Design Operations Manager

CV in; Seattle, Northern (WA, KY); Hybrid; USD 113,000 - 185,000; Full time

Job summary

Bezos Academy is seeking a Design Operations Manager to build the operational backbone for a new direct-to-consumer initiative combining a mobile app, personalized learning, and physical materials. You will translate vision into structured processes and documentation for a multidisciplinary design team to deliver high-quality work on a fast-moving launch.

You will drive end-to-end coordination across digital and physical touchpoints, establish robust workflows in Asana/Bynder/GitLab/Jira, and

Qualifications

• Hold a Bachelor\'s degree or possess equivalent professional experience, demonstrating foundational knowledge relevant to design operations and product development.
• Bring five or more years of relevant experience, with at least two years specifically in design operations for a digital product.
• Demonstrate experience working across the full product development lifecycle with product and design teams, from discovery through launch and post-launch evaluation.
• Show a proven ability to manage complex, cross-functional workstreams and drive execution through strong organization, communication, and follow-through.
• Have a strong track record of building or improving team workflows, systems, and processes in fast-paced environments, focusing on clarity, scalability, and reliability.
• Possess advanced experience using workflow tools such as Asana, Bynder, GitLab, Jira, or similar systems to create scalable structures for tracking work and delivering design assets efficiently.
• Maintain a meticulous approach to documentation, ensuring that processes, decisions, and assets are clearly recorded and accessible to support scalability and consistency.
• Demonstrate comfort operating in early-stage or ambiguous environments where priorities are evolving, and making informed decisions with incomplete information is required.

Responsibilities

• Orchestrate the end-to-end coordination required to move a new product and brand from concept to reality, managing complex intake requirements and anticipating needs across a multidisciplinary team.
• Partner with product and engineering teams to clarify requirements, shape execution plans, and establish shared understanding across complex initiatives through structured communication.
• Map and optimize workflows across digital and physical touchpoints, ensuring alignment from concept to delivery for both app experiences and physical materials.
• Establish and maintain robust documentation and task flows using tools such as Asana, Bynder, GitLab, and Jira to manage design assets and monitor engineering delivery transparently.
• Lead the management of brand and marketing workstreams, including print production, and coordinate with external partners like illustrators and photographers to maintain quality and timelines.
• Oversee content development workflows, including curriculum writing, asset review, and deployment, ensuring that educational materials meet standards and schedule.
• Identify opportunities to improve team efficiency by leveraging new tools and approaches, introducing scalable structures and practices that reduce ambiguity and rework.
• Set up tracking systems and task flows that provide clear visibility into project status, risks, and dependencies, enabling proactive decision-making and communication.
• Support the establishment of clear process and documentation for scalable design systems, creating reusable assets and guidelines that accelerate future work.
• Contribute to a culture of continuous improvement by analyzing operational bottlenecks, proposing experiments, and implementing practical enhancements to the design operations lifecycle.

Skills

Cross-functional coordination

Project management

Documentation

Structured communication

Ambiguity tolerance

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

Asana

Bynder

GitLab

Jira

Job description

Design Operations Manager at Bezos Academy.

About the role

Bezos Academy is defining a new chapter in early childhood education by building a direct-to-consumer initiative that merges a mobile app, personalized learning experiences, and physical materials. This role is central to launching the product and brand behind that initiative, requiring a manager who can translate vision into operational reality. You will operate at the intersection of digital interfaces and physical materials, ensuring a cohesive experience for parents and children from first touch to final delivery. Your primary mission is to architect the operational backbone for this launch by bringing structure to ambiguity and establishing the systems, processes, and documentation required for a multidisciplinary design team to deliver high-quality work consistently. This is a foundational role in a fast-moving environment where both the product and the methodology are being defined in real time, demanding adaptability and strong judgment. You will own the end-to-end coordination required to move a new product and brand from concept to reality, influencing stakeholders through clarity and thoroughness.

