Studio Manager - Flagship All‐Female Portrait Studio in London
Studio Manager - Flagship All‐Female Portrait Studio

Studio Manager - Flagship All‐Female Portrait Studio in London

London Full-Time 55000 - 65000 £ / year (est.) No home office possible
B

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead an all-female team in a luxury portrait studio, ensuring exceptional guest experiences.
  • Company: Join Body & Soul, a pioneering all-female intimate portrait studio in Hackney.
  • Benefits: Competitive salary with performance bonuses and opportunities for career growth.
  • Why this job: Make a real impact by transforming how women see themselves through art.
  • Qualifications: Experience in high-emotion environments and strong leadership skills required.
  • Other info: Dynamic role with potential to expand the studio model internationally.

The predicted salary is between 55000 - 65000 £ per year.

Base: £55,000–£65,000
OTE: £75,000–£95,000 for top performers

About Body & Soul
We're an all‐female intimate portrait studio in Hackney. We've helped 1,900+ women transform how they see themselves through luxury portrait experiences and artwork they keep for life. We're now turning our East London studio into a multi‐room flagship we can copy to other cities (starting with the US).

Your job: make sure what we promise in our ads is exactly what happens in the room, every single day – without the founders needing to be there. You will be our first layer of middle management inside the studio. Until now, everyone has effectively reported to the founder. We have strong demand and a great team, but the way we run the studio day‐to‐day needs to grow up. You'll help finish building that operating system and then run it.

The role
You own everything from "she's booked" to "her artwork is delivered" inside the four walls. Abbey (founder) currently owns sales and will be stepping into a Sales Manager role while you take over operations and experience. If the founders leave the country for a month and guests can't tell, you're winning.

Rough split (Year 1)
50–60% leading & coaching on the floor
40–50% running the studio (hiring, rotas, dashboards, improvements)

Responsibilities

  • Lead an 8–10 person all‐female team (photographers, HMUAs, Guest Experience, ops/production) with daily huddles and weekly 1:1s.
  • Be on the floor most days in your first year: protect emotional safety, keep the studio on time, and run short, consent‐based guest check‐ins.
  • Hire, onboard, and, when needed, fire to keep the team high‐performing.
  • Get on the phone with the rare angry guest, calm them down, and protect the brand.
  • Run role‐plays and game‐tape reviews so service standards keep improving.
  • Keep the studio running like a luxury hotel meets high‐end clinic: immaculate space, smooth handovers, no chaos, artwork on time.
  • Run the studio off a simple dashboard: spot issues early, fix them with checklists and rhythms, not heroics.
  • Co‐own finishing and hardening our ClickUp / Slack / Notion systems with the founder, then run them.
  • Report directly to the CEO with clear numbers and clear plans.

How we measure success
Your bonus is tied to a small handful of numbers you directly control:
On‐time sessions
On‐time artwork
Guest experience (5‐star rate / CSAT ≥ 4.8)
Throughput vs plan at target margin
Operational reliability (guest / safety incidents, staff reliability)
You only earn top‐of‐range if the founders are not being dragged into fires you should own.

You might be a fit if...

  • You've run a busy, high‐emotion environment (luxury hotel front‐of‐house / guest experience, spa, clinic, med spa, salon, boutique fitness, fine dining) with 5–15 people.
  • You're comfortable hiring, holding people to standards, and letting them go when needed.
  • You actually enjoy coaching: huddles, 1:1s, feedback, practice.
  • You're calm with upset clients and confident handling difficult calls.
  • You think in checklists, flows, and dashboards, not "I'll just wing it."
  • You notice tiny luxury details and can teach younger creatives to see them.
  • The idea of taking a strong studio, doubling throughput cleanly, and helping copy‐paste that model to the US excites you.

Not a fit if...

  • You want to sit in an office doing rotas instead of being on the floor.
  • You avoid confrontation or need everyone to like you.
  • You want £80k+ guaranteed in Year 1 just for turning up, rather than earning it by building a machine.

