Studio Manager

Koto; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus up to 10%

Private medical insurance

Pension contributions

25 days holiday

Global studio access

Job summary

Koto is seeking a proactive Studio Manager to helm day-to-day operations in our London studio. You will coordinate facilities, vendors, hospitality, and IT support while upholding health, safety, and sustainability standards to create an inspiring environment.

Working with the Operations Manager and London MD, you’ll drive office moves, budget planning, and events, nurture relationships with local design partners, and champion our DEI agenda across the studio and global community.

Responsibilities

• Own the day-to-day running of the studio, managing facilities, vendors, and supplies.
• Act as H&S Officer for London, including fire compliance.
• Ensure first-class experiences for clients and visitors.
• Support IT and Operations with hardware, software, and desks.
• Facilitate onboarding for new hires.
• Coordinate travel, meetings, and events with budget discipline.
• Lead transitions to new office spaces with leadership and finance involvement.
• Collaborate with global Studio Managers to share standards and nurture culture.
• Build relationships with design schools and local partners.
• Support ESG, 1% For The Planet, ISO compliance in London.
• Lead special projects like merchandise and immersive client experiences.

Job description

You are the heartbeat of the studio. As the lynchpin of our physical space, and to an extent our virtual experiences, and ultimately our culture, you ensure Koto is an inspiring, seamless, and world-class environment for our team and our clients.

Your Responsibilities

1. Own the day-to-day running of the studio—from managing landlords and vendors (cleaning, maintenance, pest control) to keeping us stocked with the best food, beverages, and stationery. In addition you will act as the H&S Officer for London, inclusive of fire compliance.
2. Ensure every client, partner, or visiting Koto leader receives a first-class experience the moment they walk through our doors.
3. Support IT and Operations with hardware procurement, software rollouts, and desk setups to ensure the team has exactly what they need to create and deliver amazing work to our clients.
4. Facilitate the onboarding journey for new hires, ensuring they are set up for professional fulfilment from day one.
5. Act as a natural-born organizer, supporting with travel arrangements, meeting rooms, and client events with precision and budget-sensibility.
6. In support of the Operations Manager and London MD, you will play a key role in transitioning us into new office spaces. Helping to manage the process to tight timelines and budgets alongside the operations and finance team, and studio leadership.
7. You will collaborate with Koto’s global community of Studio Managers, helping to share knowledge and uphold a set of global standards, as well partnering with Koto leadership to codify and nurture Koto’s culture. You’ll plan everything from weekly socials and employee gifts to supporting or leading on global summer and winter offsites. You will also champion DEI initiatives for London and be an active member of Koto’s global community in this respect.
8. Help to establish Koto as a pillar of the local design community by building relationships with design schools, publications, and creative peers, and furthermore identify additional opportunities for Koto to support the local community through proactive initiatives and partnerships.
9. Proactively embrace global operations initiatives such as 1% For The Planet, ESG and ISO compliance as they relate to the London studio.
10. Spearhead special projects that help Koto show up in "unexpected ways"—think Koto merchandise, niche production projects, and experimental client experiences.

Our Responsibilities

• We will ensure you have meaningful and regular access to your manager to support your personal development and career trajectory.
• We will actively reward performance with promotions, pay increases and a discretionary annual bonus of up to 10% of salary to all employees.
• We ensure Koto is an equal environment for all its employees regardless of race, gender, age, or sexual preference.
• We will support you in taking family leave and offer significant paid maternity and paternity.
• We will actively encourage you to take 25 days holiday yearly, in addition to UK bank holidays (on average eight), one additional holiday day per year (capped at 5 additional days), and a studio closure between Christmas and New Year.
• We will contribute an additional 3% to anyone wanting to engage in the Scottish Widows pension scheme.
• We offer private medical insurance via Vitality Health and a monthly ‘employee wellness’ benefits package via Juno of £75 per month.
• We offer access to YCN and fund relevant training opportunities to any employee looking to develop themselves and career.
• We reward five years of service with £5,000 and five days holiday. We reward ten years of service with £10,000 and four weeks holiday.
• We will give you the opportunity to work from any of the five koto studios globally, with appropriate planning and application.

Our Culture

• At Koto we encourage our team to be‘rationally optimistic’about the potential of our work, our clients, their businesses, and the power of brand.
• We pursue the best briefs, want to inspire meaningful work, and for those interested provide an opportunity to make the work of their lives. We are actively cultivating leadership, culture and spaces to encourage this.
• We work in person with an optional WFH day on Friday, and an additional 20 days remote a year. We believe this produces the best work, mentoring opportunities, collective learning and culture.
• We encourage autonomy in each member of our team, allowing them to manage their own time, hours and personal commitments appropriately to complete work.