Operations Manager - Interior Design

Fusion DNA; Slough; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Fusion DNA, a London-based interior design and architecture studio, seeks an Operations Manager to lead finance, HR, and office operations. You will manage invoices, payroll, procurement, and project administration while supporting business development efforts.

The role requires strong organisational skills, proactive process improvement, and a hands-on approach in a collaborative team, driving profitability and growth for projects in hospitality and design.

Qualifications

• Experience in a project or consultancy environment is preferred.
• Strong administration and numeracy with budgeting awareness.
• Experience with tenders, bids and proposals.
• Familiar with Xero and project management systems.
• Excellent relationship-building and communication skills.
• Comfortable working across finance, HR, operations.

Responsibilities

• Raise invoices and monitor payments with the finance team.
• Prepare monthly financial summaries and budgets with the accountant.
• Manage hiring, onboarding and staff records; run payroll via provider.
• Oversee office management, IT coordination and software subscriptions.
• Support bid submissions, proposals and marketing outputs.
• Streamline internal processes and maintain filing standards.
• Support Directors and act as main point of contact for internal stakeholders.

Skills

Organization

Relationship building

Communication

Project management

Numerical skills

Attention to detail

Team player

Tools

Xero

PM Software

Office Suite

Job description

Operations Manager /Interior Design

Fusion DNA

Southwark, Central London (4 days office-based, one day WFH)

Competitive salary plus great benefits and performance bonuses

ABOUT US

Fusion is a London-based interior design and architecture studio specialising in the hospitality sector, both nationally and internationally.

Since 1998, we've delivered projects for clients ranging from independent operators to global hospitality brands, such as Everyman Cinemas and Nandos. Our approach is rooted in intelligent purposeful design that works. We blend creativity with practical expertise to deliver spaces that don't just look exceptional but perform beautifully.

It's this balance of function and inspiration that defines our ethos: design that works, spaces that inspire. We work collaboratively to bring each client's unique vision to life and create thoughtful solutions that stand the test of time.

WHO WE’RE LOOKING FOR

We’re looking for an approachable, energetic Operations Manager to join us in a varied, hands‑on role at the heart of the business.

This is definitely not a role where every day looks the same. We’re after someone with a positive, upbeat disposition who loves keeping lots of plates spinning, who’s a great relationship builder, and is equally comfortable raising invoices, driving new business, supporting recruitment, keeping the office running smoothly and ensuring the company is profitable. Clearly, you’ll be hugely proactive as we need someone who can implement new systems and processes to support us, our projects and our teams.

You’ll need to have worked in a project or consultancy environment, ideally within the built environment, as we’d really like you to be interested in what we do and the projects we deliver. You’ll understand how projects work, be familiar with tenders and proposals, and have a good strong commercial mindset.

It’s likely you will have been working in a fast--paced role within Operations or even an Executive Assistant, who’s supported an Executive Team within a busy, project-based consultancy.

We’re a small, highly collaborative team, and many of us have been with Fusion since the very beginning. We work closely, muck in when needed and genuinely enjoy working together, so finding someone who fits naturally into the team is just as important to us as what’s on their CV.

If you’re organised, positive, commercially switched-on and the sort of person who naturally makes things happen, we’d love to hear from you.

THE ROLE

This is a busy, hands‑on, position. We’re looking for someone to automate processes where possible whilst working with our internal and external stakeholders to ensure our business runs smoothly at all times. You’ll be responsible for the following areas:

Finance and Commercial Support in conjunction with our Finance team

• Raise invoices (fees, staged payments, retainers)
• Track incoming payments and chase debtors in collaboration with our small Finance function
• Monitor cashflow along with our Finance team, and flag risks early, maintaining budgets and fee trackers
• Track timesheets vs project fees to provide profitability insight
• Ensure that monthly financial summaries are prepared on time and liaise with accountant/bookkeeper where necessary (VAT, payroll inputs)

HR

• Manage hiring processes, from advertising to offers, employment contracts and onboarding
• Maintain staff records (holidays, sick leave, reviews) & support performance review cycles.
• Run payroll process (with external provider)
• Handle basic HR issues and policies and ensure compliance with employment law in conjunction with our external HR function.

Studio Operations and Associated Admin

• Office management (rent, utilities, supplies, maintenance)
• Manage software subscriptions (AutoCAD, Adobe, etc.) & IT coordination (with external provider if needed)
• Maintain filing systems and document management standards
• Health & safety compliance (office-level) and conduct insurance admin (PI, public liability, etc.)

Project Admin Support

• Support delivery of fee proposals ensuring timely submissions and consistent tracking.

Business Development Support

• Maintain website updates (coordinating externally), contact database, tracking leads and opportunities pipeline
• Help prepare bid documents / presentations, and coordinate marketing outputs (portfolio updates, awards submissions) and business development efforts.

Internal Systems And Process

• Streamline and standardize internal systems and processes where necessary.

Director Support

• Support our Directors where appropriate, also acting as a main POC for all internal stakeholders.

ABOUT YOU

• A natural organiser who enjoys being at the centre of a busy, collaborative business.
• Approachable, energetic and practical, with the ability to keep lots of moving parts on track without losing sight of the detail.
• Strong administration skills, ideally with some experience of Xero, Project Management Systems and of course highly computer literate.
• Proactive and keen on streamlining and improving systems and processes.
• A relationship builder and natural communicator, flexible and resilient.
• Some experience in a project-based or consultancy environment, ideally within architecture, engineering, construction or the wider built environment
• A good understanding of project management, project finances and budgets
• Experience supporting tenders, bids and proposals
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to juggle competing priorities
• Confidence with numbers and commercial information
• Good judgement, attention to detail and plenty of common sense
• Above all, you’ll be a genuine team player. We’re a close-knit team who work collaboratively and help each other out, so we’re looking for someone who’ll fit with our ethos - and who’ll bring their own energy and personality to Fusion.

If you feel we could be looking for you, we’d love to hear from you. The role is likely to progress for the right individual and in time there may be an opportunity to take a more senior, high‑profile role and also gain equity.

You may work as Operations Manager, Practice Manager, Administration Manager, Executive Assistant or similar.