Senior Creative Services/Operations Manager

Reporting to the Head of Marketing & Communications (MarCom), the Sr. Creative Services/Operations Manager plays a key role in executing and managing creative projects at First Mode. In this role, the Sr. Creative Services Manager helps define and optimize ways of delivering creative work products that are on-scope, on-time, and on-budget across a high-volume of work and frequently in parallel with multiple concurrent projects across the organization.  

With deep art/creative media direction experience and understanding of the creative process, plus knowledge of Creative Services’ value-added contribution to First Mode’s broader success, the Sr. Creative Services/Operations Manager will bring a track record of balancing the creative talents of their team with the needs of a high-velocity product innovation company. They will be responsible for end-to-end work planning and process flows from inquiry, intake, concept, and scope refinements to the coordinated review, approval, and shipment of final deliverables in direct collaboration with appropriate stakeholders, including the Sr. Director of Marketing & Communications.  

Altogether, this position is the driving force for a high-performing Creative Services team, managing the work and impact of the team (including freelancers) and ensuring their outputs are on-brand, on-time, and on-budget, even amid changes to the business that could result in unexpected shifts in deliverables and/or priorities. Importantly, success in role will include staying up-to-date on industry trends, emerging technologies, and creative disciplinary best practices to drive excellence across all First Mode creative projects.

• Supervisory Responsibilities:
  • Lead creative teams and key partners to scope, develop, and maintain ideal ways of working that ensure the successful on-time delivery of service line projects. 
  • Delegate, empower, and mentor team members to execute tasks and assignments that are both realistic for the individual and appropriate for their professional growth. 
  • Serve as creative lead and create space for creative thinking and iteration, including through the informal gut-checking of creative ideas and formal design critique/feedback sessions that serve to strengthen the work products of the team and MarCom function.  
  • Implement and update operational processes across the MarCom team that allow them to collaborate more efficiently, and foster creativity and innovation. 
  • Partner with your manager to prioritize goals, define and implement resource management and staffing strategies, and deliver cross-functional success as a service line. 
  • Support company-wide knowledge management, including in the development and maintenance of appropriate brand and asset tools, and the supervision of inventory and storage processes that ensure staff resources are accessible and up to date. 
  • Develop and maintain playbooks and reference materials that codify creative processes, requirements, best practices, and support streamlined content development in collaboration with colleagues across the organization. 
  • Meet requirements necessary to effectively manage the execution of photography and/or videography related tasks while at an active mine site and/or non-First Mode location. 
  • Being the initial point of contact for your team members and advocating and supporting individuals on your team, while also rolling up your sleeves to advance creative work when needed. 
  • Proactively identify solutions to challenges as they arise, working with your manager and team as needed to meet the needs of a product innovation company with offices and initiatives that span different time zones. 
  • Demonstrate flexibility and commitment to meet project deadlines and address urgent issues outside of regular business hours. 
  • Leveraging design experience and industry best practices to identify opportunities for creative and professional growth of team members. 
  • Organize regular 1:1s with team members, with a focus on cultivating a work environment where people can thrive. 
  • Oversee timesheet, PTO, and expense report review and approval as appropriate. 
  • Define strategy and break down problems into pieces for your team members to own and execute to completion. 
  • Provide regular feedback and coaching to team members on their work product. 
  •  Assume that everything your manager and/or people tell you, positive or negative in tone/nature, is on a need-to-know basis. Sharing with other members of your team, other teams, and/or colleagues at FM is not only against our values (safety) but could potentially create a compliance or legal issue. 
• Duties/Responsibilities:
  • Manage and continuously strengthen the intake and creative development process to ensure business needs including visual brand requirements are met every time.  
  • Collaboratively plan and structure work, and then assign tasks to oneself and/or team members with clear priorities and deadlines. Track and communicate deadlines and deliverables to all relevant stakeholders to ensure expectations are managed and issues are sufficiently addressed if/when they arise.  
  • Monitor the progress of different tasks, check in with teams to make sure everyone can deliver on time, and, if required, effectively and efficiently reassign or reschedule tasks (including by outsourcing to freelancers) to balance workload for oneself and/or the Creative team. 
  •  Collaborate closely with the Senior Director, Marketing & Communications, and other leaders to plan, delegate, and manage the creative workload.  
  •  Collaborate closely with key members of the MarCom and Creative Services team to tighten and uphold brand standards, as well as establish and regularly audit best practices so processes are continuously optimized and service line commitments are consistently met, including during periods of dynamic change to the business. 
• Other Duties:
  • Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Functions, duties, responsibilities, and activities extend across the full remit of creative service line commitments in marketing and communications, both internal and external, and may ebb and flow at any time with or without notice. 

• Ability to communicate verbally and in writing. 

• Depth of experience in graphic design, creative media (e.g., photography and videography), and relevant creative processes to effectively scope project work and conduct quality assurance checks that ensure all creative assets developed and deployed reflect First Mode’s level of marketplace innovation while meeting brand standards and project requirements, including but not limited to budget and deadline. 
• Strong project management skills, including the ability to plan, execute, and oversee creative projects from start to finish in the Adobe Suite, among other creative platforms and tools, ensuring deadlines and budgets are met as scoped. 
• Excellent collaboration skills that support working closely with team members (e.g., graphic designers, creative media producers, copywriters, brand strategists, digital marketing specialists) as well as third party contractors and external agencies – fostering effective alignment and a positive work experience for staff. 
• Exceptional communication skills, both written and verbal, to provide clear direction, updates, and reports to stakeholders and team members. 
• Flexibility and adaptability to navigate changes in project scope or direction, while still ensuring successful project delivery. 
• Creative problem-solving abilities to identify potential roadblocks, proactively resolve issues, and maintain project momentum. 
• Demonstrated leadership skills and experience in managing teams; additional experience in managing cross-functional stakeholder groups is advantageous. 
• Effective time management skills to handle multiple projects simultaneously and prioritize tasks to meet deadlines. 

• You will be asked to submit a portfolio, and support IC design work as needed during this application and interview process
• Ability to sit for long periods of time.
• Ability to handle long periods of screen time. 
• Ability to travel and meet the physical requirements necessary to manage the execution of photography and/or videography related tasks while at an active mine site and/or non-First Mode location. 
• Ability to occasionally push, pull, lift, and/or carry up to 15 pounds. The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• The position is full-time and may require working times outside of normal business hours to accommodate the needs of a dynamic global business, and ensure deliverables are met potentially across different time zones. 

• This position will be located at First Mode’s headquarters in Seattle, WA and will be required to work in office >60% of working hours. 

$123,250 - $155,875

• Annual bonus incentive
• Equity-based awards
• 100% employer-paid health insurance (medical, dental, vision)
• 401(k) retirement account with a 3% employer contribution from the start of employment
• Flexible PTO with 12 weeks of supplementary paid parental leave
• Commuter benefits (parking & public transportation)
• A culture that encourages professional growth with learning and development reimbursements
• Open and collaborative workspace with free office snacks and lunches
• Hybrid work model

#LI-Hybrid