Director of Operations

About ONA Creative

ONA Creative is an independent creative agency that brings together brand strategy, identity design, concept development, graphic design, video and photography production, content strategy, and brand experiences. The agency works with leading clients across sports, culture, wellness, and women-led businesses.

The company values sports as a driver of human potential, sees culture as a source of creativity, and believes outstanding people are the foundation of outstanding work.

Role Overview

ONA is looking for a Director of Operations to serve as the agency’s big-picture operator and day-to-day problem solver. Based in Los Angeles, this full-time role supports every department by improving workflows, guiding operations, planning capacity, and helping the business run efficiently and profitably within demanding client timelines and budgets. The position reports directly to the Founder and CEO.

Business Strategy and Process Improvement

• Assess existing operating processes, pinpoint areas where efficiency can be improved, and introduce updated policies and procedures that simplify daily work.
• Create and apply measurable standards and performance indicators to evaluate how well the agency’s workflows are functioning.
• Design streamlined process maps and automated systems for resource management and project delivery to reduce manual administrative work.
• Build and maintain a central reporting dashboard that brings together important operational and financial metrics.

Resource Management and Capacity Planning

• Coordinate team allocation across projects in partnership with the Founder and Managing Director, while tracking planned versus actual hours for jobs and operational tasks.
• Anticipate future staffing needs by reviewing upcoming work and business development activity so the agency is prepared for growth.
• Work with account leadership on client scopes of work and provide input on expected internal and external resource requirements.

Cross-Functional Leadership and Mentorship

• Support the full project lifecycle from an operational perspective and mentor account, creative, strategy, and production teams to improve collaboration and workflow.
• Spot resource shortages and capability gaps early, then resolve bottlenecks before they affect delivery schedules or budgets.
• Lead the rollout of new operational processes, policies, or systems and train teams to ensure strong adoption across managers and staff.

People Operations and Compliance

• Own the end-to-end employee lifecycle, including standardized onboarding and offboarding for full-time staff and freelancers.
• Partner with hiring managers to manage job descriptions and talent pipelines, coordinate posting and applicant tracking, organize initial screenings and interviews, and help define offers with leadership.
• Maintain the employee handbook and ensure policies align with California and local employment laws while reflecting the agency’s culture.
• Run regular internal audits to keep compliance records, personnel files, signed agreements, system access, and security credentials current.

Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate brings strong leadership experience in operations, people management, and project or resource planning, ideally in a fast-moving creative agency environment. This person should combine analytical strength with financial awareness, solid understanding of budgets and time tracking, and excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills. The role also calls for a proactive, independent approach to problem-solving, a sharp eye for burnout risks and team capacity, and genuine interest in design, sports culture, and media that can inform client recommendations. Advanced proficiency with Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, Figma, and tools such as Slack, Monday.com, and Harvest is expected.

Compensation

The annual salary for this position is between $130,000 and $175,000. Final compensation will depend on relevant knowledge, skills, and experience.