Studio Operations Manager — Part-Time, with Scope to Grow into a Full-Time Position
White Mosaic
Remote-first, with occasional meetings in North-West England
20–25 hours per week initially
Permanent, part-time
Salary: £30,000–£38,000 full-time equivalent. Actual starting salary approximately £16,000–£25,333 per year, depending on agreed hours and experience.
Additional performance-related bonus linked to agreed project-delivery and studio-operations targets.
About White Mosaic
White Mosaic is an ambitious landscape design studio creating high-value private gardens, architectural landscapes and exceptional client experiences.
Our work involves clients, designers, surveyors, engineers, specialist consultants, construction contractors and freelance creatives. We are looking for an experienced operator to build and manage the systems that keep this work moving.
This is not a passive PA position. We need someone who takes ownership, maintains standards, enforces deadlines and identifies problems before they become urgent.
The role
The Studio Operations Manager will report directly to the Design Director and take responsibility for the studio’s operational workflow.
The role will initially be 20–25 hours per week, with genuine potential to develop into a full-time position as White Mosaic grows and the successful candidate demonstrates measurable operational impact.
Your purpose is simple: ensure every enquiry, project and important task has a clear owner, next action and deadline.
Key responsibilitiesStudio operations
- Manage weekly priorities, deadlines and operational meetings.
- Maintain visibility across live enquiries, design projects and delivery work.
- Assign and follow up actions across employees, freelancers and contractors.
- Identify blocked work, missing information and capacity problems.
- Prepare concise weekly management reports.
Contractor and consultant management
- Manage contractor tendering, quotations and appointment processes.
- Prepare and issue clear briefs and scopes of work.
- Coordinate surveyors, engineers, designers and specialist consultants.
- Track availability, programmes, documentation and deliverables.
- Chase quotations, approvals and overdue information.
- Escalate quality, programme, commercial or communication problems promptly.
Systems and workflow management
- Maintain CRM, project, task and reporting systems.
- Improve templates, dashboards, SOPs and repeatable workflows.
- Ensure records have accurate owners, roles, dates, project codes and next actions.
- Protect confidential information and maintain appropriate access controls.
- Prevent uncontrolled duplication and fragmented working practices.
White Mosaic currently operates through Notion. Practical Notion proficiency is preferred but not essential. Candidates experienced with comparable platforms will be considered.
The successful candidate must be willing to work within and improve White Mosaic’s existing company-owned Notion system before proposing any replacement.
Finance administration
- Maintain the accuracy of invoice, expense and cashflow information.
- Monitor expected payments and overdue invoices.
- Prepare financial information and exceptions for the Design Director and accountant.
- Coordinate bookkeeping information without making tax or accounting decisions.
People and recruitment administration
- Maintain role descriptions, onboarding records, access registers and review dates.
- Coordinate recruitment stages and candidate information.
- Support the controlled transfer of responsibilities as the team grows.
Essential experience
- Operations, studio, office or project-management experience within a small professional-services business.
- Proven contractor-management experience covering tendering, quotations, scheduling, documentation, deadlines and follow-ups.
- Strong operational systems and workflow-management capability.
- Experience using CRM, project-management or database platforms.
- Excellent written communication and relentless follow-through.
- Confidence challenging incomplete information and escalating problems.
- Ability to work independently and handle confidential information.
- Existing right to work in the United Kingdom.
Desirable experience
- Architecture, landscape design, interiors, construction or creative-studio experience.
- Practical Notion proficiency, including databases, views, templates and workflows.
- Experience developing SOPs and management dashboards.
- Basic cashflow or bookkeeping administration experience.
- Experience coordinating remote employees, freelancers and consultants.
The right person
You will be organised without becoming bureaucratic. You will understand that recording a task is not the same as delivering it.
You will be comfortable following up firmly, challenging unrealistic priorities and taking responsibility for the result.
This role will not suit someone who needs constant instruction, avoids difficult conversations or is primarily seeking creative design work.
Working arrangements
- Initially 20–25 hours per week.
- Remote-first working.
- Occasional attendance at North-West studio, client or project meetings.
- Working pattern to be agreed with the successful candidate.
- Formal reviews of responsibilities and hours as the role develops.
- Genuine scope to progress into a full-time position.
- Performance-related bonus subject to agreed and measurable delivery targets.
How to apply
Please submit your CV together with a short covering statement answering:
- What experience do you have managing contractors and external consultants?
- Which operational or project-management systems have you used?
- Give one example of a disorganised process you successfully brought under control.
- What hours and working pattern are you seeking?
- Would you be interested in progressing to full-time as the role develops?
www.wm-design-ltd.co.uk
Pay: £30,000.00-£38,000.00 per year
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Warrington WA4 6HL
