What are the responsibilities and job description for the Operations Manager position at Synectics Inc.?
The Opportunity
We are a women-led, full-service interior design and architecture firm known for emotionally resonant, highly personalized residential spaces. Founded by Lulu Friedman, We blend creativity, functionality, and purpose to tell each client's story with clarity and intention.
We are seeking an Operations Manager to act as the operational heartbeat of the firm. This role exists to eliminate bottlenecks, strengthen systems, support designers, elevate the client experience, and ensure the studio runs smoothly, profitably, and sustainably as we grow.
This role is ideal for someone who enjoys building structure alongside a founder in an evolving, fast-moving studio, rather than stepping into a fully defined operational environment.
This is not a back-office role.
This is a leadership position for someone who thinks like a partner, acts with ownership, and moves ideas into execution.
Your Impact
You Will
Remove the principal as the operational bottleneck so she can remain in her visionary and creative role
Create calm, clarity, and flow across projects, people, and processes
Ensure the studio scales without burnout
Protect what is working while refining what is not
Success in this role looks like a studio that feels organized, energized, communicative, and deeply supported.
Experience & Background
Proven experience in operations, studio management, or leadership within a creative design firm or professional services firm
Strong understanding of project-based businesses, timelines, planning, and capacity management
Comfort working closely with a founder to co-create structure, with the ability to take on increasing independent authority over time
Experience supporting growing teams through change and scale
Architecture or interior design industry experience is highly valued, though operational excellence in comparable creative environments is also relevant
Core Responsibilities
Studio Operations & Systems
Design, implement, and continuously refine systems for project flow, timelines, calendars, and deliverables
Ensure projects move forward smoothly and proactively resolve timeline shifts and capacity challenges
Organize and standardize processes across all services without overcomplicating what already works
Build operational structure that allows the team to do their best work and stay in their areas of strength
Implement project-level tracking so designers understand performance during and after each project
Team Leadership & Coordination
Handle team questions, issues, and decisions before they escalate to the principal
Foster a culture where communication is open, respectful, and collaborative
Client Experience & Communication
Oversee client intake, follow-up, and ongoing communication systems
Protect our client experience across all touchpoints
Business Growth & Strategic Support
Partner with the owner on business growth initiatives, ideas, and exploration
Continuously assess studio health and recommend adjustments to team structure, roles, or processes as the firm evolves
Build from mistakes and challenges, turning issues into systems and opportunities
Studio Health & Culture
Maintain this as a place where people are proud and excited to work
Ensure accountability without micromanagement, and clarity without rigidity
Who You Are
A natural leader who earns trust quickly
Detail-oriented without getting stuck in perfection
Agile, responsive, and comfortable moving fast
Calm under pressure and solutions-focused when plans shift
Honest, direct, and open in communication
Accountable to your word
Independent and self-directed
Oriented toward results, not over-engineering
You see problems as information. You protect what works. You make everything and everyone more effective without draining the culture.
Benefits & Work Environment
Flexible schedule within a Monday-Friday work week
Warm, supportive, and collaborative studio culture
Small to mid-size firm where your work has visible impact
Leadership and decision-making
A workplace that values trust, clarity, and human connection , You will help shape how the studio grows, how the team thrives, and how meaningful work is delivered.
There is a clear opportunity for this role to grow into a Director-level position over time as the business structure matures.
We are a women-led, full-service interior design and architecture firm known for emotionally resonant, highly personalized residential spaces. Founded by Lulu Friedman, We blend creativity, functionality, and purpose to tell each client's story with clarity and intention.
We are seeking an Operations Manager to act as the operational heartbeat of the firm. This role exists to eliminate bottlenecks, strengthen systems, support designers, elevate the client experience, and ensure the studio runs smoothly, profitably, and sustainably as we grow.
This role is ideal for someone who enjoys building structure alongside a founder in an evolving, fast-moving studio, rather than stepping into a fully defined operational environment.
This is not a back-office role.
This is a leadership position for someone who thinks like a partner, acts with ownership, and moves ideas into execution.
Your Impact
You Will
Remove the principal as the operational bottleneck so she can remain in her visionary and creative role
Create calm, clarity, and flow across projects, people, and processes
Ensure the studio scales without burnout
Protect what is working while refining what is not
Success in this role looks like a studio that feels organized, energized, communicative, and deeply supported.
Experience & Background
Proven experience in operations, studio management, or leadership within a creative design firm or professional services firm
Strong understanding of project-based businesses, timelines, planning, and capacity management
Comfort working closely with a founder to co-create structure, with the ability to take on increasing independent authority over time
Experience supporting growing teams through change and scale
Architecture or interior design industry experience is highly valued, though operational excellence in comparable creative environments is also relevant
Core Responsibilities
Studio Operations & Systems
Design, implement, and continuously refine systems for project flow, timelines, calendars, and deliverables
Ensure projects move forward smoothly and proactively resolve timeline shifts and capacity challenges
Organize and standardize processes across all services without overcomplicating what already works
Build operational structure that allows the team to do their best work and stay in their areas of strength
Implement project-level tracking so designers understand performance during and after each project
Team Leadership & Coordination
Handle team questions, issues, and decisions before they escalate to the principal
Foster a culture where communication is open, respectful, and collaborative
Client Experience & Communication
Oversee client intake, follow-up, and ongoing communication systems
Protect our client experience across all touchpoints
Business Growth & Strategic Support
Partner with the owner on business growth initiatives, ideas, and exploration
Continuously assess studio health and recommend adjustments to team structure, roles, or processes as the firm evolves
Build from mistakes and challenges, turning issues into systems and opportunities
Studio Health & Culture
Maintain this as a place where people are proud and excited to work
Ensure accountability without micromanagement, and clarity without rigidity
Who You Are
A natural leader who earns trust quickly
Detail-oriented without getting stuck in perfection
Agile, responsive, and comfortable moving fast
Calm under pressure and solutions-focused when plans shift
Honest, direct, and open in communication
Accountable to your word
Independent and self-directed
Oriented toward results, not over-engineering
You see problems as information. You protect what works. You make everything and everyone more effective without draining the culture.
Benefits & Work Environment
Flexible schedule within a Monday-Friday work week
Warm, supportive, and collaborative studio culture
Small to mid-size firm where your work has visible impact
Leadership and decision-making
A workplace that values trust, clarity, and human connection , You will help shape how the studio grows, how the team thrives, and how meaningful work is delivered.
There is a clear opportunity for this role to grow into a Director-level position over time as the business structure matures.