Non-Financial Background

Primary objectives of the position

The primary responsibilities of the Studio Manager is to support the Regional Manager, Practice Leaders and Principals in the administration and management of the studio in relation to operations, premises management and financial performance.

• Manage the day-to-day operations of the studio including the effective management of the Business Support team and premises management
• Work in partnership with the studio’s Practice Leaders for quality project, people and practice outcomes
• Ensure completion of month end reporting in an accurate and timely manner in partnership with, and receiving support from, the local Studio Accountant.
• Commit to, demonstrate, and promote an environment that, aligns with HASSELL’s values including Be Passionate About Design, Take Ownership, Think As One HASSELL, and Explore the Possibilities to enhance HASSELL’s reputation both internally and externally.

Reporting to

• Reports directly to the Regional Manager (RM)

Liaises with

• Heads of Design (HODs), Sector Leaders, RM, Practice Leaders and Principals
• Local Studio Accountant and Group Finance
• Local studio sector representatives including People & Culture (P&C)
• All studio employees as required
• Clients
• Contractors
• Authorities (any other third parties involved in the premises/operations)
• Landlords

Key Activities

Commercial Success

• Monitors studio billings, cash flow and cash expenditure with support from the local Studio Accountant
• Monitors and oversees project performance and assists Practice Leaders to resolve any arising extraordinary project issues or issues of financial under performance.
• With support from the local Studio Accountant, prepares and provides commentary and advice on studio budgets and monthly forecast reviews for Practice Leaders and/or RM
• Manages studio operating expenses with support sought from the local Studio Accountant
• Completion of monthly operations reports for the studio with input from Practice Leaders and business functions for inclusion in the Regional Report
• Ensures monthly reports are undertaken for all projects in the studio
• Responsible for the completion of forecasting reports with advise sought from the local Studio Accountant
• Ensure contract reviews within the studio are being managed by the Principals in Charge and that they are addressing any potential legal and public indemnity issues
• Assists the RM on studio tenancy issues including lease renewals, negotiations and any other tenancy requirements
• Partners with Business Development to manage data in CRM
• Reviews and updates operation and project reports to ensure all projects meet PPS audit requirements

Leadership, People & Culture

• Manage and lead the Business Support team including recruiting, motivating, developing, assessing allocation of tasks, and arranging temporary staff as required
• Provide timely and accurate advice and updates to Practice Leaders on clients, the financial state of projects, resourcing and the current and anticipated financial state of play within the Studio by sourcing information from the relevant project Team Leaders, Business Development representative and Studio Accountant
• Attend and participate in studio resourcing meetings and assist in resolving any resourcing matters
• Ensure leaders have been trained in Work Plan and HASSELL’s finance reporting function
• Model and encourage inclusive behaviour and helps create an environment of excellence, trust and respect
• Proactively develop and nurture positive internal and external stakeholder relations, facilitating a sense of inclusion and partnership, and actively build upon relationships with clients to secure new and repeat commissions for HASSELL.

Business Development/Client

• Support the submission coordination and review process in conjunction with Business Development, Business Support and relevant Principal/s

Design Excellence

• Support coordination and implementation of Professional Practice Group protocol and processes in the studio in conjunction with the studio Professional Practices representative

Key Personal Attributes

• Exceptional leadership skills
• Ability to adhere to tight deadlines
• Tenacious and resilient
• Demonstrates initiative, ability to think ahead and ownership of tasks
• Effectively collaborates and engages with others
• High level business acumen
• Outstanding communication skills
• Ability and willingness to coach and mentor
• Experience in a business and/or finance position, ideally in the construction or design industry
• Strong numerical and analytical skills

Key Characteristics

• Collaboration and Connection: Actively builds and maintains exceptional connections with professional networks, clients, teams and HASSELL colleagues across all disciplines, studios and regions (Critical)
• Ownership and Partnership: Treats HASSELL, its people, its money and its assets as if it were his/her own business (Critical)
• Passion for Design and Excellence: Prepared to be bold and take risks on the basis of passion for design and excellence
• Knowledge: Displays curiosity about new ideas, new knowledge and new possibilities. Pursues and encourage the development of new individual and collective knowledge and the pursuit of challenges for the purpose of learning
• Plays to Strengths: Actively focused on and leverages own and others strengths to the benefit of the clients, teams, HASSELL and self (Critical)
• Performance: Willing to get outside of the comfort zone, try new things, change course if needed, learn from mistakes and persevere to improve.
• Making a Difference: Positively impacts others, lifting people’s moods, motivation to excel, contributes to creative and strategic thinking and overall work experience (Critical)
• Performance - Commercial Design: Contributes commercial acumen and pragmatism, blending and balancing commercial and design performance outcomes (Critical)
• Client and Business Development: Nurtures client relationships and consistently builds additional value-added opportunities and revenue for HASSELL, not just for own discipline, studio and/or region (Critical)
• Design Talent and Leadership: Recognised externally and valued internally as a design leader in local and international markets. Is known for a valued breadth or depth of design knowledge leadership
• Inspiring Leadership: Draws people together and harnesses a group towards a common goal. Translates commercial and design goals into a vision that is compelling for others to achieve. Connects people to a goal and each other (Critical)
• Empathetic towards, and builds on, client requirements: able to expand client understanding of project opportunities

Other Attributes

• Eye for detail: understand the drivers of acceptable business performance and monitor closely (Critical)
• Grip on the business: understand the overall workings of the studio and intervene when areas are not performing well. No surprises at month end (Critical)
• Compliance with Professional Practice Group’s processes, project reporting, cash collections, etc. KPI’s to be agreed

Interested parties, please click "Apply Now" to submit application.

Personal data collected will be used for recruitment purpose only.

HASSELL is a leading multi-disciplinary Australian design firm with offices throughout Asia. We are currently seeking candidates for our Hong Kong design studio to undertake a range of innovative design projects in Hong Kong and PRC. HASSELL offers a collaborative working environment in a boutique design studio culture.