Operations Leader: Build Systems & Scale Creative Programs

Walkup Studio; New York (NY); On-site; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Walkup Studio is seeking an Operations Manager to architect and run systems powering strategy, content production, talent programs, and client service. You’ll own resourcing, finance ops, legal workflows, and delivery, ensuring teams ship high-quality work on time and within scope.

You’ll lead planning rhythms, capacity management, forecasting, and vendor negotiations while implementing tools and SOPs to improve efficiency across IG/TikTok/YouTube/Pinterest workflows.

Qualifications

• ,
• 2–4 years in operations or project management at a marketing, social, or creative agency (multi-client environment).
• Proven track record running complex content/talent programs and production calendars with measurable results.
• Strong financial literacy: revenue recognition, margin management, forecasting, and cost controls.
• Fluency in SOWs, scopes, change orders, and usage/rights mechanics (organic, paid, whitelisting, renewals).
• Data-driven and systems-minded with excellent written comms and stakeholder management.
• Tech expertise (or equivalents): Asana/Notion/Monday, Google Workspace, Slack, QuickBooks (or similar), e-signature, DAM.

Responsibilities

• Build agency operating systems: planning cycles, weekly business rhythm, dashboards, and post-mortems.
• Translate strategy into resourced, calendarized plans; pressure-test scopes, timings, and budgets before we commit.
• Run capacity management and staffing across strategy, creative, production, community, and paid support.
• Partner with Founders on forecasting, margin targets, and monthly close hygiene (accruals, WIP, COGS, revenue pacing).
• Improve quoting/scoping templates; track burn vs. budget; flag risk early and drive change orders.
• Oversee invoicing cadence, collections follow-up, and vendor payments; standardize POs and cost controls.
• Evaluate and implement tooling for project management, asset routing, approvals, and reporting; drive adoption and SOPs.
• Standardize briefing, content calendars, QA, and delivery workflows across platforms (IG/TikTok/YouTube/Pinterest, etc.).
• Continuously optimize: identify bottlenecks, measure cycle times, and roll out process improvements.
• Operationalize SOWs/MSAs, NDAs, and talent/influencer agreements; maintain version control and clause libraries.
• Ensure usage rights, licensing windows, whitelisting/boosting permissions, and FTC disclosure compliance.
• Manage vendor onboarding (COIs/W-9s), risk checks, and insurance requirements for productions and events.
• Establish a consistent client operating cadence (QBRs, status, reporting) and coach teams on accountability.
• Build a vendor/talent bench; negotiate rates and SLAs.
• Hire, mentor, and performance-manage Operations staff; nurture a culture of clarity, speed, and ownership.

Skills

Operations management

Project management

Data-driven

Stakeholder management

Tools

Asana

Notion

Monday.com

Google Workspace

Slack

QuickBooks

e-signature tools

DAM

Job description

Walkup Studio is seeking an Operations Manager to architect and run systems powering strategy, content production, talent programs, and client service. You’ll own resourcing, finance ops, legal workflows, and delivery, ensuring teams ship high-quality work on time and within scope.

You’ll lead planning rhythms, capacity management, forecasting, and vendor negotiations while implementing tools and SOPs to improve efficiency across IG/TikTok/YouTube/Pinterest workflows.