Operations Manager

Who we are

We’re Among Equals - an independent creative agency in London. We start with a truth most brands ignore: no one cares. People care about what’s for dinner, picking the kids up, where to go on holiday - not about brands. Our job is to change that - making work that shouts when everyone else whispers, and gets people to actually care.

We’ve been at it since 2020, for the likes of Grind, Pizza Hut, YuMove, TALA, WRAP, AG1 & Bio&Me.

We’re a rapidly growing team - small enough that everyone matters, fast-moving enough that no two weeks look the same. We take the work seriously and ourselves a lot less so. One of the team called us ‘weird, in a good way’, which we’ve decided to take as a compliment.

We’re after an Operations Manager to keep it all running as we grow. If you’re brilliantly organised, love making things run better, and want your hands across a whole function rather than a slice of one - this is for you.

Purpose of the role

As our Operations Manager, you’ll run the day-to-day operations of the agency - finance admin, systems, HR admin, and the processes that keep everything moving. You’ll keep the engine running, end to end.

You’ll work closely with our COO, who owns operations at a strategic level - the commercial, people & process standards. Your job is to run the day-to-day against those standards brilliantly, and own your work without being chased. It’s hands-on with no team beneath you - you’re doing the work, not managing others to do it - but you won’t be on an island: the roles overlap, and the COO stays close & can step in when you need it. So you’ll own your patch and stay genuinely open to collaboration, feedback & oversight.

And you’re joining at a growth moment - this isn’t about maintaining a machine, it’s about helping build one. As the agency grows, so does the role.

What you’ll actually do

Finance admin

• Own invoicing end to end - raising invoices, running supplier schedules, preparing payment runs (for approval), and chasing what’s owed.
• Manage expenses across the team.
• Manage subscriptions & licences - know what we’re paying for and why.
• Keep our internal cashflow forecast up to date: plug in actuals as money moves in & out, and flag anything that needs the COO’s eye. You keep it accurate; the forecast itself is the COO’s.

• (This is operational finance - invoicing, suppliers, expenses & keeping the forecast current. Bank reconciliation, month-end & accounts sit with Xero and our accountant.)
• New business & project setup

• Own the set up of new projects - confirming all details with PMs and setting up on our systems
• Build & share invoice schedules with suppliers.
• Occasionally: get us set up as an approved supplier for new clients - vendor forms, compliance docs & procurement portals.
• Surface leads, don’t own them: keep an eye on lead & tender portals and flag promising opportunities for the COO & team to chase. You spot them; the team decides what to pursue.

Streamtime & data

• Own Streamtime operationally - setting up projects, time logging, adding expenses, updating timelines, and closing out projects cleanly.
• Keep it accurate & current so it stays our single source of truth.
• Supporting the resourcing manager with streamtime admin where needed.

HR admin

• Run onboarding & offboarding - for permanent team and freelancers.
• Keep employment contracts up to date and issue salary letters and similar paperwork.
• Own annual leave & sickness tracking.

• (You run the HR admin; the COO owns the people strategy – contracts, performance, exits, frameworks.)
• Tech & office systems

• Own the agency’s tech – keep track of laptops, software & kit.
• Manage the server and keep it tidy & well organised.

Process improvement

• Spot friction in how we work and fix it – proposing & implementing improvements within the framework the COO sets.
• Use AI to make us faster & sharper: actively bring AI into our operational processes to cut manual work and improve how things run. This is core to the role, not a nice-to-have.

What we’re looking for

• An experienced ops generalist. You’ve been hands-on across finance admin, HR admin & systems before - ideally at an agency or fast paced/high growth business.
• Seriously organised & accurate. This is the finance & data the whole agency runs on, so precision matters - details don’t slip past you.
• Owns their work, welcomes a team around them. You drive your patch without being chased - but you’re not precious about it. You welcome collaboration, feedback & a COO who stays close. A sparring partner, not a lone wolf.
• Calm under pressure, sharp on priorities. You know what to tackle first and nothing gets dropped.
• Clear communicator. You keep the team (and clients) in the loop with updates that are clear, timely & to the point.
• Commercially curious. You’re interested in how the business works, not just heads-down in admin.
• Discreet & trustworthy. You’ll handle contracts, salaries & personal data.

Experience

The essentials

• 2-4 years’ experience. We’re not fussed about job titles - what you’ve done matters far more than what you were called, and good ops people come from all sorts of places. Agency, studio or small fast-moving business experience is ideal.
• Invoicing & finance admin. You’ve done this hands-on and you’re confident with it. It’s the core of the role.
• Xero. You’ll be leading day-to-day finance, so you need to be comfortable in it from day one.
• Confident with spreadsheets .
• AI. You have used AI tools to optimise workflows, and can come with ideas for streamlining ours.

The nice to haves

• Project management software. You've worked with a software that tracks projects & their profitability. if you’ve used something similar you’ll pick up Streamtime fast (Streamtime itself a bonus).
• Experience with HR admin & maintaining internal systems .
• Google Workspace.

• Don’t tick every box? If this sounds like you but you’re not sure you meet every point, get in touch anyway.
• Among Equals is an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, and we’re happy to make adjustments to our process – just tell us what you need.
• The basics

• £38-42k depending on experience.
• Full-time, based in our London studio - hybrid, with up to two WFH days a week
• Core hours: 9:30 - 6pm
• Ideal start: As soon as we find the right person.

What we offer

• 28 days holiday inc bank holidays + 2 week Christmas shutdown.
• Annual training budget.
• A week of fully remote work each year, on top of hybrid (timezone dependent).
• Private health insurance from your 1 year anniversary.
• Dog-friendly office - there’s usually at least one dog in.
• A bonus fund for ideas.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Regular socials & parties - along with many frequent outings for lunch/drinks/dog walks etc.

Applications close 14th August, but we're reviewing as they come in - so don't wait.