Director of Global Creative Operations, Kobo
+ Stock options + Bonus
Digital bookseller
Open for applications
Digital bookseller
501-1000 employees
Open for applications
+ Stock options + Bonus
501-1000 employees
Company mission
To bring the power of reading to the world.
Role
Who you are
- We’re looking for a strategic, detail-oriented leader with a proven track record in creative operations, production management, process optimization, financial oversight, and vendor partnerships, someone who thrives at the intersection of creativity and execution
- A bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business, Project Management, or related field
- 15+ years of experience in creative operations, studio production, or marketing operations in large organizations or agencies, preferably with a global scope
- Proven expertise in managing creative workflows, financial operations, and resource planning
- Deep understanding of creative development processes and agency/vendor models
- Strong background in digital, video, packaging, and retail production
- Proficiency in tools like ClickUp, Asana, SharePoint, DAM platforms, and Adobe Creative Suite
- Excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills
- Analytical mindset with experience using data to inform and optimize operations
- Ability to thrive in fast-paced, dynamic environments with multiple priorities
- PMP or relevant project management certification is a plus
What the job involves
- Rakuten Kobo Inc. is seeking a highly experienced Global Director of Creative Operations to lead and optimize the full concept to production lifecycle for creative assets that power our global brand and marketing initiatives
- This role ensures our creative teams deliver exceptional work, on time, on budget, and at scale. You will drive operational excellence across production, process, tools, and resourcing within a fast-paced, tech-driven environment
- Ensure on-time and on-budget development of creative assets, including branded content, video, website graphics, social visuals, product packaging, event materials, and in-store creative
- Manage the allocation and mix of resources (i.e. designers, copywriters, editors) based on project requirements, assigning internal, external and temporary resources as needed
- Translate briefs into actionable, scoped production plans with clear deliverables and timelines
- Ensure efficient handoffs between design and development (especially for web assets and app visuals)
- Develop and manage a scalable resourcing model to support fluctuating global demand
- Forecast and allocate talent across initiatives based on business priorities
- Maintain a strong freelance and vendor network to support peak workloads
- Design and implement streamlined workflows to improve speed, consistency, and quality across creative projects
- Identify production bottlenecks and drive process improvements informed by KPIs and performance data
- Align creative operations with broader marketing priorities and campaign timelines
- Build scalable systems for asset storage, reuse, localization, and version control
- Maintain brand and packaging guidelines and document creative workflows and systems
- Implement and manage platforms for asset management, reviews, and version control (ClickUp, Figma, Adobe CC, DAM, etc.)
- Own and forecast the global creative operations budget
- Track project costs, monitor ROI, and maintain financial reporting mechanisms
- Negotiate and manage contracts with vendors and agencies to optimize quality and value
- Evaluate and implement creative tools and project management systems to enhance team collaboration and efficiency
- Champion adoption of new technologies across global teams, including emerging AI tools
- Stay up to date with industry trends and recommend strategic tech investments
- Partner with the Global Creative Director to bring the creative vision to life within operational realities
- Collaborate with the Brand and Product Marketing Director to align on priorities, timelines, and project planning
- Act as the go-to operational lead for internal stakeholders, ensuring transparent communication on project status, risks, and delivery
- Ensure all creative outputs are delivered on time, on budget, and to the highest quality standards
- Lead, mentor, and grow a high-performing creative operations team
- Foster a culture of accountability, innovation, and cross-functional collaboration
- Provide coaching, performance feedback, and development opportunities for team members
Our take
Long-form content is having a resurgence. That’s great news for the e-reader industry, of which Rakuten’s Kobo battles with Amazon’s Kindle for ownership.
The e-reader giant has changed tack in recent years to pursue growth via integrations and partnerships. A notable example is its native device integration with Pocket, a wishlist app loved by millions of readers.
The company is hoping that these partnerships and product improvements will allow it to finally break the US market where it most struggles for market share with Kindle.
Amazon has consistently shown its willingness to drop prices to protect its position in any market it plays in. That means that Kobo will have to demonstrate true product superiority to make a dent while protecting its margins.
Steph
Company Specialist at Welcome to the Jungle
Insights
Company
Company benefits
- 4-day summer holiday weekends
- Competitive health benefits
- Commuting allowance
- Salary, bonus & stock options
- Global projects & opportunities
- Dog-friendly
- Happy Hour
- Casual dress
- Maternity/parental leave top-up
- Free eReader
- Fitness allowance & gym discount
- Recognition programs
- Buddy program
- Training & development opportunities
- Healthy snacks
- Open concept
- Kobo Café
- Sports teams
Company HQ
Liberty Village, Toronto, ON
Leadership
Michael Tamblyn
(CEO)Part of the founding team of Kobo, Michael previously held the role of Chief Content Officer. Michael has also been the founding CEO of the supply chain agency, BookNet Canada and co-founded Canada’s first online bookstore, Bookshelf.ca, purchased by Indigo Books & Music in 1998.
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