Head of Design Operations

You’re the person who sees where a team’s work gets stuck and knows how to improve it. You can turn competing deadlines, uneven workloads, and disconnected systems into a clear way of working. You enjoy building the structure that helps talented people do their best work.

A growing multidisciplinary design firm is seeking a Head of Design Operations to lead the operational performance of approximately 15–20 professionals across Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Interior Design, and Furniture & Decorating.

The firm’s overall team of approximately 40 delivers high-end residential, commercial, and hospitality projects. As the business grows, it needs an experienced operational leader who can strengthen planning, accountability, and project performance while preserving its collaborative, creative culture.

The Opportunity

Reporting to the company’s senior operating leader, the Integrator, you will take ownership of how the Design Department plans, coordinates, measures, and improves its work.

Your first year will focus on building the department’s operating structure. Some processes are established. Others need to be improved, connected, or created. You will develop resource forecasts, performance measures, core workflows, and reporting tools that give teams and leadership a clearer view of what needs attention.

The firm is implementing the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS®), and you will play a key role in putting that framework into practice across the department.

Your focus will be on enabling strong design work through better operations, with creative direction remaining with the design leaders.

What You’ll Lead

• Balance workloads, deadlines, and project demands. Forecast constraints and staffing needs before they become urgent.
• Establish scorecards and practical measures for utilization, capacity, project efficiency, and delivery.
• Improve reporting on schedules, milestones, fees, and profitability indicators. Work with discipline leads to resolve recurring bottlenecks.
• Develop and document workflows, clarify responsibilities, and improve handoffs between disciplines.
•  Implement or improve project management software, dashboards, and reporting tools. Support adoption through training and clear expectations.
• EOS implementation – Help establish quarterly priorities, scorecards, issue resolution, core processes, and structured leadership meetings.
• AI and automation –  Identify useful ways to reduce administrative work, improve reporting, and connect systems.
• Recommend the future roles, tools, and operational support the department will need.

Who Will Do Well Here

You have helped a professional team become more organized, accountable, and effective. You can point to systems or processes you built, explain why they were needed, and show how they improved the way people worked.

You’re comfortable working with creative and technical professionals. You listen, understand the work, and build processes people can use. You can also hold teams accountable and address problems directly.

Your background includes:

• Significant progressive experience in operations, professional services, AEC, consulting, construction, or another complex project-based environment. 15+ years is preferred.
• At least five years of project management experience.
• Demonstrated experience building or materially improving operational systems and processes.
• Strong knowledge of resource planning, utilization, capacity management, project economics, and performance reporting.
• Experience implementing or improving project management, ERP, CRM, or resource planning platforms.
• Experience developing dashboards, KPIs, scorecards, and management reports.
• A practical interest in AI, automation, and systems integration.

Experience with EOS or another structured business operating system is a strong asset. Familiarity with design phases and deliverables, including Concept, Design Development, and Construction Documents, is also valuable. PMP or related credentials are welcome but not required.

Why Consider This Role?

You will have a clear mandate to build the operational foundation for the firm’s next stage of growth. This is an opportunity to shape how a multidisciplinary department works, introduce useful technology, and see the results of your decisions across people, projects, and business performance.

The package includes:

• $100,000–$110,000 annual base salary, based on experience.
• Eligibility for up to $20,000 in performance-based bonus, with total compensation potential of up to $130,000.
• Year-one bonus targets tied to departmental build milestones. From year two, targets will reflect established performance measures, quarterly priorities, and business outcomes.
• Extended health care, dental care, and life insurance.

Location: Barrie , ON | Hybrid (3 days in office)

Candidates must be able to commute reliably or relocate before starting.

Interested? Send your resume and a brief note to [email protected]