Creative Ops Specialist

Express & Bonobos; Columbus (OH); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

PHOENIX Retail, LLC. is seeking a Creative Ops Specialist at the Columbus Corporate Headquarters to lead planning, coordination, and execution of Express campaign photo and video shoots.

You will manage production timelines, asset workflows, and cross-functional coordination from pre-production through final delivery. The role oversees day-to-day production, partnering with Creative, Brand Marketing, Styling, Merchandising, and post-production teams, plus external agencies and talent.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in Production, Operations, Creative, Marketing, or related field
• 3-5 years of experience in creative production, campaign production, creative operations, or marketing project management
• Experience supporting or leading photo and video shoot production in brand, retail, fashion, or agency environment
• Strong understanding of creative marketing workflows, production timelines, and asset delivery processes
• Experience managing multiple projects in a deadline-driven environment
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and project tracking tools
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to adapt quickly, problem-solve, and maintain momentum

Responsibilities

• Lead project timelines, calendars, and milestones for campaign shoots across Express marketing channels
• Primary contact for shoot production planning from kickoff through final asset delivery
• Coordinate all phases of production including pre-production, shoot, and post-production
• Coordinate with internal teams and external agencies, production partners, and talent
• Manage asset reviews, approvals, and asset delivery to ensure on-time completion
• Track budgets, estimates, invoices, and usage rights
• Schedule and lead Creative Operations and production status meetings
• Organize production documentation and maintain deal memos, contracts, and approvals
• Support budget oversight and reconciliation with Finance

Skills

Project management

Communication skills

Organizational skills

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Photo/Video production

Cross-functional collaboration

Deadline-driven

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Project tracking tools

Job description

Overview

About PHOENIX

PHOENIX Retail, LLC is a retail platform operating the Express and Bonobos brands worldwide.

About Express

Express is a multichannel apparel brand dedicated to a design philosophy rooted in modern, confident and effortless style whether dressing for work, everyday or special occasions. Since its launch in 1980, the brand has embraced a design philosophy rooted in modern, confident and effortless style. Express ensures you look and feel your best, wherever life takes you. The Company operates over 400 retail and outlet stores in the United States and Puerto Rico, the express.com online store and the Express mobile app.

About Bonobos

Our Bonobos menswear brand is known for being a style instigator and offering perfect-fit risks through our innovative retail model and personalized experience. Launched online in 2007 with its signature line of chinos, Bonobos now offers a variety of styles available to order online and to try on at any one of our 50 Guideshop locations and at www.bonobos.com. Our Guideshops are in-real-life stores that deliver one-on-one service and expert fit advice. Don't think traditional retail, Bonobos is something you haven't seen before.

Location Name

Columbus Corporate Headquarters

Responsibilities

The Creative Ops Specialist is responsible for leading the planning, coordination, and execution of campaign photo and video shoot production for the Express brand. This role plays a critical part in bringing brand campaigns to life, managing production timelines, key milestones, asset workflows, and cross-functional coordination from pre-production through final delivery.

This role oversees day-to-day photo shoot production across campaign and marketing content, partnering closely with internal Creative, Brand Marketing, Styling, Merchandising, and post-production teams, as well as external creative agencies, production partners, and talent representatives. The Senior Specialist serves as a key operational lead throughout the production process, ensuring all shoots are executed efficiently, aligned to creative objectives, and delivered on time and within budget.

