Creative Operations Manager (Hybrid)

American Medical Association•Chicago, IL

10d•Hybrid

About The Position

The American Medical Association (AMA) is seeking a Creative Operations Manager for its Marketing and Membership Experience team. This hybrid role, based in Chicago, IL, requires three days a week in the office. The position is responsible for managing day-to-day creative workflows, coordinating assignments, and tracking deadlines to ensure efficient project delivery from intake to completion. The role also involves managing vendor and freelance coordination, overseeing print production, and ensuring projects are delivered on time, within budget, and to a high standard. Additionally, the Creative Operations Manager will be responsible for the planning, scheduling, communication, vendor management, and on-site customer experience for AMA member photo shoots.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in graphic arts, marketing, integrated communications, advertising or related discipline required.
Minimum 5+ years’ work experience managing creative operations and/or creative production within an in-house creative team or advertising/creative agency required.
Demonstrated experience with Adobe Workfront, Asana and/or other project management software required.
Demonstrated experience coordinating printing and fulfillment of creative projects including but not limited to print and digital collateral, exhibit displays and premium imprinting.
Experience managing creative production, vendors, and external partners.
Experience with budgets, statements of work, negotiations, and contract processes required.
Self-starter who is comfortable working on multiple complex projects simultaneously.
Extreme detail orientation, with excellent organizational, communications and project management skills.
Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with proven abilities to meet deadlines and appropriately handle the unexpected.
Ability to develop and maintain strong relationships both internally and externally.

Nice To Haves

Certification in project management a plus.
Familiarity with Adobe Creative Cloud software preferred.

Responsibilities

Manages creative intake and workflow management processes, working with account and marketing managers to ensure requests are clearly scoped, prioritized and assigned appropriately based on timelines, capacity and expertise.
Balances creative workload by managing creative team member project loads, schedules, and dependencies.
Responsible for continuous improvement of creative workflows, tools, and operational processes to improve efficiency, communication, and output quality.
Manages the CLM/PO process related to the purchase of creative materials and services.
Monitors the design/photography budget, ensuring requirements for training, travel and operational needs are met efficiently and on budget.
Manages day‑to‑day creative operations, including contracts, statements of work, budgets, freelance sourcing, licensing updates, and equipment ordering and maintenance.
Manages relationships and serves as liaison with the creative team’s external creative partners, including photographers, freelancers, print vendors, and stationery and logo store merchandise partners.
Assesses demand and trends to recommend new products for the Logo Shop and serves as primary point of contact for employees requiring branded product support.
Leads the production of print projects to meet cost, quality and deadline requirements.
Manages production timelines in alignment with overall creative schedules and deadline demands.
Submits written specifications to vendors for competitive bidding and manages vendor selection in partnership with creative leadership.
Facilitates internal approval processes for proofs and production deliverables.
Manages quality control, fulfillment, and delivery of print collateral, premium imprinting and event graphics.
Supports forecasting, maintenance, and communication of production schedules to ensure transparency and alignment.
Manages the coordination of photo shoots, including scheduling subjects, locations, and internal stakeholders.
Leads day‑of photo shoot execution, overseeing onsite logistics, timelines and adherence to shoot plans.
Coordinates and communicates shoot details before, during and after production, including schedules, call sheets and expectations.
Serves as a primary point of contact for photographer as well as photo shoot subjects, building positive relationships and ensuring a professional, well‑guided experience.
Maintains accurate documentation of shoot details, assets and communications.
Ensures approved photo assets are properly archived in the DAM system and shared with photo shoot subjects in a clear, timely and professional manner.