Co-op Program Coordinator / Design Operations Lead

Job Description:

Co-op Program Coordinator / Design Operations Lead

The Role

At FCAT—the Fidelity Center for Applied Technology and Fidelity’s core innovation catalyst—you’ll help the organization imagine bold possibilities and bring emerging technologies to life. This hybrid role combines design operations leadership with coordination of our signature student co‑op program, giving you a unique opportunity to shape both team effectiveness and future design talent. You’ll design and optimize the systems, processes, and workflows that keep our creative practice running with clarity, consistency, and impact. At the same time, you’ll lead an immersive co‑op experience rooted in exploration, learning, and community. If you love building scalable structures, elevating design quality, and nurturing early‑career talent, this role offers an exciting chance to influence both the present and future of design at FCAT.

Core Work: Design Ops Lead (50%)

Workflow, Tools & Systems

• Build and refine cross‑team workflows; manage timelines, deliverables, and project tracking.

• Identify operational bottlenecks and improve team efficiency through platforms, processes, and standard methodologies.

• Oversee evaluation, implementation, and maintenance of design tools; manage licenses, integrations, and vendor relationships.

• Develop systems for organizing creative assets, files, and shared libraries; uphold scalable governance for design systems.

• Maintain clear, proactive communication to keep teams aligned.

Cross‑functional Collaboration, Communication & Culture

• Serve as an operational connector across design, product, engineering, brand, and research.

• Build project plans, track progress, and remove blockers to maintain momentum.

• Reinforce design processes, rituals, and communication workflows that support alignment with product and business priorities.

• Foster team culture through rituals, events, and learning opportunities that promote creativity, inclusion, and connection.

Team Operations, Resourcing & Metrics

• Support capacity planning, resourcing, and project prioritization.

• Lead onboarding for designers and ensure readiness with tools, systems, and processes.

• Partner with leadership and recruiting on hiring and team growth.

• Define and track operational metrics; synthesize insights to drive continuous improvement.

Quality, Consistency & Craft

• Support design QA processes and uphold high‑quality work.

• Promote design excellence by reinforcing standards, best practices, and review rituals.

Core work: Co‑op Program Coordination (50%)

University Engagement & Brand Advocacy

• Build and maintain relationships with university partners; represent the organization at talent and campus events.

• Plan and host open houses, roundtables, and studio tours to promote the co‑op program and attract students.

Program Design & Project Coordination

• Design and coordinate co‑op projects aligned with FCAT’s values of discovery and experimentation.

• Ensure project experiences balance structure with creative flexibility and align with business or research goals.

Student Experience & Development

• Lead onboarding, orientation, and ongoing mentorship for co‑ops.

• Provide check‑ins, performance feedback, resources, and documentation to support learning and growth.

Program Operations & Continuous Improvement

• Manage recruitment timelines, postings, and interviews.

• Maintain program documentation, training materials, and best practices.

• Track program metrics and use insights to refine and strengthen the co‑op experience.

The Expertise and Skills You Bring

• Proven experience in design operations or project/program management within creative environments, ideally including work with university co-op or internship programs.

• Skilled with modern design and collaboration tools (e.g., Figma, Monday, Jira, Miro).

• Strong organizational, systems-thinking, and planning capabilities, with a track record of coordinating across multiple teams and priorities.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills for engaging stakeholders from students to senior leaders.

• Passion for mentoring emerging talent and fostering an inclusive, collaborative design culture.

Skills

• Interpersonal savvy

• Emotional intelligence