In addition to production execution, this role supports budget oversight for photo shoot production, including tracking estimates, managing invoices, monitoring usage terms, and helping ensure projects remain within approved budget parameters. This is a highly collaborative role that requires strong project management, excellent communication, operational rigor, and the ability to manage multiple moving parts in a fast-paced creative environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead project timelines, calendars, and key milestones related to campaign photo and video shoots across Express marketing channels
• Serve as a primary point of contact for photo shoot production planning, ensuring timelines, deliverables, dependencies, and approvals are clearly communicated and managed from kickoff through final asset delivery
• Coordinate all phases of production, including pre-production, shoot execution, and post-production follow-through
• Partner with internal creative leaders and cross-functional stakeholders to align on production needs, timing, deliverables, and execution plans
• Coordinate with external creative agencies, production partners, and talent representatives to support smooth planning and execution of shoots
• Build and maintain detailed production timelines that account for concepting, casting, sample management, logistics, shoot dates, retouching, editing, asset delivery, and channel-specific deadlines
• Manage project tickets, asset requests, approvals, and delivery deadlines to ensure all required deliverables are completed accurately and on time
• Schedule and lead Creative Operations and production status meetings to review milestones, identify risks, and keep work moving across teams
• Facilitate asset review and approval meetings with internal and external stakeholders
• Partner with cross-functional teams to flag upcoming deadlines, risks, and dependencies, and proactively recommend solutions to maintain momentum
• Support sample ordering, packing, shipping, and tracking for shoots, ensuring product readiness and timely arrival for production needs
• Organize and maintain production documentation, including deal memos, contracts, talent agreements, music licensing, usage rights, and related approvals
• Track asset usage by channel and monitor compliance with signed contracts and usage agreements
• Assist in the coordination of shoot logistics, including schedules, call sheets, vendor communications, and on-set support as needed
• Partner with post-production teams to ensure photo retouching, video editing, selects, and final asset routing are completed according to deadlines and brand standards
• Route final assets to internal and external partners and help ensure proper organization, naming, and storage of deliverables
• Support budget oversight for photo shoot production, including estimate tracking, invoice management, and monitoring spend against approved budgets
• Partner with team leadership and Finance as needed to ensure production costs are aligned to budget parameters and properly reconciled
• Maintain organized records and filing systems for production materials, contracts, approvals, and asset usage documentation
• Contribute to process improvement efforts that enhance production efficiency, visibility, and communication across teams
• Support additional production and operational needs as assigned

Required Experience & Qualifications

Essential Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in Production, Operations, Traffic, Creative, Marketing, or a related field
• 3-5 years of experience in creative production, campaign production, creative operations, or marketing project management
• Experience supporting or leading photo and video shoot production in a brand, retail, fashion, or agency environment
• Strong understanding of creative marketing workflows, production timelines, and asset delivery processes
• Experience managing multiple projects simultaneously in a deadline-driven environment
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and project tracking tools
• Strong organizational skills and exceptional attention to detail
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across multiple cross-functional teams
• Ability to adapt quickly, problem-solve proactively, and maintain momentum in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to manage sensitive details, timelines, and approvals with accuracy and professionalism

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in fashion, retail, e-commerce, or campaign production environments
• Familiarity with production budgets, invoice tracking, and usage rights management
• Experience working with external production agencies, photographers, talent teams, or creative vendors
• Experience supporting post-production workflows, including retouching, editing, and final asset delivery
• Knowledge of asset management and file organization best practices

Critical Skills & Attributes

• Highly organized and detail-oriented
• Strong project manager with excellent follow-through
• Clear and proactive communicator
• Collaborative and solutions-oriented
• Calm under pressure and able to manage shifting priorities
• Operationally minded with strong time management skills
• Resourceful, accountable, and deadline-driven
• Positive, flexible team player with a proactive mindset
• Able to balance creative sensitivity with disciplined execution

Closing

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Applicants must be currently authorized to work full-time in the United States. PHOENIX does not sponsor applicants for work visas (e.g., H-1B or TN status) for this position.

An equal opportunity employer, PHOENIX does not discriminate in recruiting, hiring or any other terms and conditions of employment hiring on the basis of any federal, state, or locally protected characteristic. PHOENIX only hires individuals authorized for employment in the United States. PHOENIX is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If you need an accommodation to search and apply for a job position due to a disability, please call 1-800-964-9793 and say 'Associate Relations' or send an e-mail to [e-mail] and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.

Notification to Agencies

Please note that PHOENIX does not accept unsolicited resumes or calls from third-party recruiters or employment agencies. In the absence of a signed Master Service Agreement and approval from HR to submit resumes for a specific requisition, PHOENIX will not consider or approve payment to any third-parties for hires made.