Head of Design Center Operations

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Head of Design Center Operations

Company: Evismart

Location: BGC, Manila, Philippines

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Operations Management / GTM Operations

Date Posted: January 20, 2026

Experience Level: 10+ Years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Oversee the end-to-end performance of a two-shift design center operation, functioning as a production system.

• Drive critical operational metrics such as throughput, cycle time, and true work-in-progress (WIP) to ensure predictability and measurability.

• Implement robust shift handoff processes that do not rely on individual ownership, ensuring seamless workflow transitions.

• Establish and enforce WIP limits and load balancing strategies based on demonstrated capacity, not external pressure.

• Cultivate operating discipline to create stable, repeatable operational days with minimal exceptions or escalations.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned within a "Design Center" but framed distinctly as a "production system" with "batch or wave-based intake," emphasizing operational efficiency and predictability over traditional creative service models. The core focus is on managing flow, optimizing throughput, and ensuring on-time delivery within strict turnaround times, aligning it closely with manufacturing or high-volume shared services operations.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead and manage a 200+ person design center operating as a two-shift production system, ensuring consistent and high-quality output.

• Develop, implement, and continuously refine operational strategies to optimize flow, throughput, and cycle time across all design stages.

• Establish and maintain strict WIP limits and load balancing mechanisms to prevent bottlenecks and ensure efficient resource utilization.

• Design and enforce robust shift handoff protocols and documentation standards to guarantee continuity and prevent knowledge silos.

• Implement comprehensive performance tracking and reporting mechanisms focusing on actual operational metrics (throughput, cycle time, WIP) rather than surface-level dashboards.

• Drive a culture of operating discipline, predictability, and continuous improvement, minimizing rework and unscheduled interventions.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure alignment between design center operations and broader business objectives, particularly regarding delivery timelines and quality standards.

• Manage and develop a team of managers and supervisors across two shifts, fostering leadership development and operational excellence.

• Identify and implement process improvements utilizing principles of lean manufacturing, flow optimization, and system design.

• Ensure compliance with all operational policies, quality gates, and delivery commitments.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a strong emphasis on managing a complex, multi-stage production-like environment. The expectation is to build systems that operate autonomously with minimal intervention, focusing on flow and predictability rather than reactive problem-solving.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Operations Management, Industrial Engineering, Business Administration, or a related field.

Experience:

• Minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in large-scale operations management, with a significant portion dedicated to optimizing flow-based systems.

• Proven track record of successfully managing operations with batch or wave-based intake and multi-stage workflows with defined quality gates.

Required Skills:

• Operations Management: Deep expertise in managing complex, high-volume operational environments, particularly those structured as production systems.

• Performance Metrics & Analysis: Proficiency in defining, tracking, and analyzing key operational metrics such as throughput, cycle time, WIP, and on-time delivery.

• Flow Optimization: Strong understanding and practical application of principles for optimizing workflow, minimizing bottlenecks, and managing work-in-progress.

• System Design & Implementation: Ability to design, implement, and refine operational systems that promote predictability, efficiency, and scalability.

• Leadership & Team Management: Demonstrated ability to lead, mentor, and develop large teams across multiple shifts, fostering a culture of accountability and operational excellence.

• Batch/Wave Processing: Experience managing operations that receive work in batches or waves, requiring structured intake and processing mechanisms.

• Quality Assurance & Process Gates: Familiarity with implementing and managing quality checks and process gates to ensure consistent output quality.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Ability to effectively partner with other departments to align operational activities with business goals.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in manufacturing, healthcare operations, fulfillment/logistics, or other delivery-oriented shared services environments.

• Familiarity with Lean Manufacturing principles, Kanban, or other flow management methodologies.

• Experience with advanced analytics and reporting tools for operational performance.

• Project management skills for implementing operational improvements.

• Understanding of design processes and their operational implications.

📝 Enhancement Note: The qualifications emphasize hands-on leadership and a deep understanding of operational mechanics, particularly those found in manufacturing or logistics. The "10+" years of experience and managing large teams across shifts suggest a senior leadership role with significant operational scope.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Case Studies in Flow Optimization: Detailed examples of how you improved throughput, reduced cycle time, or managed WIP in previous roles. Focus on quantifiable results and the specific operational methodologies employed.

• System Design & Implementation Projects: Documentation of operational systems you designed or significantly improved, highlighting the problem, solution, implementation process, and resulting impact on predictability and efficiency.

• Metrics-Driven Performance Improvement: Evidence of your ability to define, track, and leverage operational metrics to drive performance improvements, including examples of dashboards or reports you developed and how they informed decision-making.

