Head of Operations

Streetsense•Washington, DC

About The Position

Streetsense is a multidisciplinary design and strategy company working across strategy, design, branding, real estate, and experience. Its three business units—Place Consulting, Interior Architecture, and Creative Agency—support owners, developers, institutions, and cities in creating destinations with economic, social, and cultural value. The Head of Operations is Streetsense’s senior operational leader and chief integrator, connecting people, processes, technology, and performance management to build a more connected, efficient, and scalable business. Reporting directly to the Board of Directors, this leader oversees day-to-day operations, aligns business units, improves profitability and resource utilization, and drives the execution of strategic priorities. The role calls for an operator, coach, and change agent with a visible organizational presence and periodic travel to support teams, clients, and company initiatives. In the first 12 months, the Head of Operations is expected to establish a disciplined operating cadence and improve visibility into staffing and financial performance; strengthen forecasting, resource planning, and collaboration across business units; reduce friction and administrative burden in core workflows; advance technology and AI-enabled productivity; develop emerging leaders and organizational accountability; and reinforce a unified “One Streetsense” culture that supports growth without sacrificing creativity.

Requirements

10+ years of operational leadership experience within a professional services organization.
Previous experience in a comparable executive-level operational leadership role.
Demonstrated success improving profitability, operational discipline, and organizational performance.
Experience leading across multiple disciplines, offices, or business units within a complex organization.
Strong financial acumen, including experience with forecasting, utilization, project economics, and resource planning.
Experience implementing operating systems, technology platforms, and performance-management frameworks.
Experience managing through growth and organizational change.

Nice To Haves

Experience leading a creative, consulting, design, architecture, or other professional-services organization.
Strategic thinker and disciplined executor.
Emotionally intelligent and highly effective communicator.
Collaborative, pragmatic, and low-ego leader.
Comfortable operating in a Board-led environment.
Data-driven, with an appreciation for creativity and design.
Curious and committed to continuous improvement.
Effective coach, mentor, and developer of talent.
Entrepreneurial and comfortable navigating ambiguity and change.

Responsibilities

Partner with the Board and business-unit leaders to translate strategic priorities into measurable operating plans.
Lead annual planning, quarterly priority-setting, and execution reviews.
Establish clear goals, ownership, accountability, and firm-wide operational reporting.
Develop resourcing and performance benchmarks informed by industry best practices.
Partner with Finance and business-unit leaders to improve profitability, margins, and operating efficiency.
Monitor utilization, project profitability, backlog, forecasting, and resource allocation.
Develop reporting systems that provide timely, actionable visibility into operating performance.
Oversee and continuously improve core operating infrastructure and workflows.
Improve the quote-to-cash process, including scoping, staffing, project setup, delivery, billing, and collections.
Establish scalable operating standards across service lines while preserving appropriate entrepreneurial flexibility.
Define and lead the firm’s operational technology roadmap.
Evaluate and implement AI, automation, and workflow tools to improve productivity and service delivery.
Improve integration among project management, CRM, finance, and resource-planning platforms.
Drive adoption, governance, and continuous improvement of operating systems.
Partner with business-unit leaders on organizational design and workforce planning.
Build leadership capacity, succession pipelines, and career-development pathways.
Strengthen goal-setting, feedback, performance management, and leadership accountability.
Reinforce Streetsense’s culture and entrepreneurial spirit while advancing a “One Streetsense” mindset across offices, disciplines, and business units.