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
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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 personal growth through hands-on coaching and leadership but also provides competitive compensation and performance bonuses, ensuring that your contributions are recognised and rewarded. Join us in transforming the lives of women through luxury portrait experiences while being part of a dynamic and innovative team dedicated to excellence.
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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 us you're genuinely interested and helps you feel more at home during the interview.

Tip Number 2

Practice makes perfect! Run through common interview questions with a friend or in front of the mirror. Focus on how your experience aligns with our values and the role. We want to see your passion for leading a high-performing team!

Tip Number 3

Show us your coaching skills! Be ready to share examples of how you've led teams in the past. We love hearing about your approach to feedback and how you keep morale high while maintaining standards.

Tip Number 4

Follow up after your interview! A quick thank-you email goes a long way. Mention something specific from your chat that excited you about the role. It keeps you fresh in our minds and shows your enthusiasm for joining our team!

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 Skills: Don’t forget to mention your skills in coaching, managing operations, and handling guest experiences. We’re looking for someone who can keep our studio running smoothly, so give us examples of how you've done this in the past.

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 don’t miss out on any important updates from us during the process!

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 luxury portrait experiences and how they empower women. This will help you align your answers with what they stand for.

Showcase Your 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 guest experiences. Highlight your coaching style and how you foster a positive environment.

Demonstrate Problem-Solving Abilities

Think of specific instances where you've tackled challenges in a high-pressure environment. Be ready to discuss how you would handle difficult guests or operational hiccups, showcasing your calmness and strategic thinking under pressure.

Bring Your Organisational A-Game

Since the role involves running the studio efficiently, prepare to discuss your experience with systems like ClickUp, Slack, or Notion. Share how you use dashboards and checklists to maintain high standards and ensure smooth operations.

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

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