Design Operations Manager

Cialfo is a leading platform connecting students, higher education institutions, and counselors through technology-driven solutions. Launched in 2017 with a mission to make education accessible to 100 million students, Cialfo provides a range of mobile and web solutions to students, K-12 institutions, and higher education institutions. We're one of the fastest-growing tech startups in the region, consistently charting new heights

About This Role

As the Design Operations Manager (DesignOps Lead), you will be the backbone of Manifest Global's creative function — building the systems, frameworks, and structures that power design excellence across our portfolio of brands. You'll manage a team of three designers and ensure the delivery of high-quality creative assets across multiple business lines, driving consistency, efficiency, and output quality. Your focus will be on operational excellence — optimizing workflows, capacity, and communication across stakeholders — rather than direct design execution. This is a hands-on managerial role, ideal for someone ready to scale creative operations across multiple brands.

Department: Central Marketing

Reporting To: Chief Operating Officer, Manifest Global – Strategic Operations

Eventual Reporting To: VP, Central Marketing

What You Will Be Doing

What You Will Execute On a Day-to-Day Basis:
Oversee daily creative delivery across multiple brands, ensuring assets are on time, on brief, and on brand.Manage task allocation, capacity planning, and workflow tracking for the design team.Maintain adherence to brand and design guidelines across all creative output.Build and manage effort matrices and SLAs to balance workload and improve predictability.Conduct regular quality reviews to ensure high standards of work.Track and report delivery metrics — turnaround time, rework rate, and utilization.Introduce and manage AI-assisted tools and templates to automate and speed up repetitive design tasks.What You Will Lead, Strategize & Develop on a Regular Basis:
Develop and implement scalable design frameworks, playbooks, and SOPs for creative workflows.Create structured processes for task prioritization, project handoffs, and stakeholder communication.Build and maintain shared design libraries, templates, and visual systems for cross-brand consistency.Partner with marketing, content, and product teams to align creative output with business objectives.Lead capacity planning and forecasting sessions to optimize team utilization.Build a high-performing team culture through mentoring, feedback, and regular performance reviews.Identify process gaps and roll out initiatives to increase overall team efficiency and productivity.Serve as the operational link between design, marketing, and leadership — translating business goals into creative action.Continuously improve creative operations by adopting better tools, templates, and automation systems.About You
Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree in Design, Visual Communication, Marketing, or a related field.8–10 years of experience in design operations, creative project management, or brand systems (experience in agency or cross-functional brand setups preferred).Proven experience in building, mentoring, and managing creative teams to deliver high-quality work in fast-paced environments.Demonstrated ability to manage multiple stakeholders and cross-functional teams.Experience working in fast-paced, multi-brand environments such as marketing or creative agencies.Skills:
Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, After Effects) and Figma.Strong understanding and practical use of AI tools in design (Adobe Firefly, Runway, Midjourney, etc.) to enhance creative workflows and productivity.Familiarity with project management tools such as Asana, Jira, ClickUp, or Airtable.Excellent organizational and time-management skills, with a focus on efficiency and process improvement.Strong communication and presentation abilities, with comfort engaging senior stakeholders.Ability to design systems, maintain creative standards, and scale workflows across multiple brands.Qualities:
You enjoy bringing structure and clarity to dynamic creative environments.You think beyond visuals — you focus on making design processes smooth and scalable.You manage people with empathy while keeping delivery sharp and efficient.You understand how design contributes to business goals and look for ways to create impact.You're curious about new tools and use AI to speed up and enhance creative work.You stay calm under pressure and thrive when managing multiple brands and priorities.You're a Notch Above If You Have:
Worked directly with C-level executives to align design operations with broader business objectives.Experience in multi-brand or multi-region portfolios where consistency and scalability were key.Experience setting up or improving design operations systems — such as intake processes, capacity frameworks, or workflow automation.

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