Group Senior Creative Operations Manager in Golborne

About us: At DFS Group, we’re proud to help people create spaces they love to live in. We’re home to DFS, Sofology, and The Sofa Delivery Company: three brands with their own personalities, brought together by a shared mission. Behind our brands is a passionate Group team—from Finance and Technology to People, Marketing and Supply Chain, our Group functions power everything we do. They create the foundations that allow our brands to thrive, innovate and grow. Supporting our brands or serving our customers, the mindset that connects us means we expect more of ourselves and each other. Every customer is our favourite, every voice is valued, and every interaction is one we’re proud of. When you’re part of a community that shares your way of thinking, the wins feel bigger. The effort feels worth it. It’s a place where people stay because they feel valued, and find room to grow because they’re challenged.

About the role: The Senior Creative Operations Manager is a pivotal leader within DFS Group’s Creative function, responsible for transforming, optimising, and governing all creative workflows and operational processes. Sitting at the heart of the Creative Leadership Team, this role drives operational excellence, enabling scalable content production and improving speed, quality, and transparency across the department. You will oversee end‑to‑end creative operations—from workflow design and traffic management to resource planning and project delivery—ensuring the team is set up to deliver high‑quality creative output at pace. A major focus of the role is the implementation and ownership of next‑generation MarTech, including workflow management platforms, Digital Asset Management (DAM), and AI‑enabled operational solutions. You will embed AI into creative operations to unlock efficiencies, enhance output, and enable smarter, data‑driven decision‑making. Working closely with the Senior Creative Services Manager, you will create seamless, scalable ways of working across the in‑house team, external partners, and business stakeholders. As a creative enabler, you will reduce friction, strengthen operational governance, and build the systems, reporting, and processes that elevate the performance of DFS Group Creative.

What you’ll be responsible for:

• Workflow & Process Optimisation: Own End‑to‑End Workflows: design, scale, and continuously improve cross‑channel creative workflows (briefing, production, approval, and delivery). Drive Efficiency & AI: identify operational bottlenecks and implement process improvements, automation, and AI‑driven solutions. Establish Governance: develop RACI frameworks to clarify roles and standardise project workflows, templates, and reporting.
• Digital Asset Management (DAM): Platform Ownership: act as the key stakeholder for the implementation, governance, and operational effectiveness of the DAM platform. Asset Lifecycle & Best Practice: oversee taxonomy, metadata, version control, and archiving to ensure the DAM is a trusted, central repository. Drive internal and external adoption through training and documentation.
• Resource & Stakeholder Management: Capacity & Traffic Planning: lead resource visibility, capacity planning, and utilisation reporting to ensure smooth project delivery and prioritisation. Cross‑Functional Collaboration: partner with Creative Managers and marketing stakeholders to align creative direction with operational scalability.
• Leadership & Performance Tracking: Team Leadership: lead, manage, and develop future direct reports, fostering a high‑performing and collaborative team culture. Data & Insights: own Creative Operations reporting dashboards to measure productivity, utilisation, SLA adherence, and workflow efficiency. Budget & Risk: manage creative subscriptions, licensing, and run post‑project reviews to drive continuous improvement.

What we are looking for:

• Essential: Proven experience in Creative Operations, Marketing Operations, Workflow Management or Operational Transformation roles within an in‑house creative team, agency, or marketing environment. Experience managing end‑to‑end creative production workflows across digital, print, and campaign‑based projects. Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously in a fast‑paced environment. Experience working with cross‑functional stakeholders including marketing, brand, digital, and external partners. Experience leading operational transformation initiatives within creative or marketing environments. Experience implementing workflow, DAM or operational systems. Experience driving cross‑functional process change and adoption.
• Desirable: Experience helping define asset taxonomy, metadata frameworks, or governance processes. Experience working within a retail, e‑commerce, or consumer brand environment.

Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent experience) in Marketing, Communications, Creative Media, Business, Project Management, or a related field. Professional certification in project management (e.g. PRINCE2, AgilePM, or similar) is desirable.

Room to grow: Everyone at DFS Group begins with a structured induction designed to help you understand our brands, our culture and how we work together. From day one, you will have access to our online Learning Hub, filled with digital courses, tools and resources to support your development. For leaders, we offer virtual workshops focused on building confident, capable leadership. We also run skills‑based workshops to strengthen core capabilities across the business. Colleagues can also undertake nationally recognised qualifications through our apprenticeship programmes, giving you the opportunity to gain external accreditation while you grow your career with us.

Our DFS Group benefits: Hybrid working – 3 days office, 2 days home. 22 days holiday, plus the option to buy up to 5 more. Enhanced family leave, with up to 20 weeks at 90% pay after one year, or 10 weeks at 90% if you’ve been with us less than a year. Health cash plan from £2 a month, with everyday cashback. Employee Assistance Programme for support when you need it. Extras like flu vouchers, menopause support and health checks. Pension with company contributions. Life assurance for peace of mind. Sharesave scheme to save each month and invest in our future. Structured induction from day one. Access to our Learning Hub and skills workshops. Leadership development and apprenticeship programmes. 30% colleague discount, plus 15% for friends and family, three times a year. Discounts and cashback at hundreds of retailers. SmartTech scheme to buy tech up to £1,000 through salary sacrifice. Cycle to Work scheme for bikes and accessories up to £1,500. Electric vehicle lease scheme with Octopus to help you save and reduce your impact. One paid volunteering day each year.

Equal opportunities: We’re proud to be an equal opportunities employer, committed to building a workplace that reflects the communities we serve and makes room for different backgrounds, perspectives and experiences. We turn that commitment into action through colleague networks, trusted partnerships and recognised accessibility initiatives such as the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower.

Application support: If your experience does not quite match every part of the role, we’d still love to hear from you. If you need any adjustments or additional support during the application process, please contact our Talent Team at talent@dfs.co.uk and we will be happy to help.