Studio Operations Assistant

Employment Type: Part-time, Independent Contractor (25–30 hours/week to start, with full-time growth potential)

Work Model: Remote

Work Hours: US Pacific Standard Time (PST) alignment (9:00 AM – 3:00 PM PST core overlap required)

Role Overview

We are seeking a warm, polished, and highly organized Studio Operations Assistant to serve as a key operational partner for the Principal Designer of a luxury residential interior design studio.

In this seat, you will manage day-to-day studio logistics, front-line client onboarding, vendor tracking, and business development administration. Operating as a trusted right hand, you will take initial qualification calls off the Principal's plate, handle order tracking and vendor follow-ups through to resolution, manage CRM records, and maintain structured project files. Designed for a proactive, high-agency individual, this role provides the Principal with executive leverage—ensuring no prospective leads, vendor refunds, or administrative details fall through the cracks.

Key Responsibilities

1. Client Onboarding, Qualification & Phone Support

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  First Point of Contact: Answer incoming studio calls, acting as a warm, articulate, and professional brand ambassador for prospective luxury interior design clients.

  
  


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  Lead Qualification: Conduct initial consultative screening calls—asking structured qualification questions regarding project scope, location, timeline, and budget parameters to identify ideal client fits.

  
  


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  Consultation Booking: Schedule qualified prospective clients for paid design consultations directly on the Principal's calendar; log lead details and track follow-up cadences in the CRM (Houzz Pro).

  
  


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  Inquiry Triage: Screen spam, sales solicitations, and poor-fit inquiries, ensuring only high-value opportunities reach the Principal Designer.

  
  

2. Vendor Management & Project Logistics

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  Order & Freight Tracking: Communicate with luxury furniture, fabric, material, and trade vendors to track purchase orders, backorders, ship dates, and freight deliveries.

  
  


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  Relentless Issue Resolution: Proactively chase outstanding vendor returns, exchanges, damaged shipment claims, and refunds until issues are fully resolved.

  
  


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  Trade Coordination: Request product specs, finish samples, and trade quotes; follow up with contractors and trade partners regarding proposals and project documentation.

  
  

3. Studio Operations & Administrative Governance

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  Inbox & Calendar Triage: Organize the studio's general inbox, coordinate client/vendor meetings, and prepare meeting agendas, notes, and action-item summaries.

  
  


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  Digital File Hygiene: Maintain organized Google Drive project folders, update project tracking sheets, and log invoices/receipts for bookkeeping handoffs.

  
  


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  SOP Development: Document recurring administrative workflows and create simple Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to streamline studio processes.

  
  

4. Business Development Support

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  Partner Research: Research local realtors, luxury home builders, architects, and trade partners to build prospective referral network lists.

  
  


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  Outreach Tracking: Track networking outreach, manage partner follow-up reminders, and prepare research briefs ahead of sales meetings.

  
  

Required Skills & Qualifications

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  Communication Excellence: Outstanding spoken and written English skills with a warm, sophisticated phone manner and comfort discussing project budget parameters with high-net-worth clients.

  
  


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  Operational Discipline & Persistence: Exceptional organizational skills, high attention to detail, and a relentless follow-through mindset that drives vendor issues to full completion.

  
  


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  Proactive Ownership: High-agency mindset—capable of assessing daily studio priorities, identifying operational gaps, and executing without waiting for step-by-step direction.

  
  


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  Technical Aptitude: Quick learner comfortable navigating CRM and project management platforms (experience with Houzz Pro, Google Workspace, Miro, or similar systems is ideal).

  
  


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  Schedule Alignment: Reliable availability Monday through Friday to maintain consistent core hours between 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM US Pacific Time (PST).

  
  

Preferred Qualifications

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  Prior experience supporting a U.S.-based business in luxury home services, interior design, architecture, high-end hospitality, construction, real estate, or executive support.

  
  

Success Metrics (KPIs)

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  Inbound Lead Conversion: Promptly qualifying incoming phone and email inquiries and scheduling qualified paid consultations on the Principal's calendar.

  
  


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  Resolution Rate on Vendor Issues: Maintaining active tracking and 100% resolution follow-through on delayed shipments, damaged goods, and vendor refunds.

  
  


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  Inbox & Operations Hygiene: Keeping the studio inbox triaged daily, project files current in Google Drive, and CRM pipelines accurately updated.

  
  


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  Principal Leverage Created: Successfully absorbing administrative, dispatch, and client-screening logistics to free up the Principal Designer's time for creative and strategic growth.