About the role

Great creatives need a great environment to thrive. At Daybreak Studio, we’ve been unwavering in our commitment to the quality of our work while simultaneously exploring opportunities to scale and evolve our operations. We believe that efficient, thoughtful systems are the backbone of creative excellence.

As the Studio Operations Manager, you’ll play a critical role in shaping how our studio runs, ensuring that we operate efficiently while maintaining the creative integrity that sets us apart. You’ll introduce and optimize systems to streamline our creative workflows, manage resources, and ensure our teams have everything they need to deliver their best work. While project execution and internal improvements will be a core focus, you’ll also actively engage in business development—connecting with potential clients, scoping new opportunities, and strategically aligning projects with our team’s capacity and strengths.

Key Responsibilities:

• Creative Operations: Understand the nuances of how creative work is produced within the studio and identify opportunities to enhance our processes, enabling more effective and collaborative relationships with clients.

• Operational Improvements: Collaborate closely with the founder to identify, implement, and manage new systems and tools that streamline internal processes and improve overall efficiency.

• Resource Management: Lead project scoping and resource allocation efforts, ensuring the right team members are assigned to each project. Oversee organization-wide resourcing in collaboration with design and development leads to optimize staffing for client projects, meet utilization targets, inform hiring needs, and allocate team members to internal projects during downtime.

• Process Development: Continuously refine and scale internal processes to ensure operational efficiency and agility. Develop and implement training that empowers the team to navigate changes in project budgets, scopes, and timelines, positioning Daybreak as a trusted partner to clients.

• Business Development: Play an essential role in building and nurturing relationships with potential clients. Assist in preparing proposals and aligning new projects with the studio’s capacity and strengths.

• Management Standards: Uphold and cultivate a culture of excellence through rigorous project management practices, team accountability, leadership development, and transparent client communication.

• Scale our Culture: Help scale and nurture Daybreak’s unique studio culture as we grow, ensuring that the integrity of our values and creative vision remains intact.

Who You Are:

You strive to empower teams and make them more efficient, finding satisfaction in systemizing and automating processes. Known for your attention to detail, you bring order to every project and space you manage.

Must Haves:

• Operational Efficiency Expertise: You’ve successfully created and implemented processes that streamline workflows, ideally within a creative environment.

• Project Scoping & Resource Allocation Skillset: You’ve led project scoping efforts, resourced teams effectively, and made staffing decisions for complex, multidisciplinary projects.

• Strong Communication Skills: You’re an excellent communicator, both with internal teams and clients, ensuring clarity and collaboration at every stage.

• Experience with Client Management & Business Development: You’re experienced in building client relationships, preparing proposals, and presenting work that aligns with client needs and company bandwidth.

• Workplace Culture Advocate: You intuitively understand culture and know how to foster a positive, inclusive, and remote-friendly work environment that enhances team collaboration and well-being.

• Strong understanding of project management tools: You have strong domain knowledge of tools like Notion (our tool of choice) and know how to leverage them for optimal project management and team collaboration.

• Highly Organized & Proactive: You excel at keeping things organized, are detail-oriented, and can manage multiple priorities without losing focus.

• Experience with emerging tools: You are curious about experimenting with AI and emerging tools to find smarter, more efficient ways to streamline operations and enhance creative processes.

• Hands-On Creative Experience: You are passionate about design, content creation, or digital projects. While you may not be a designer, you’ve been involved in creative processes and understand the rhythm of bringing ideas to life.

Bonus Skills:

• Strong Writing Skills: Whether it’s drafting client proposals or refining internal communications, you’re a confident writer who can convey ideas clearly and persuasively.

• Toronto-Based: While our people work globally, we’re scaling our HQ in Toronto. You’ll have the chance to connect with the team in person and engage with the vibrant creative community we’re part of.

• Previous Studio Experience: You have served as a designer or producer (ideally) at a high-functioning creative studio with prior experience in project management.

As we continue to grow, this role offers exciting opportunities for you to evolve alongside the studio—expanding your leadership, tackling new challenges, and helping shape the future of Daybreak.

This is a unique role for a unique stage in our journey. If you’re unsure whether your experience is a perfect match but feel excited about the possibilities, we encourage you to apply. Your perspective and skills could be just what we’re looking for.

We look forward to meeting you!