Design Operations Assistant

The Role

As the Design Operations Assistant you will be supporting the smooth, efficient running of our Advanced Design Studio, ensuring team have the right environment, tools and support to deliver outstanding design. This role owns the day-to-day operations of the studio, including supporting with the departmental calendar and key processes, and provides proactive administrative support to the Design Director and the first line leadership.

The successful candidate will act as a central point of coordination between Design, IT, Facilities, Safety and other partners to ensure operational activities are executed to a high standard. With a strong focus on organisation, service and team culture, the Design Operation Assistant helps create a safe, inclusive and well resource studio where everyone can do their best work.

Key Job Elements

• Coordinate day to day studio operations, including ownership of the departmental calendar, key processes and routine communications.
• Provide general administrative support to the first line leadership, including diary management, travel booking, meeting coordination and logistics for the Design Director.
• Support training planning and forecasting for the studio, helping track requirements, schedules and completion.
• Lead preparation for studio audits, ensuring documentation, processes and spaces are compliant and audit ready.
• Manage overall office and studio stock levels and work closely with the Design Business Coordinator to ensure teams have the right supplies, tools and materials.
• Coordinate programme and studio reviews, working with key stakeholders to ensure all requirements are in place (for example, rooms, display boards, properties, AV equipment and other review assets).
• Monitor safe storage and usage of studio art materials, adhesives and cleaners, and coordinate replenishment of studio art materials in line with safety guidance.
• Initiate, track and manage requests to support the studio, including shipping, supplies, clay, equipment needs, work orders, maintenance and other facilities related actions.
• Support end users with self help IT tools, create and follow IT tickets and work orders, as well as escalating to IT where needed to enable timely resolution of issues.
• Manage and maintain the studio's inventory of hardware, peripherals, adapters and cables.
• Provide end users with loaner devices, peripherals and hardware setups as required, ensuring continuity of work.
• Partner with the studio safety champion to coordinate required work with Facilities, Safety and Studio teams, helping maintain a safe, compliant environment.
• Champion a positive team culture by helping collate and share relevant messaging around safety and diversity, equity and inclusion, and reinforcing studio ways of working.

Candidate Requirements, Skills & Abilities

• This role is categorized as 'on site', and you will normally be expected to work full time in studio.
• Experience in studio, office or operations coordination, ideally in a creative or design environment preferred, but not mandatory.
• Ability to develop creative and innovative solutions to problems.
• Ability to manage timing of multiple deliverables at one time.
• Demonstratable look ahead skills to anticipate studio needs.
• High degree of organisational skills and attention to detail.
• Work independently, take initiative and complete tasks with minimal supervision.
• Basic confidence with hardware/AV setups and working with IT.
• Strong organisation and prioritisation; able to manage multiple calendars, requests and inventories.
• Clear communicator who can coordinate across different teams and levels.
• Service oriented, proactive problem solver who spots and addresses issues early.
• Awareness of safety and compliance in a studio environment and commitment to an inclusive team culture.
• Required: Bachelor's degree or equivalent skill, experience or training.