Head of Operations

HEAD OF OPERATIONS

Salary:

£50,000 - £60,000 DOE       

Bonus:

Eligible (details shared at offer stage)

EMI Equity Scheme:

Eligible (details shared during offer stage)

Hours:

Full-time, 40 hours per week

Location:

Across MAKE IT Bow, MAKE IT Barking + WFH

Reports To:

Managing Director

Line Manages:

Studio & Community Manager - Bow, Studio & Community Manager - Barking

ABOUT MAKE IT

MAKE IT unlocks hidden spaces and transforms buildings into engines of creativity. We create workspaces and cultural hubs where entrepreneurs, makers and independent businesses connect, collaborate and grow. Partnering with local authorities, landlords, developers and investors, we reimagine vacant buildings to deliver social value, community impact and new opportunities for emerging talent. Our model spans space design, asset refurbishment, enterprise sourcing, cultural programming and day-to-day operational management. We're a small team with big plans. Our spaces bring together ambitious people who want to do things differently - and as MAKE IT grows, we're building a team who want to grow with us.

TEAM CULTURE

At MAKE IT we're a small team with big plans. We're creative, hands-on and building something long-term, not chasing quick wins. We want people who care about great spaces, great service and great community - and who thrive in a team where everyone rolls up their sleeves. We back ideas, we value action, and we look out for each other. We're supportive, honest, human, and we take pride in how our spaces look and feel. If you want to help shape the future of a growing company - and grow with it - you'll fit right in.

THE ROLE

We're looking for an experienced, people-focused, detail-driven operational leader to join MAKE IT as Head of Operations.

This is a senior role responsible for:

• Delivering exceptional daily operations across both sites
• Managing and developing Studio & Community Managers
• Ensuring building standards, compliance and customer experience
• Lead compliance and health & safety standards across both sites, ensuring all legal, risk and operational requirements are consistently met
• Coordinating with Sales and Marketing to support wider business goals
• Embodying and driving MAKE IT's values and culture across the operational team

You'll work closely with:

• Head of Marketing & Business Development to deliver storytelling & experience-led marketing onsite
• Head of Sales & Partnerships to ensure perfect tour readiness and sales support
• Managing Director on operational strategy, planning and performance
• Studio & Community Managers as their direct line manager

This role is ideal for someone who is calm under pressure, organised, empathetic, and passionate about delivering a great customer experience every single day.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

Operational Leadership

• Lead day-to-day operations across both sites.
• Ensure buildings are consistently presented to a high standard.
• Lead compliance, health & safety, maintenance and risk management.
• Lead operational planning, systems and continuous improvements.

People Management

• Line manage, develop and coach Studio & Community Managers.
• Deliver training, onboarding and performance reviews.
• Create a supportive, high-performing operational culture.

Customer Experience

• Ensure a friendly, professional, community-led member experience.
• Lead on customer escalations and member issue resolution.
• Work closely with Studio & Community Managers to maintain the building atmosphere and culture.

Sales & Tour Support

• Work with the HoSaP to ensure sales readiness and strong tour delivery.
• Support Studio & Community Managers in sales interactions and customer journeys.

Marketing & Community Collaboration

• Partner with the HoMaBD on community and experience-led marketing.
• Ensure onsite activation, event support and brand consistency through Studio & Community Managers.

Site Readiness & Improvements

• Ensure teams and buildings are prepared for marketing campaigns, events and content capture.
• Lead maintenance coordination, contractor management and operational budgeting.
• Support future site readiness and opening plans.

WHAT YOU'LL USE

• Paxton access control system
• Nexudus workspace management system used for bookings, member management, occupancy visibility and operational coordination
• Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Drive, Calendar)
• Canva, Adobe Express or similar creative tools
• Mailchimp
• CRM, analytics dashboards and basic reporting platforms
• Internal communication tools

WHAT YOU'LL BRING

Experience & Skills

• Proven experience in operations within workspace, hospitality, creative, or customer-focused environments.
• Experience managing people and building high-performing teams.
• Strong organisational skills and high attention to detail.
• Understanding of customer experience, compliance and service standards.
• Ability to work confidently across departments.

Personality & Behaviours

• Calm, kind and people-oriented.
• Confident decision-maker with strong communication skills.
• Proactive, solution-focused and organised.
• Embodies MAKE IT's energetic, creative and community-led culture.

REPORTING LINES

Reports to:

• Managing Director

Line Manages:

• Studio & Community Manager - Bow
• Studio & Community Manager - Barking

Works closely with:

• Head of Marketing & Business Development (experience-led marketing)
• Head of Sales & Partnerships (sales readiness & tour quality)

PERKS & BENEFITS

• EMI Share Option Eligibility
• You'll have the opportunity to share in MAKE IT's future success through our equity scheme.
• Annual Bonus Scheme
• A performance-linked annual bonus recognising great work and contribution to the business.
• 33 Days Holiday inclusive of Bank Holidays
• Plus one additional day for every year of service, and an additional day off on your birthday - because life outside work matters too.
• Two Team Days Off a Year
• A full-team Summer Day and Winter Day where we close shop, step out together and reset as a group. Plus, an additional two full-team activity evenings out per year.
• £600 Annual Wellbeing Package in partnership with Heka
• Support for your physical and mental wellbeing, including access to resources and activities that help you stay healthy and balanced.
• Free Use of All MAKE IT Facilities
• Enjoy complimentary access to our current and future workspaces, studios and communal areas - perfect for your own projects.
• Access to the MAKE IT Community & Events
• Be part of a vibrant creative network with regular events, workshops and community moments.
• Professional Development Opportunities
• As MAKE IT grows, so will you. We invest in development, training and the chance to take on new responsibilities as we scale.

HOW TO APPLY

Please send your CV and a short message telling us why you'd be a great fit for MAKE IT to:

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.