Sustainability & Green Building Project Manager

Location: Tokyo

Time Type: Full time

Job Description

Reporting to: Architecture Team Director
Dotted-line reporting to: Sustainability Director

The Role

We are looking for a Sustainability & Green Building Project Manager to integrate environmental and social sustainability into our interior design, renovation, visual merchandising, and event projects.

Working primarily within the Boutique Architecture Team and in close partnership with the Sustainability Team, this role will manage the day-to-day delivery of sustainability initiatives, lead green building certification activities, improve project-level sustainability data, and support the adoption of lower-carbon materials and construction practices.

The role requires a combination of practical project-management capability, green building expertise, and the ability to engage effectively with architects, designers, contractors, suppliers, landlords, consultants, and internal stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the application of LEED certification requirements across interior spaces and building renovation projects, from early design through project completion.
• Establish a consistent process for following up on sustainability and LEED requirements for new boutique openings and renovations, providing alerts, recommendations, and lessons learned to improve future projects.
• Manage the day-to-day delivery of multiple sustainability projects concurrently, coordinating priorities, deliverables, timelines, and resources.
• Monitor project progress, quality, risks, and schedules; provide regular status updates and escalate issues requiring corrective action.
• Lead coordination between internal and external stakeholders, ensuring clear responsibilities, transparent communication, and timely follow-up.
• Advise architects, designers, project managers, contractors, and suppliers on practical ways to meet sustainability objectives.
• Coordinate certification documentation, evidence collection, submissions, and communication with relevant external partners.
• Establish and oversee the reporting of construction-site waste, including waste generation, diversion, recycling, and disposal data.
• Support the monitoring of agreed social and labor-related aspects of contracted construction workers, in collaboration with internal teams, contractors, and specialist partners.
• Work with the Sustainability Team and external partners to calculate and track the embodied carbon emissions of selected projects.
• Manage and continuously improve sustainable materials databases for Architecture, Visual Merchandising, and Events teams.
• Research and assess new lower-carbon, circular, responsibly sourced, and innovative materials for potential use in projects.
• Translate Chanel’s sustainability priorities into practical project requirements, guidance, and performance indicators.
• Contribute to internal sustainability reporting and provide accurate project-level environmental and social data.
• Represent the company’s sustainability requirements in negotiations with landlords, developers, property managers, and leasing partners.

Experience and Qualifications

• Degree in architecture, interior design, building engineering, construction management, environmental engineering, or a comparable technical field.

• Approximately 8–10 years of relevant professional experience preferred, including significant project-management experience in retail, commercial interiors, architecture, construction, engineering, or a closely related environment.

• At least three years of experience integrating sustainability-related requirements or processes into projects, including areas such as circularity, energy efficiency, materials, construction waste, embodied carbon, or carbon performance.

• Demonstrated experience delivering LEED ID+C projects, particularly luxury commercial interiors, retail interiors, tenant fit-outs, or workplace projects.
• Experience with LEED BD+C, major renovations, Core and Shell, or LEED O+M would be a strong advantage.

• LEED AP with ID+C specialty is strongly preferred. LEED Green Associate may be considered where supported by substantial relevant project-delivery experience.

• Good understanding of construction materials, specifications, procurement processes, and contractor management.
• Experience with construction waste reporting and sustainable materials selection.
• Knowledge of embodied carbon assessment, life-cycle assessment, or project carbon accounting.
• Experience negotiating or advising on commercial leases, green lease provisions, landlord technical requirements, or sustainability clauses.
• Familiarity with social sustainability, responsible construction, or worker welfare considerations is an advantage.

• Demonstrated ability to facilitate meetings, manage technical documentation, and influencing skills in Japanese and English.

What Success Looks Like

• LEED requirements are integrated early and effectively into eligible projects.
• Construction waste and embodied carbon data are complete, consistent, and actionable.
• Social material priorities are incorporated into contractor monitoring processes.
• Architecture, Visual Merchandising, and Events teams have access to reliable sustainable materials information.
• Lower-carbon materials and design solutions are progressively adopted across projects.

• Lessons learned are translated into guidance, tools, and team capabilities.

• The role builds strong cooperation between the Architecture Team, Sustainability Team, and external project stakeholders.