of comprehensive global architectural solutions that deliver a successful, branded guest experience while meeting design, cost, schedule, and operational requirements.

Responsibilities:

• Support coordination of project-related materials and communications
• Process vendor invoices and support tracking of A&D expenses
• Track ad hoc initiatives related to A&D and create materials for roll outs
• Ensure all requested support are delivered on time to a high, professional standard

• Collaborate with internal teams, franchisees, consultants, and vendors
• Ensure project files, templates, and deliverables are consistently organized, properly filed, and accessible to both internal and external cross-functional teams
• Document design and specification changes and distribute updates to internal and external partners
• Support regular updates and development of document templates, design guidelines, prototype drawing sets, specifications, and brand standards ready to publish both internally and externally
• Target Salary $85k-$100k depending on experience

• Organize, update, maintain the A&D material library, including finishes, fixtures, plans, mock ups, and other branded elements
• Conduct audits to ensure materials are current and aligned with brand standards

• Research, source, and compile alternatives for FF&E and architectural finishes
• Track approved and backup material selections

• Maintain and manage vendor relationships and requests, such as scheduling presentations, requesting samples, tracking feedback, and contact information

Skills & Requirements:

• 1-2 years in the Architectural Design field (Internship experience welcomed)
• Basic understanding of architectural drawing sets, architectural materials, color theory, graphic design, branding features
• Excellent organizational, time-management, communication and collaborative skills as a team player
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and support a very fast paced environment
• Strong personal accountability to self-perform, meet and exceed goals and track performance towards objectives

• Ability to collaborate, and willingness to take on tasks both in-role and outside of formal accountabilities, when needed

• Strong work ethic, adaptability, ability to multi-task and possess a positive can-do attitude to support both administrative and design-related assignments
• Positive attitude and flexibility to attend virtual meetings across domestic and international time zones
• Familiarity with AutoCAD, Adobe Creative Suite, Bluebeam, Microsoft Office Suite
• Bachelor's degree or higher in either Architecture or Interior Design
• Experience within the commercial, hospitality, F&B and restaurant concepts/industry preferred
• Candidates interested in design-focused growth are encouraged to submit a portfolio to demonstrate design capability

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Dine Brands Global strongly supports equal employment opportunity for all applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, marital status, veteran status, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other status protected by federal, state, or local law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need.

Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act and/or other applicable laws and regulations in other jurisdictions.

Dine Brands reviews criminal history in connection with a conditional offer of employment. The following is a list of all material job duties which Dine Brands reasonably believes that criminal history may have a direct, adverse, and negative relationship, potentially resulting in the withdrawal of a conditional offer of employment: conduct necessary due diligence on business opportunities and transactions; analyze and handle franchisees' personal and financial information; and facilitate frequent and close interactions with franchisees and franchisee employees.

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