Manager, Creative Operations

Implus Footcare, LLC is an industry-leading global consumer packaged goods company with 16 brands in fitness and athletic performance, movement and flexibility, lifestyle hosiery and footwear accessories, and outdoor. Our product categories are sold in over 80,000 retail locations worldwide. Implus is headquartered in Research Triangle Park in Durham, NC with locations in the United States, Australia, Canada, Europe, Hong Kong, South Africa, and Japan. Our brand family includes SKLZ, Perfect, Balega, TriggerPoint, Harbinger, RockTape, Sport-Brella, Yaktrax, DryGuy, Little Hotties, Sof Sole, Spenco, Airplus, SofComfort, ForceField, and Sneaker Balls.

At Implus we are committed to creating and sustaining an inclusive culture. We encourage & value different perspectives and are seeking a Manager, Creative Operations, who shares our commitment to inclusivity and enjoys working collaboratively with colleagues from diverse backgrounds

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Manager, Creative Operations is responsible for building and optimizing the operating system that powers the Creative Studio. This role owns the processes, workflows, prioritization, systems, and operational excellence that enable the creative team to consistently deliver high-quality work on time and at scale. 

Serving as the operational hub between Marketing, Product, Sales, Digital, Packaging, and Creative, this individual ensures projects are properly scoped, prioritized, resourced, and executed while continuously improving the way work moves through the organization. 

Success in this role means creating greater visibility, accountability, and predictability across the creative process, allowing designers and creatives to spend less time managing projects and more time creating exceptional work. 

Essential Job Function:        

Creative Intake and Brief Excellence 

• Own the front door of the Creative Studio by ensuring every project enters the workflow with the clarity needed for successful execution. 

• Own the end-to-end creative intake process across all brands and channels.  

• Partner with project stakeholders to gather missing information, clarify objectives, define deliverables, and ensure briefs are complete before entering the creative queue.  

• Improve briefing quality to minimize revisions, reduce rework, and eliminate unnecessary back-and-forth between stakeholders and designers.  

• Ensure every project is aligned to business objectives, timelines, and launch priorities before work begins. 

Creative Workflow & Prioritization 

• Own the day-to-day flow of work across the Creative Studio. 

• Manage the creative project portfolio from intake through final delivery.  

• Balance workload across designers, creative resources, freelancers, and agencies, where applicable, to maximize efficiency and utilization.  

• Continuously evaluate priorities and proactively adjust project sequencing based on evolving business needs.  

• Own the governance of the Creative "Fast Lane" process, evaluating urgent requests and balancing business impact against existing commitments.  

• Clearly communicate project priorities, resource constraints, and delivery expectations to stakeholders. 

Creative Operations and Systems 

• Build scalable systems that improve visibility and operational excellence. 

• Serve as the business owner and administrator for Monday.com and future creative workflow platforms.  

• Develop dashboards, workflows, automations, reporting, and resource management tools that improve transparency and efficiency.  

• Establish and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs), templates, and project governance standards.  

• Continuously evaluate opportunities to streamline workflows through automation and process improvement. 

Delivery Excellence 

• Drive predictable, on-time execution across all creative initiatives. 

• Develop project plans, milestones, and work-back schedules that support seasonal campaigns, product launches, retail initiatives, and marketing activations.  

• Monitor project health, proactively identify delivery risks, and remove blockers before they impact timelines.  

• Ensure creative deliverables are completed on time and in full (OTIF) while maintaining quality standards.  

• Facilitate regular project status meetings and communicate progress, risks, and mitigation plans to stakeholders. 

Cross-Functional Partnership 

• Act as the operational bridge between Creative and the broader organization. 

• Partner closely with Marketing, Product, Sales, Digital, Packaging, Regulatory, Manufacturing, and external partners to align project priorities and timelines.  

• Facilitate cross-functional planning sessions, status reviews, and launch readiness meetings.  

• Establish clear ownership, accountability, and communication throughout the creative process.  

• Improve stakeholder experience by creating transparency around project status, timelines, priorities, and resource availability. 

Process Improvement & Technology 

• Continuously evolve the Creative Studio into a more efficient, scalable organization. 

• Analyze workflow performance and identify opportunities to improve speed, efficiency, and collaboration.  

• Develop reporting and KPIs that measure operational health and creative effectiveness.  

• Champion a culture of continuous improvement by simplifying processes, reducing bottlenecks, and improving team productivity.  

• Partner with Creative leadership to evolve operating models, workflows, and resource planning as business needs change. 

Other Functions:

Team Leadership 

• Provide leadership, coaching, and support to creative team members and project coordinators. 

• Foster a collaborative, innovative, and customer-focused work environment. 

• Manage resource allocation and team capacity planning across creative projects.  

• Promote accountability and adherence to project management standards. 

Minimum Qualifications: Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

• 5-7 years of experience in creative operations, marketing operations, project management, brand management, or related roles. 

• Experience supporting creative teams in a fast-paced consumer products, retail, agency, or manufacturing environment. 

• Demonstrated success building workflows, operational processes, and project governance. 

• Experience with project management software (Monday.com strongly preferred). 

• Exceptional organizational, communication, facilitation, and problem-solving skills. 

• Ability to manage multiple priorities while balancing changing business needs. 

Preferred Qualifications:     

• Experience supporting consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands and product launch processes. 

• Knowledge of print production, packaging artwork management, and retail marketing materials. 

• Knowledge of omnichannel marketing asset development, including retail, eCommerce, digital, social media, and packaging execution. 

• Familiarity with Digital Asset Management (DAM) systems. 

• PMP, CAPM, Agile, or related project management certification. 

Education & Experience:

• A Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Communications, Graphic Design, Project Management, or related field. 

Relevant Working Conditions & Physical Demands:                 

• Hearing: Ability to effectively communicate with co-workers, customers and vendors
• Operate: Write, type and use the telephone, copier, and computer systems
• Mobility: Occasionally move about inside the office to access file cabinets, office machinery, attend meetings, etc.
• Communicate: Ability to communicate information and ideas so others will understand.  Must be able to exchange accurate information in these situations
• Move/Transport: Ability to occasionally move boxes weighing up to 25 lbs. across office for various needs with or without accommodations

Implus is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and committed to creating a diverse and inclusive company culture. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion/belief, sex, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, protected veteran status, disability status, or any other protected status under the law. Individuals needing a reasonable accommodation should contact [email protected].