At a Glance
- Tasks: Oversee daily operations of our design studio and manage workflow across teams.
- Company: Join a rapidly growing global company with a supportive culture.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, employee participation plan, and a collaborative work environment.
- Other info: Opportunity for career development in a dynamic and innovative setting.
- Why this job: Make a direct impact on the growth and success of creative projects.
- Qualifications: Experience in resource management and strong organisational skills required.
The predicted salary is between 50000 - 65000 € per year.
We are looking for an organized, proactive, and commercially minded Design Studio Manager to oversee the day-to-day operations of our design studio. This role is responsible for managing workflow, scheduling, and resource allocation across Design, Edit, and Motion teams, ensuring projects are delivered efficiently, on time, and to a high creative standard. The Design Studio Manager will play a central role in balancing team capacity, maintaining operational efficiency, supporting project profitability, and enabling a positive and collaborative studio culture.
Working closely with Design & Edit Leadership, Client Service, and the wider Anthesis teams, this role will act as the operational heartbeat of the studio ensuring work is planned efficiently, deadlines are achievable, and teams are set up for success.
Summary of Role & Key Responsibilities
- Studio Resource & Workflow Management
- Own and manage day-to-day resourcing across Design, Edit, and Motion departments.
- Allocate projects based on skills, availability, development opportunities, and project requirements.
- Maintain accurate short, medium, and long-term resource plans across all studio teams.
- Lead daily or weekly studio traffic and resource meetings.
- Manage project scheduling, timelines, and workload distribution to support high-quality creative output.
- Identify and resolve resource conflicts, bottlenecks, and scheduling risks proactively.
- Capacity Planning & Forecasting
- Build and maintain accurate capacity forecasts across all studio disciplines.
- Work closely with Client Service and the wider Anthesis team to forecast upcoming work and resource demand.
- Support effective prioritisation of projects and changing business needs.
- Anticipate future hiring and freelance requirements based on pipeline and business growth.
- Stakeholder & Team Collaboration
- Act as a key operational partner to Heads of Department.
- Build strong relationships across departments to ensure smooth collaboration and delivery.
- Support a positive, solutions-focused studio culture with clear communication and fair workload management.
- Escalate risks, delivery challenges, or resourcing concerns proactively.
- Commercial Performance & Reporting
- Monitor and improve studio utilisation, chargeability, and operational efficiency.
- Support profitable project delivery by tracking allocated hours against budgets and timelines.
- Partner with Finance and Client Services teams to monitor project profitability and resource performance.
- Produce regular reporting on utilisation, capacity, freelance spend, recoverability, and workflow trends.
- Help ensure projects are scoped realistically and resourced appropriately.
- Freelance & External Resource Management
- Manage the sourcing, onboarding, allocation, and offboarding of freelance across Design, Edit and Motion teams.
- Maintain accurate records of freelance bookings, costs, contracts, and performance.
- Ensure freelance support is aligned with budgets, timelines, and profitability targets.
- Ensure freelancers are effectively integrated into project teams and workflows.
- Build and maintain a strong network of trusted freelance partners and specialist contractors.
- Studio Operations & Process Improvement
- Continuously improve studio workflows, processes, and ways of working.
- Champion best practice in planning, resource management, and timesheet accuracy.
- Drive consistency, transparency, and operational discipline across the studio.
- Help create efficient processes that enable creatives to focus on high-quality work.
Key Requirements, Skills Knowledge & Expertise
- Experience in Resource Management and/or Studio Management, Traffic Management, or Creative Operations within a creative, design, content, or integrated agency environment.
- Proven experience managing workflows across Design, Edit, & Motion teams.
- Strong understanding of studio operations, creative production workflows, and agency commercials.
- Experience managing utilisation, chargeability, forecasting, and project profitability.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
- Strong organisational skills with exceptional attention to detail and accuracy.
- Ability to manage multiple fast-moving priorities in a deadline-driven environment.
- Commercially minded with strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
Benefits
- Work within a highly motivated team in an innovative and rapidly growing global company.
- Opportunity to have a direct impact and be a key part of the growth and development of the business and the team.
- Competitive salary in line with education, experience and skills.
- An opportunity to participate in the Anthesis Employee Participation Plan (EPP), an industry-pioneering employee incentive plan that allows all employees to be rewarded for the growth in the equity value of Anthesis.
- Cooperative, supportive and open working atmosphere.
Design Studio Manager employer: Anthesis Group
Anthesis is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic and collaborative work environment in the heart of London. As a Design Studio Manager, you will be part of a highly motivated team within a rapidly growing global company, where your contributions directly impact the business's growth and development. With competitive salaries, participation in an innovative Employee Participation Plan, and a supportive culture that prioritises employee well-being and professional growth, Anthesis stands out as a rewarding place to advance your career.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Design Studio Manager
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, attend events, and connect with potential colleagues on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio that highlights your best work and showcases your ability to manage projects effectively. Make sure it’s easy to navigate and visually appealing – first impressions matter!
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and understanding their design philosophy. Be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with their needs, especially in resource management and team collaboration.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in being part of our team at StudySmarter.
We think you need these skills to ace Design Studio Manager
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience in resource management and studio operations. We want to see how your skills align with the role of Design Studio Manager, so don’t hold back on showcasing your relevant achievements!
Showcase Your Organisational Skills:As a Design Studio Manager, being organised is key! Use your application to demonstrate your ability to manage workflows and schedules effectively. Share examples of how you've successfully balanced multiple projects and teams in the past.
Communicate Clearly:Strong communication is essential for this role. In your written application, be clear and concise. Make sure to articulate your thoughts well, as this will reflect your ability to collaborate with various stakeholders across departments.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows you’re keen on joining our team at StudySmarter!
How to prepare for a job interview at Anthesis Group
✨Know Your Studio Operations
Familiarise yourself with the ins and outs of studio operations, especially in resource management and workflow processes. Be ready to discuss how you would handle scheduling conflicts or optimise team capacity, as this will show your understanding of the role's demands.
✨Showcase Your Communication Skills
As a Design Studio Manager, you'll need to collaborate with various teams. Prepare examples of how you've successfully built relationships across departments in previous roles. Highlight your ability to escalate issues proactively and maintain a positive studio culture.
✨Demonstrate Commercial Awareness
Be prepared to discuss how you’ve managed project profitability and operational efficiency in past positions. Bring examples of how you've tracked budgets and timelines, and be ready to suggest ways to improve chargeability and utilisation in the studio.
✨Prepare for Scenario Questions
Expect scenario-based questions that test your problem-solving skills. Think about potential challenges you might face in this role, such as managing multiple fast-moving priorities, and prepare your strategies for overcoming them. This will demonstrate your proactive mindset and readiness for the role.
