Design Studio Manager

Craft Agency Ltd; New York (NY); On-site; USD 145,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) match

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Life insurance

Paid vacation

Flexible spending accounts

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

Craft Agency Ltd in New York is seeking a Design Studio Director to oversee their in-house creative agency. The position involves managing a growing team of 18 professionals across various design disciplines, ensuring operational efficiency and brand consistency.

The ideal candidate has 8-12 years of experience in creative operations, project management, or leadership, and is familiar with the built environment or technology sectors. The role offers a salary range of $145,000 to $200,000 along with various benefits including a 401(k) match and flexible work days.

Qualifications

• 8-12 years of experience in creative operations or project management.
• At least 5 years leading creative teams.
• Experience in the built environment or technology sectors.

Responsibilities

• Manage a communications team of 18 across multiple disciplines.
• Own workflow, capacity planning, and team development.
• Lead annual headcount and budget planning.

Skills

Creative operations

Project management

Team leadership

Multidisciplinary team management

Budget planning

Job description

This is a Design Studio Director role inside the in-house creative agency of a 60-year-old, family-owned manufacturer – the company that effectively invented the lighting-control industry and still leads the global market.

The NYC studio went from 2 people to 18 in 14 months, and this is a foundational hire. You’ll be the person who gives that growth an operational backbone.

The Role

You report to the Creative Director and act as their operational right hand, turning brand vision into plans a 40-person internal agency can actually execute.

Day-to-day, you’ll manage the communications team of 18, spanning six disciplines: 2D design, 3D rendering, photo and video, packaging and displays, copywriting, and social. You own workflow, capacity planning, and team development, and you coordinate brand consistency and resource sharing with the design hub.

The scope extends upward. You lead annual headcount and budget planning, advocate for design at the executive level, and support strategic work.

The Package

• $145,000 – $200,000
• Five days in the office
• 40 flexible work-from-home days per year
• 401(k) match, health, dental, and life insurance
• Paid vacation, flexible spending accounts & tuition reimbursement

The Person

You’ve spent between 8 – 12 years in creative operations, project management, or creative team leadership, with at least 5 years leading teams, and your background is in-house, not agency.

With experience building and running multidisciplinary teams across 2D, 3D, photo/video, packaging, copy, and social, and you’re used to translating a Creative Director’s vision into timelines, budgets, and resource plans across offices. Your category sits in the built environment, FF&E, automotive, or technology – likely a premium or B2B brand.