Director, Creative Operations (San Francisco)

Description

About the Role: Rodan + Fields is seeking a highly strategic, solutions-oriented Director of Creative Operations to lead the operational backbone of our in-house Creative team. Youll partner closely with the Creative Director and Marketing leadership to ensure creative strategies are delivered on time, on brand, and at the highest standardno matter how fast the brief lands. This role is all about enabling world-class creative work through smart systems, clear communication, and seamless collaboration. Youll drive process innovation, manage creative budgets and timelines, and serve as the key link between our internal creative team and external agency partners.

Key Responsibilities

Creative Operations & Strategy

• Oversee day-to-day operations of the in-house creative team, managing timelines, budgets, and resources across a high-volume, multi-channel environment.
• Lead the development and implementation of streamlined creative production processes, including project intake, routing, review, and approvals.
• Propose and implement systems that allow for automated flexibilityenabling shifting timelines to be adjusted seamlessly without disrupting workflow.
• Drive operational efficiency without sacrificing creative excellence by introducing tools, templates, and workflows that help the team move faster and smarter.
• Review and refine briefs before kickoff to ensure clarity, accuracy, and alignment with business goals.
• Develop smart brief templates that help the creative team work more effectively.
• Route feedback and ensure internal teams are clear on whats actionable and expected.

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Agency Management

• Collaborate with cross-functional partnersincluding Brand, DTC, Product Marketing, and Retailto align on priorities and timelines.
• Clearly communicate expectations and delivery schedules to marketing and creative leadership.
• Propose and implement new workflows for projects with tight turnarounds and shifting deadlines.
• Serve as a critical connector between internal teams and our external creative agency, ensuring smooth collaboration, timely delivery, and shared visibility into all projects.

Budget, Contracts & Vendor Management

• Own the operational side of the creative budget, including forecasting, tracking, and ensuring alignment with financial goals.
• Manage all aspects of vendor relationshipsdrafting and tracking contracts, overseeing SOWs, and ensuring timely processing of invoices and payments.
• Work closely with Finance, Procurement, and Legal to streamline onboarding, compliance, and payment workflows.
• Track expenses and resource allocation to ensure budgets are met and documented clearly.

Tools, Systems & Innovation

• Optimize creative workflow systems, resource planning, and digital asset management tools.
• Evaluate and implement new technologies (including AI and automation tools) to help the team scale with agility.
• Ensure the entire team is working within clearly defined systems that reduce bottlenecks and enable clarity at every stage.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in creative operations, production, or project management, including 57 years in a leadership role within in-house or agency settings.
• Proven ability to build and refine creative workflows, tools, and systems in fast-paced, high-volume organizations.
• Experience managing creative budgets, contracts, and vendor relationships.
• Adept at leading cross-functional collaboration and ensuring teams are aligned on timelines and deliverables.
• Familiarity with creative production across digital, social, retail, and packaging.
• Exceptional communication and organizational skillsyou make the complex feel simple and the chaotic feel calm.
• Proficiency in project management tools like Asana, or similar platforms.
• Passion for creative work and a deep respect for the process that brings it to life.