• Shift Handoff & Process Continuity: Examples of how you established robust processes for shift handoffs and ensured operational continuity across different teams or shifts.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Showcase your ability to map, analyze, and redesign complex workflows to enhance efficiency, reduce waste, and improve predictability.

• Implementation & Automation Strategies: Provide examples of how you implemented new processes or automation solutions to achieve specific operational goals, detailing the challenges and outcomes.

• Measurement & Performance Analysis: Demonstrate your approach to measuring the effectiveness of implemented processes and systems, including how you used data to identify areas for further optimization.

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates are expected to present tangible evidence of their operational expertise through a portfolio. This should include detailed case studies and documentation that clearly articulate their approach to process improvement, system design, and metric-driven outcomes, particularly within a production-like environment.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Estimated PHP 3,500,000 - PHP 6,000,000 per annum.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive health insurance package (medical, dental, vision).

• Paid time off (vacation, sick leave, holidays).

• Opportunities for professional development and continuous learning.

• Potential for performance-based bonuses.

• Retirement savings plan.

• Relocation assistance (if applicable).

Working Hours:

• A 40-hour work week is standard, distributed across two shifts. This role requires active presence and oversight across both shifts to ensure seamless operations and effective management of shift handoffs and overall production flow. Flexibility may be required to address critical operational needs that extend beyond standard hours.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary is estimated based on regional market data for comparable senior operations leadership roles in the Philippines. The description's emphasis on "choosing ownership over compensation optimization" suggests that while competitive, compensation might be structured to reward long-term operational impact rather than short-term gains. The working hours explicitly state the need for two-shift accountability.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology / Design Services (framed as Production)

Company Size: 200+ employees in the design center. Evismart's overall size is not specified but implied to be larger given the scale of this operation.

Founded: Evismart was founded in 2009. This longevity suggests stability and established operational processes.

Team Structure:

• The Head of Design Center Operations will lead a team of over 100 individuals, likely comprising multiple layers of management, including shift supervisors and team leads.

• This role operates within a matrixed structure, potentially reporting to a VP of Operations or a Chief Operating Officer, and collaborates closely with design leads, project managers, and other GTM functions.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Operations: The company emphasizes metrics and measurability, expecting operations to be predictable and controlled through data.

• Flow Optimization: The core operational philosophy is to optimize the flow of work through the system, focusing on throughput and cycle time rather than individual task completion speed.

• Systemic Approach: A preference for designing robust systems that function reliably, minimizing the need for constant human intervention or escalation.

• Predictability & Calm: The ultimate goal is to achieve "boring, repeatable days" through strong operating discipline and well-designed processes.

Company Website: evismart.com

📝 Enhancement Note: Evismart positions its Design Center as a production system, drawing parallels to manufacturing or logistics operations. This implies a culture that values efficiency, predictability, and data-driven decision-making, with a strong focus on operational excellence and process discipline.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior Leadership / Head of Department. This role is responsible for the end-to-end performance of a significant operational unit with direct P&L implications through efficiency and throughput.

Reporting Structure: The Head of Design Center Operations will likely report to a senior executive such as a VP of Operations, Chief Operating Officer, or potentially a Head of Global Operations, depending on Evismart's overall organizational structure. They will manage a large team of direct reports, including managers overseeing different shifts and functional areas within the design center.

Operations Impact: This role has a direct and significant impact on the company's ability to deliver design services on time and within budget. By optimizing throughput and cycle time, it directly affects revenue realization, client satisfaction, and the overall cost-efficiency of the design center. Success in this role contributes to Evismart's reputation for reliable and predictable service delivery.

Growth Opportunities:

• Advanced Operations Leadership: Potential to advance into broader operational leadership roles, overseeing multiple departments or larger-scale global operations within Evismart.

• Strategic Operations Development: Opportunity to contribute to the strategic development of Evismart's operational model, potentially expanding the production system approach to other business units.

• Specialization in Flow Management: Deepen expertise in advanced process optimization, lean methodologies, and operational system design, becoming a subject matter expert.

• Cross-Functional Leadership: Gain exposure to and potentially lead other GTM or service delivery functions, leveraging operational expertise to drive broader business outcomes.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role represents a significant leadership opportunity within operations. Growth potential lies in expanding operational scope, contributing to strategic initiatives, and developing deep expertise in managing production-like service environments.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: On-site in a Design Center that functions as a production operation. This implies a structured workspace with designated areas for intake, processing stages, quality checks, and shift handoffs.

Office Location(s): Bonifacio Global City (BGC), Manila, Philippines. BGC is a major business district known for its modern infrastructure and accessibility.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Production Floor: Expect a dynamic environment where collaboration is key to managing workflow across shifts and stages, but within a structured, process-driven framework.