Key facts

• Location: Seattle, Washington, United States


• Engagement: Full-time


• Compensation: The compensation package for this role in Seattle, WA ranges from $113,000 to $185,000 annually. The upper third of the range is typically reserved for employees who have been in the role for multiple years and have demonstrated strong performance over time. Starting salary will vary based on qualifications and prior experience.

What you\'ll do

• Orchestrate the end-to-end coordination required to move a new product and brand from concept to reality, managing complex intake requirements and anticipating needs across a multidisciplinary team.


• Partner with product and engineering teams to clarify requirements, shape execution plans, and establish shared understanding across complex initiatives through structured communication.


• Map and optimize workflows across digital and physical touchpoints, ensuring alignment from concept to delivery for both app experiences and physical materials.


• Establish and maintain robust documentation and task flows using tools such as Asana, Bynder, GitLab, and Jira to manage design assets and monitor engineering delivery transparently.


• Lead the management of brand and marketing workstreams, including print production, and coordinate with external partners like illustrators and photographers to maintain quality and timelines.


• Oversee content development workflows, including curriculum writing, asset review, and deployment, ensuring that educational materials meet standards and schedule.


• Identify opportunities to improve team efficiency by leveraging new tools and approaches, introducing scalable structures and practices that reduce ambiguity and rework.


• Set up tracking systems and task flows that provide clear visibility into project status, risks, and dependencies, enabling proactive decision-making and communication.


• Support the establishment of clear process and documentation for scalable design systems, creating reusable assets and guidelines that accelerate future work.


• Contribute to a culture of continuous improvement by analyzing operational bottlenecks, proposing experiments, and implementing practical enhancements to the design operations lifecycle.

Requirements

• Hold a Bachelor\'s degree or possess equivalent professional experience, demonstrating foundational knowledge relevant to design operations and product development.


• Bring five or more years of relevant experience, with at least two years specifically in design operations for a digital product, showing depth in managing workflows and teams.


• Demonstrate experience working across the full product development lifecycle with product and design teams, from discovery through launch and post-launch evaluation.


• Show a proven ability to manage complex, cross-functional workstreams and drive execution through strong organization, communication, and follow-through.


• Have a strong track record of building or improving team workflows, systems, and processes in fast-paced environments, focusing on clarity, scalability, and reliability.


• Possess advanced experience using workflow tools such as Asana, Bynder, GitLab, Jira, or similar systems to create scalable structures for tracking work and delivering design assets efficiently.


• Maintain a meticulous approach to documentation, ensuring that processes, decisions, and assets are clearly recorded and accessible to support scalability and consistency.


• Demonstrate comfort operating in early-stage or ambiguous environments where priorities are evolving, and making informed decisions with incomplete information is required.

Nice to have

• Experience managing brand or marketing work, including print production and coordination with external partners, to ensure alignment between digital and physical outputs.


• Experience coordinating video production or content development workflows, including curriculum writing and deployment, to support comprehensive educational experiences.


• Experience establishing clear process and documentation for scalable design systems, contributing to long-term coherence and efficiency.


• Interest in exploring and applying AI tools to improve team efficiency and collaboration, experimenting responsibly within established workflows.


• Comfort operating in early-stage or ambiguous environments where priorities are evolving, and contributing to the definition of processes as the initiative grows.


• Experience supporting work with external partners, including managing contracts and budgets, to ensure effective collaboration and cost control.


• Experience collaborating with legal or procurement teams to navigate agreements, compliance, and procurement processes smoothly and professionally.

Practical notes

This role requires a commitment to in-person collaboration in the Eastlake neighborhood of Seattle for a minimum of two days each week, fostering close teamwork and alignment. Relocation support is available for those who qualify and move to the area to accept the position. The position is designated as full-time and benefits-eligible, with a salary range of $113,000 to $185,000 annually, reflective of experience and seniority within the defined bands. Applicants should be prepared to discuss how their background aligns with the minimum qualifications and how they can contribute to the critical work of establishing operations for a new educational initiative.