Studio Operations Manager

Magnetic is a leading independent design and innovation company — B Corp certified, London-based, and built on a decade of delivering real impact for ambitious organisations. Our partners have included Google, Mars, Waitrose, Bupa, Save the Children, the London Stock Exchange, and Innovate UK. We work with startups, governments, and global brands across healthcare, FMCG, and financial services to create products, services, and strategies that drive growth and make a difference. Our purpose is simple: designing better futures.

This role is full-time and based at our London studio 5 days per week.

Why this role matters

As Magnetic enters an exciting new chapter, this role is central to it. We believe the quality of work we deliver is inseparable from the culture we build. Great client outcomes don't happen by accident; they're the product of a studio that runs well, a team that feels energised and an environment that reflects the ambition of the work itself. As we evolve Magnetic, we're being intentional about both sides of that equation: sharper, more disciplined client delivery and a more deliberate, rewarding people experience. This role sits at the intersection of the two — protecting and elevating both.

What will you be doing?

• Cultural Custodianship & People Experience: Rebuild and embed our values so they manifest in everyday behaviours, not just on walls. Design and lead our company rituals (meetings, social touchpoints, grassroots movements) that make a smaller team feel powerful and connected. Own the end-to-end employee journey, ensuring high-impact onboarding and thoughtful offboarding. Manage the People Experience budget, ensuring spend is used intentionally to drive engagement and culture.
• Client Experience Excellence: Be the face of the studio, ensuring every brand touchpoint—from arrival to the final meeting—feels innovative, premium and considered. Partner with client teams to execute workshops and brand moments. This includes coordinating F&B partners, managing on-site logistics, and working with delivery partners. Support the Marketing Director with off-site events and alumni community outreach to maintain the Magnetic standard beyond our walls. Manage physical assets, collaborating with designers to ensure physical assets are produced to a high standard.
• Operational Management: Manage relationships with external partners (IT, Facilities etc) to ensure we remain lean and focused on high-value work. Audit and manage all service provider contracts (including serviced studio providers) to ensure best-value and business growth. Partner with Tech delivery providers to define and maintain a clear, functional tech stack for the team. Maintain the physical environment to a "client-ready" standard at all times, overseeing setup and delegating the breakdown of events.
• Systems & Compliance: Keep the business safe, compliant, and organised (GDPR, Health & Safety) without introducing unnecessary bureaucracy. Gather client and community feedback to iterate on our internal systems and tools where applicable. Work alongside the Chief of Staff (CoS) and Leadership Teams to manage the company budget and monitor overhead costs.

What are we looking for?

• Health & Safety and compliance ownership — you've held this responsibility before, kept documentation current, and made compliance feel effortless; the business stays safe without it becoming a burden on anyone.
• Supplier and contract management — you build strong partner relationships, negotiate confidently, and keep external partners cost-efficient and accountable.
• Operational initiative — you're a self-starter who reduces friction before people notice it's there; ways of working become clearer because of you, not in spite of you.
• Tech and systems fluency — you're comfortable working with IT partners, evaluating tools, and helping a team adopt a clear, functional tech stack; curious and confident, even if not technical.
• People and culture instinct — you understand that operations and culture aren't separate things; you bring warmth, creativity, and a sense of fun to both, and you take onboarding seriously enough that new joiners consistently rate it highly.
• HR administration — familiar with people admin processes (contracts, onboarding paperwork, CEST forms and similar) and happy to be the first port of call for the team.
• A high bar for quality — whether it's a client visit or a supplier invoice, the standard matters to you; workshops and client moments feel seamless and premium because you've thought through every detail.

What we offer

We take good care of our team. Alongside a competitive salary, you'll have access to a benefits package that includes:

• Private Medical Insurance
• Group Life Assurance
• Income Protection
• Enhanced pension with employer contributions of 4%
• Profit share membership
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Gender-neutral parental leave

We also make sure everyone has time to rest and recharge: 25 days annual leave, increasing by one day for every two years served, up to 30 days. 3-day Christmas shutdown, 8 bank holidays (which can be repurposed to align with your religious beliefs), and one additional Magnetic holiday.

Equal Opportunity

We're committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace and we welcome applications from people of all backgrounds. If you require any adjustments during our recruitment process, please let us know.