Lead Creative Operations Manager

Datadog•New York, NY

7h•$119,000 - $159,000•Hybrid

About The Position

We are building a dedicated Creative Operations function to serve as the operating system for our Brand team. As Creative Operations Manager, you will partner with Brand leadership to architect scalable workflows, strengthen operational rigor, and drive how cross-functional creative work gets done across our team's disciplines – including design, video, motion, and illustration. This role calls for a highly proactive operator who can think at both the systems and execution level; someone who challenges existing processes, recommends smarter ways of working across disciplines, and isn't afraid to roll up their sleeves to keep critical work moving. The ideal candidate brings exceptional operational acumen, sharp instincts for reprioritization, and the strategic clarity to lead teams through ambiguity without losing speed or quality. If you thrive at the intersection of creative production, operations, and creative problem-solving — and you're energized by the opportunity to shape a growing function — this role is for you. At Datadog, we place value in our office culture - the relationships and collaboration it builds and the creativity it brings to the table. We operate as a hybrid workplace to ensure our Datadogs can create a work-life harmony that best fits them.

Requirements

You have 6+ years of experience in creative operations, production, program management, or operational leadership within a fast-paced creative or marketing organization
You are able to operate strategically while remaining execution-oriented, with strong judgment about when to zoom out and when to dive into the details
You have experience influencing creative leadership, executive stakeholders, and cross-functional teams through ambiguity, competing priorities, and organizational change
You are a systems thinker who approaches operational challenges with curiosity, first-principles thinking, and a bias toward scalable, sustainable solutions
You build trust with multidisciplinary teams through clear communication, sound judgment, emotional intelligence, and operational credibility
You are familiar with creative operations and workflow platforms such as Asana, Jira, Airtable, Workfront, or similar tools, and are interested in AI-enabled workflow optimization and automation technologies

Responsibilities

Lead operational strategy across design, events, video, motion, and illustration to improve scalability, prioritization, and team efficiency
Partner with Brand leadership, marketing stakeholders, and external vendors to align teams through complex operational decisions and shifting priorities
Design and evolve systems for creative intake, project assignment, resource planning, bandwidth visibility, and cross-functional collaboration
Maintain operational systems, including project management tools and digital asset management platforms, to improve visibility, organization, adoption, and creative delivery
Drive speed and quality across high-volume initiatives by maintaining operational oversight, unblocking teams, and stepping into tactical project leadership when needed
Own onboarding, communication, and management for new creative tools and vendors, including opportunities to use AI tools, automation platforms, and emerging technologies to streamline workflows