Studio Director/Manager

About the role

Veronica Beard is seeking a highly organized, solutions-oriented Studio Director / Senior Studio Manager to serve as the operational right hand to the Head of Design. This leader will oversee the day-to-day rhythm of the design studio, bringing structure, accountability, and clear communication to a fast-paced, highly creative environment. The ideal candidate is an exceptional operator and people leader who understands the product design process from concept through final adoption. They will manage workflows and calendars, coordinate teams and deliverables, strengthen cross-functional communication, and help ensure consistency across categories. This role is critical to keeping the studio organized, focused, and moving forward while enabling the Head of Design and creative teams to do their best work.

Responsibilities

• Lead the day-to-day operations of the design studio, establishing clear processes, priorities, and ways of working.
• Serve as the central point of coordination for the studio, proactively identifying needs, resolving roadblocks, and ensuring the team is prepared for key milestones.
• Create and maintain organizational systems that support accuracy, visibility, and accountability across the design process.
• Anticipate challenges and propose practical solutions that balance creative priorities with business needs and deadlines.
• Own and manage the master design calendar, including key dates, reviews, fittings, handoffs, approvals, and seasonal milestones.
• Drive calendar discipline across the studio by clarifying deadlines, tracking deliverables, and following up to ensure commitments are met.
• Manage competing priorities and adjust workflows as business or creative needs evolve.
• Facilitate regular status meetings, document decisions and action items, and ensure timely follow-through.
• Coordinate work across design teams and categories, ensuring teams have the information, materials, and direction needed to deliver on time.
• Foster a collaborative, respectful, and accountable studio culture.
• Provide clear communication and operational guidance to the team while supporting effective workload planning.
• Partner with design leadership to identify resource needs, improve team effectiveness, and support the development of studio talent.
• Act as the primary operational liaison between Design and cross-functional partners, including Product Development, Merchandising, Production, Technical Design, Fabric/R&D, and other key teams.
• Create clear channels for communication, decision-making, and escalation across functions.
• Ensure changes, approvals, risks, and priorities are communicated promptly and consistently to all relevant partners.
• Build strong relationships across the organization and help align creative vision with commercial and operational requirements.
• Help ensure cohesion and consistency across all product categories, maintaining visibility to the full seasonal assortment and design direction.
• Coordinate cross-category reviews and flag inconsistencies, gaps, or overlaps for design leadership.
• Oversee the organization, accuracy, and timely distribution of color cards and related seasonal materials.
• Support alignment on color, fabrication, print, and design details across categories while maintaining the integrity of the Veronica Beard brand.
• Serve as a trusted thought partner and operational right hand to the Head of Design.
• Translate creative direction and leadership priorities into clear plans, timelines, and team actions.
• Prepare agendas, materials, and follow-ups for key design reviews and milestone meetings.
• Protect the Head of Design’s time by streamlining communication,