Creative Operations Manager

Protolabs•Maple Plain, MN

12d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Creative Operations Manager is a pivotal leader within Protolabs’ marketing organization, responsible for driving the planning, execution, and management of an integrated marketing content strategy. This role oversees all creative aspects of content development—both copy and visual—across multiple channels, ensuring alignment with the brand’s mission and business objectives. The Creative Operations Manager is a champion of impactful content, creative excellence, operational efficiency, and team development, playing a consultative and collaborative role across the marketing function to increase customer attraction, engagement, and conversion. This is a hybrid role being onsite in Maple Plain, MN

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in marketing or a related degree
8+ years of content marketing experience
4+ years of direct content team leadership experience
Excellent team management, performance management and employee development skills. Employee engagement focused.
Effective project and time management skills to ensure projects and tasks hit deadlines.
Proven track record in using multiple marketing channels and tactics to raise awareness, drive demand, and deliver revenue.
Budget management and coordination with global Corporate Communications activities.
Ability to analyze relevant information and make informed decisions.
Keen focus on customer-centricity and data-driven approach to problem solving and effective content strategy.
Strong knowledge or familiarity with AI content building tools, and project management software (like Monday).
Excellent people skills with ability to interact at all levels of the organization, including colleagues, cross-functional peers, executives, customers, and third parties.
Excellent collaboration, communication and problem-solving skills.
Ability to work independently, using initiative to overcome obstacles and complete tasks within the allotted time.

Nice To Haves

B2B experience highly desired and manufacturing experience preferred

Responsibilities

Content Strategy & Execution: Manage the development and implementation of an annual content strategy aligned with growth targets to build awareness, engagement, and conversion, supporting both new customer acquisition and retention. Use data analytics to inform recommendations on channel distribution and content effectiveness. Oversee annual and quarterly content meetings and analytics reviews to ensure strategies drive business-specific opportunities and priorities. Manage the creation of impactful content that resonates with customers and is visually compelling. Manage the development and execution of visual and digital assets (graphics, infographics, videos, photos) aligned with the Protolabs brand.
Creative Leadership & Vision: Establish and articulate a clear content vision aligned with Protolabs’ annual company and marketing strategy. Guide and mentor multi-disciplinary teams (copy, design, brand, PR, etc.) to deliver consistent, breakthrough creative across channels. Collaborate with global brand team for consistency in strategic positioning, visual brand, and brand guide. Serve as a brand advocate, upholding high standards for design, storytelling, and production while balancing creative excellence with business results. Partner with marketing and business leaders on brand expression and creative direction.
Team Management & Development: Build, inspire, and grow a diverse, high-performing creative team, cultivating a culture of collaboration, learning, engagement, inclusion, and fun. Establish a Center for Creative Excellence and facilitate the development of a capability mission and identity. Prioritize employee performance, development and engagement. Support and foster an environment of individual value and teamwork. Emphasize and support professional development of team members and focus on individual growth plans.
Creative Operations & Process Optimization: Oversee and continuously improve the end-to-end creative process—from intake and briefing through delivery and measurement. Use and maintain tools and systems for efficiency and transparency, including project management platforms (e.g., Monday), digital asset management, and creative review processes. Ensure alignment with technology infrastructure and marketing automation/CRM tools to maximize creative impact at scale. Partner across marketing and business to optimize workflow, prioritize requests, and balance strategic vs. tactical creative needs.
Cross-Functional Partnership: Act as a key liaison between creative, product marketing, demand generation, digital, and executive leadership to ensure alignment and consistency in creative outputs. Collaborate with global brand team and serve as brand advocate and champion of high standards for design, storytelling, and production, balancing creative excellence with business results. Translate business objectives and complex stakeholder needs into actionable creative strategies. Manage expectations and feedback loops across global and regional teams for smooth collaboration and timely delivery. Oversee the regional content calendar in coordination with the global editorial/brand calendar.
Innovation & Capability Growth: Help influence and adapt Protolabs’ AI policy as it pertains to content marketing operations and creative generation. Introduce new approaches, tools, and technologies to enhance creative capability and innovation. Benchmark and measure the impact of creative work, establishing and sharing KPIs for effectiveness, quality, and team satisfaction. Work with Global Marketing Operations to identify and obtain effective marketing tools for content development and management.