Compensation & logistics
Base: £55,000–£65,000 (experience dependent)
Performance bonus: Target £15,000–£20,000/year, paid quarterly, based on the scorecard above
As the flagship grows into a multi‐room, high‐throughput studio and you keep it founder‐out, total comp can reach £75,000–£95,000+
In‐studio, full‐time role in Hackney
Weekends are a normal part of your pattern. Early starts and late finishes on busy days.
You must be able to reliably commute, commit for 2+ years, and be comfortable in an all‐female, intimate portraiture environment.
Due to the intimate nature of our work with nude female clients, this role has a genuine occupational requirement for female staff under Schedule 9 of the Equality Act 2010, to ensure privacy and decency.

Studio Manager - Flagship All‐Female Portrait Studio in London employer: Body & Soul Studios

At Body & Soul, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, offering a unique opportunity to lead an all-female team in a supportive and empowering environment. Our Hackney flagship studio not only fosters creativity and personal growth but also prioritises employee well-being through a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement. With competitive compensation and performance bonuses, along with the chance to shape the future of our expanding brand, we invite passionate individuals to join us in transforming lives through luxury portrait experiences.
B

Contact Detail:

Body & Soul Studios Recruiting Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫

We think this is how you could land Studio Manager - Flagship All‐Female Portrait Studio in London

Tip Number 1

Get to know the studio vibe! Before your interview, pop by the studio if you can. Familiarise yourself with the space and the team. This shows you're genuinely interested and helps you connect better during the chat.

Tip Number 2

Practice makes perfect! Role-play common interview questions with a mate. Focus on how you'd handle tough situations, like dealing with an upset client or managing a busy team. This will help you feel more confident and prepared.

Tip Number 3

Show off your leadership skills! Be ready to share examples of how you've led teams in high-pressure environments. Highlight your coaching style and how you keep things running smoothly – that's what they want to hear!

Tip Number 4

Don’t forget to ask questions! Prepare some thoughtful questions about the studio's future plans and how you can contribute. This not only shows your enthusiasm but also helps you gauge if it's the right fit for you.

We think you need these skills to ace Studio Manager - Flagship All‐Female Portrait Studio in London

Team Leadership
Coaching Skills
Guest Experience Management
Operational Management
Hiring and Onboarding
Conflict Resolution
Attention to Detail
Process Improvement
Dashboard Management
Emotional Intelligence
Communication Skills
Time Management
Adaptability
Performance Monitoring

Some tips for your application 🫡

Be Authentic: When you're writing your application, let your true self shine through. We want to see your personality and passion for the role, so don’t hold back on sharing what makes you unique!

Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your application to fit the Studio Manager role. Highlight your experience in high-emotion environments and how you've successfully led teams before. Show us why you're the perfect fit!

Showcase Your Achievements: Don’t just list your responsibilities; share your successes! Use specific examples of how you've improved guest experiences or streamlined operations in previous roles. Numbers and results speak volumes!

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 this exciting opportunity. We can’t wait to hear from you!

How to prepare for a job interview at Body & Soul Studios

Know the Studio Inside Out

Before your interview, make sure you understand Body & Soul's mission and values. Familiarise yourself with their approach to intimate portraiture and how they empower women. This will help you align your answers with their ethos and show that you're genuinely interested in the role.

Demonstrate Leadership Skills

As a Studio Manager, you'll be leading a team of 8–10 women. Prepare examples from your past experiences where you've successfully led a team, handled conflicts, or improved processes. Highlight your coaching style and how you foster a positive environment, as this is crucial for the role.

Showcase Your Problem-Solving Abilities

The role requires operational reliability and the ability to handle difficult situations. Think of specific instances where you've resolved guest complaints or improved service standards. Be ready to discuss how you would manage challenges in a high-emotion environment like a portrait studio.

Prepare Questions That Matter

At the end of the interview, you'll likely have the chance to ask questions. Prepare thoughtful ones that reflect your understanding of the role and the studio's goals. For example, ask about their vision for expanding to other cities or how they measure success in guest experience. This shows your commitment and strategic thinking.

Studio Manager - Flagship All‐Female Portrait Studio in London
Body & Soul Studios
Location: London

Land your dream job quicker with Premium

You’re marked as a top applicant with our partner companies
Individual CV and cover letter feedback including tailoring to specific job roles
Be among the first applications for new jobs with our AI application
1:1 support and career advice from our career coaches
Go Premium

Money-back if you don't land a job in 6-months

B
Similar positions in other companies
UK’s top job board for Gen Z
discover-jobs-cta
Discover now
>