• Technology Infrastructure: Access to necessary operational technology, including performance tracking systems, communication tools, and potentially workflow management software.

• Team Interaction: Frequent interaction with a large team of managers, supervisors, and individual contributors across two shifts, requiring strong communication and presence.

Work Schedule:

• The role operates across two shifts, requiring oversight and accountability for both. This may involve flexible scheduling to ensure continuous leadership presence and effective management of shift transitions. A standard 40-hour work week is mentioned, but the nature of two-shift accountability suggests a need for adaptability.

📝 Enhancement Note: The work environment is characterized by its on-site nature and the unique operational model of a "production system" design center. This suggests a structured, performance-focused atmosphere where operational discipline and cross-shift collaboration are paramount.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Review of resume and application materials to assess alignment with core requirements, particularly experience in large-scale, multi-shift operations and a production-system mindset.

• Operations Deep Dive: An interview focused on operational philosophy, methodology, and experience. Expect questions on how you've managed throughput, cycle time, WIP limits, and shift handoffs in past roles.

• Case Study/Problem-Solving Challenge: Candidates may be presented with a hypothetical operational challenge or asked to analyze a process scenario. The focus will be on your approach to diagnosing issues, proposing systemic solutions, and quantifying potential impact.

• Leadership & Culture Fit: Interviews to assess leadership style, ability to manage large teams across shifts, and alignment with Evismart's values of predictability, discipline, and ownership.

• Final Round: Discussion with senior leadership to confirm strategic alignment and overall fit for the Head of Design Center Operations role.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Quantify Everything: For each project or case study, clearly state the metrics used, the baseline, the implemented solution, and the quantifiable results (e.g., "Reduced cycle time by 15%," "Increased throughput by 20%," "Decreased WIP by 25%").

• Focus on Systemic Solutions: Highlight how you designed or improved systems, processes, or workflows rather than individual heroic efforts. Emphasize concepts like WIP limits, load balancing, and flow optimization.

• Showcase Process Discipline: Include examples of how you enforced operating discipline, managed shift handoffs effectively, and ensured quality gates were met consistently.

• Tailor to Production Mindset: Frame your experiences using language relevant to production operations, batch processing, and efficiency, even if your background is in a different industry.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand Flow Dynamics: Be prepared to discuss concepts like Little's Law, bottlenecks, queue management, and capacity planning.

• Practice Scenario Analysis: Think through common operational challenges in a multi-stage process (e.g., sudden intake surge, quality issues at a specific stage, shift transition failures) and how you would address them systemically.

• Articulate Your Philosophy: Be ready to clearly explain your approach to operations management, why you prioritize predictability over responsiveness, and how you build self-sustaining operational systems.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily scrutinize candidates for their operational discipline and ability to manage a production-like environment. A well-prepared portfolio showcasing systemic improvements and quantifiable results is crucial.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Workflow Management Systems: Experience with tools designed for managing batch processing, task queues, and workflow automation (e.g., Jira, Asana, Trello – but with a focus on their use in production-like environments, or more specialized manufacturing/operations execution systems).

• Performance Monitoring & Analytics Platforms: Proficiency in using software for real-time tracking of operational metrics, including throughput, cycle time, and WIP. This could include custom dashboards or dedicated Operations Management Software (OMS).

• Communication & Collaboration Tools: Standard enterprise tools for team communication and coordination across shifts (e.g., Slack, Microsoft Teams).

• Data Visualization Tools: Ability to use tools like Tableau, Power BI, or Google Data Studio to create and interpret operational performance dashboards.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Business Intelligence (BI) Tools: Experience in leveraging BI platforms to extract, analyze, and report on operational data.

• Custom Reporting: Ability to design and generate bespoke reports tailored to specific operational needs and stakeholder requirements.

• Dashboarding Software: Skill in creating clear, actionable dashboards that provide visibility into key performance indicators (KPIs) for design center operations.

CRM & Automation:

• While not explicitly a CRM role, understanding how design center output feeds into broader client or project management systems may be beneficial.

• Process Automation Tools: Familiarity with tools or methodologies for automating repetitive operational tasks and workflows to improve efficiency.

• Integration Platforms: Understanding of how different operational systems might integrate to ensure seamless data flow and process execution.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "production system" and "measurable" operations suggests a need for proficiency in tools that support workflow management, real-time performance tracking, and data analysis. While specific tools aren't listed, the type of functionality required is key.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Predictability & Stability: A core value is creating a stable, predictable operational environment where outcomes are consistent and reliable, minimizing surprises.

• Operating Discipline: Adherence to established processes, WIP limits, and quality standards is paramount. This value emphasizes consistency and methodical execution.

