We’re Hiring – Senior Operations Manager

Senior Operations Manager
Location: Leaside, Toronto
Type: Full-Time

About Us
Gillian Gillies Interiors is a full-service residential interior design studio based in Toronto. We create immersive, tactile, and beautifully tailored homes that enhance daily life. Our collaborative culture is rooted in creativity, clarity, and care — for our clients, our craft, and our team.

The Opportunity
We’re seeking an experienced Senior Operations Manager to join our growing team. This is a pivotal, client-facing role that blends strategic operations, team leadership, and digital transformation.
The ideal candidate is digitally savvy, proactive, and solution-driven — someone who can manage people and processes with equal skill. You’ll be the operational heartbeat of the studio: leading with confidence, clarity, and warmth while ensuring projects, priorities, and communications all flow seamlessly.
You’ll also guide our migration to a new software platform, helping modernize and streamline how we work day to day.
If you’re a strategic thinker with a love of structure, systems, and creative collaboration — and you thrive in a fast-paced, design-driven environment — we’d love to hear from you.

Your Skills & Talents
5+ years of senior operations or studio management experience, ideally within a creative, design, or production setting.
Highly digital and tech-fluent; confident learning and implementing new software and workflows.
A natural problem solver — proactive, adaptable, and calm under pressure.
Financially literate and experienced in budgeting, forecasting, invoicing, and reporting.
Strong leadership and team management skills; able to motivate, guide, and support others with confidence.
Excellent communicator — articulate, tactful, and comfortable in both internal and client-facing settings.
Deep respect for design and craftsmanship, and a genuine appreciation for thoughtful, beautiful spaces.
Proficient with: Google Workspace, Slack, Dropbox, Adobe, and project management tools such as Gantt charts or equivalent platforms.
Detail-oriented with strong writing, documentation, and organizational skills.

Key Responsibilities
Studio Operations & Systems
Lead and oversee all day-to-day studio operations.
Manage and optimize internal systems, including the migration to a new project management platform.
Oversee studio workflows, ensuring efficiency, clarity, and accountability across all projects.
Lead team meetings, track milestones, and align resources to meet studio goals.

Client & Financial Administration
Act as a key point of contact for prospective clients, managing initial intake and timely follow-up.
Generate and issue project invoices; track payments and liaise with the bookkeeper and CFO for reconciliation.
Collaborate with the Principal Designer and CFO on budget planning and financial reporting.
Deliver monthly project metrics to inform forecasting and resource planning.

Leadership & Team Support
Provide strategic and operational support to Gillian, including scheduling, travel, and key communications.
Manage and mentor team members to uphold studio standards and foster a supportive, high-performing environment.
Coordinate client meetings, hospitality, and vendor communication with professionalism and warmth.
Represent the studio with clients, trades, and business partners.

Studio Visibility & Marketing Support
Coordinate professional photo shoots with clients, photographers, and stylists.
Organize and archive project imagery across platforms and assist with press coordination.
Support brand visibility efforts through media, vendor, and partner relationships.

Location & Schedule
This is a fully on-site position based at our Leaside studio in Toronto.
Studio hours are Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., with occasional evening or weekend commitments for industry events.
Free parking is available on-site.

Benefits & Compensation
Compensation will be commensurate with experience and aligned with industry standards for comparable roles.
A comprehensive benefits package will be discussed during the interview process.

How to Apply
If this role speaks to you, please send your CV and a cover letter to studio@gilliangillies.com with SENIOR OPERATIONS MANAGER in the subject line.

All applications will be treated with the utmost confidence.