• Ownership & Accountability: Taking full responsibility for the end-to-end performance of the operation, rather than deferring problems or outcomes to others.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Relying on metrics and data to understand performance, identify issues, and guide improvements, rather than intuition alone.

• Flow Over Individual Heroics: Prioritizing the smooth flow of work through the system over individual performance peaks or reactive problem-solving.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Strong emphasis on working collaboratively with design teams, project management, and other departments to ensure operational goals support broader business objectives.

• Process-Centric Communication: Interactions are likely to be focused on process adherence, performance metrics, and collaborative problem-solving related to workflow efficiency.

• Managerial Cadence: Regular meetings with direct reports (managers across shifts) to review performance, address challenges, and ensure consistent application of operational standards.

• Empowerment within Structure: Empowering teams to operate effectively within defined processes and limits, fostering autonomy while maintaining operational control.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture strongly emphasizes operational excellence through discipline, predictability, and data. Collaboration is expected to be structured around these principles, focusing on systemic improvements and consistent execution.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Transitioning from Service to Production Mindset: Helping teams adapt from a potentially more flexible, service-oriented approach to a disciplined, production-like workflow can be challenging.

• Maintaining Predictability in a Creative Field: Balancing the inherent variability and creativity of design work with the need for strict production-like predictability and turnaround times.

• Managing Two Shifts Effectively: Ensuring seamless communication, consistent standards, and effective leadership across distinct work shifts, preventing information silos or performance disparities.

• Data Integrity & Measurement: Ensuring that operational data is accurate, reliable, and truly reflects the state of work-in-progress and throughput, especially in a complex design environment.

• Resistance to Change: Overcoming potential resistance from teams accustomed to different operational models or those who find the enforced discipline restrictive.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Operations Management: Deepen expertise in lean operations, Six Sigma, and advanced flow management techniques applicable to service industries.

• Leadership Development: Opportunities to hone leadership skills in managing large, diverse teams across multiple shifts and reporting structures.

• Strategic Operational Planning: Contribute to the strategic direction of Evismart's operational capabilities and potentially influence future operational models.

• Industry Best Practices: Exposure to cutting-edge operational strategies and technologies that bridge the gap between creative services and production systems.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role presents a unique challenge in applying production-style operational rigor to a creative field. Success will require strong leadership to navigate these complexities and drive a culture of continuous improvement.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your experience managing a two-shift operation. What were your key strategies for ensuring seamless handoffs and consistent performance across shifts?"

• "How have you approached implementing WIP limits or load balancing in a previous role? Provide a specific example and the impact it had."

• "Explain your philosophy on optimizing flow versus individual effort. How do you translate this into actionable operational strategies?"

• "How do you ensure operational metrics, such as throughput and cycle time, are accurate and actionable, especially in environments that may not have standardized inputs?"

Company & Culture Questions:

• "Based on your understanding of Evismart's 'production system' design center, how would you approach building operating discipline within the team?"

• "What are your core values as an operations leader, and how do they align with our emphasis on predictability and system design?"

• "How do you foster a culture of accountability and ownership within a large operational team?"

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Case Studies: For each example, clearly define: The Problem, Your Solution (System/Process), Implementation Steps, Key Metrics (Before & After), and the Overall Impact/ROI.

• Visual Aids: Use simple flowcharts, diagrams, or graphs to illustrate processes and performance improvements. Avoid overly complex or data-heavy slides; focus on clarity and impact.

• Tell a Story: Narrate your journey through the operational challenge, highlighting your thought process, decisions, and the lessons learned.

• Demonstrate "Production Thinking": Explicitly use terms like throughput, cycle time, WIP, bottlenecks, and flow. Connect your experience to manufacturing or logistics analogies if helpful.

• Address the "Non-Negotiables": Be prepared to discuss your commitment to being on-site and your understanding of the importance of two-shift accountability.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on articulating a clear operational philosophy centered on flow, predictability, and systemic improvement, supported by concrete examples from your portfolio.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the Evismart careers portal via the provided link.

• Customize Your Resume: Tailor your resume to highlight experience in large-scale operations, multi-shift management, process optimization, and metrics-driven performance improvements. Use keywords like "throughput," "cycle time," "WIP control," and "production system."

• Prepare Your Portfolio: Gather 2-3 detailed case studies showcasing your ability to improve operational flow, implement systems, and drive measurable results. Focus on examples that demonstrate your understanding of production-like environments, even if from a different industry.

• Research Evismart: Understand their business model, their positioning of the design center as a production system, and their values around predictability and discipline.

• Practice Interview Responses: Rehearse answers to common operations leadership questions, focusing on your strategic approach, problem-solving skills, and leadership philosophy, particularly as it relates to managing complex, multi-shift operations.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.