Operations & Experience Lead (Artists & Guests)

VAWAA is building a global creative platform where master artists open their studios for immersive, one-on-one creative apprenticeships. Guests travel around the world to learn everything from ceramics to calligraphy to textile dyeing directly from a master craftsperson.We are a small, creative, globally distributed team and community — building the world’s most inspiring ecosystem for craft, creativity, and cultural connection.Role OverviewWe’re looking for a dynamic builder to support, onboard, and elevate both artists and guests with exceptional communication, operational rigor, and strong fluency and taste for global craft processes. You’ll serve as the connective tissue and growth engine in our two-sided marketplace: our global artist community and the guests who travel to learn from them.This is a hybrid, cross-functional role blending communication, experience design, operations, editorial judgment, and systems-building. It requires both speed and depth, and the ability to switch between high-volume execution and thoughtful craft.On the artist side, you’ll onboard hundreds of artists, refine their offerings, curate assets, and elevate the clarity and quality of programs. You’ll balance fast-moving communication with deeper editorial, structural, and experience-design work—making sure programs feel teachable, compelling, and aligned with VAWAA standards.On the guest side, you’ll partner with our Guest Experience Manager while also taking meaningful ownership of the guest journey end-to-end: delivering fast, thoughtful communication, managing bookings, anticipating needs, and improving conversion. You’ll use strong emotional intelligence and operational judgment to build trust, solve issues, and create coherence between artist capabilities and guest expectations.As the company evolves, this role may tilt more toward artist onboarding, experience design, or guest operations—depending on business needs. In all cases, you will own a core domain with autonomy and increasing strategic influence.If you love solving hard problems, bringing order to complexity, and building systems that make people feel supported, you’ll thrive here.What You’ll DoLead and scale artist onboarding with speed, rigor, and editorial qualityManage all artist communications prompting submissions, gathering assets, offering guidance, co-designing, editing and supportUnderstand their work, shape programs, rewrite descriptions, curate imagesStrengthen artist relationships & support their growth as hosts & teachersPartner with guest experience manager to own the guest journey end-to-endManage bookings, guide decisions, and increase conversionsSolve time-sensitive issues across time zones, cultures and contextsUse AI tools to build systems, automate repeatable work, and increase leverageThink proactively: identify bottlenecks, propose solutions, executeCreate clarity, calm and momentum across a fast-moving global communityYou’re a Great Fit If You HaveExperience in early-stage, high-intensity environments where ownership, coordination, communication, and operations were core to your success. Strong writing, editorial, visual, and experience-design judgmentA track record of high-volume communication done with clarity, warmth, and precisionExperience shaping programs, workshops, or learning journeysOperational stamina: ability to move fast, juggle multiple priorities, and shift contextsHigh cross-cultural and emotional intelligenceExperience using tools (including AI) to scale yourself and build workflowsA history of working full-time in remote, computer-based roles requiring responsiveness, self-direction, and sharp judgmentDemonstrated ability to take ownership in evolving environments where no one tells you exactly what to doSuccess Looks LikeGuests receive fast, clear, thoughtful communication that increases conversion and satisfactionArtist onboarding scales with consistency, momentum, and editorial excellenceArtist responsiveness, program strength, and profile quality all improve measurablyYou independently resolve 80–90% of operational issues with strong judgmentWorkflows become more efficient, automated, and founder-independentThe global artist + guest community feels deeply supportedFounder time shifts from operational load to strategic growth—because you own this domainWhy Join Us?VAWAA is a small and might startup. You'll work closely with the founder working in a creative, global, sometimes-chaotic environment where your ability to take initiative matters. If you want a polished environment with predictable days, this isn’t it. If you want autonomy, responsibility, learning velocity and chance to shape core functions — it’s perfect.Role begins as a 4-month full-time contract with intention to convert to full-time employee.Contract phase: $3,500–$5,000 per month, depending on capability and location.Upon Conversion To Full-time$65,000–$85,000 salary, depending on performance and location.0.25%–0.5% equity or profit sharing optionsHealth insurance1 Free and discounted VAWAA experiencesWork closely with our founder and community of artists and guests in 50+ countries + a mission that mattersGrowth path: In 2–3 years, this role could evolve into Head of Guest Experience, Head of Artist Onboarding and Experience, Head of Creative Operations or even COO, depending on your skills and ambition.We are based in New York, but open to remote applications within the US and Canada.Tip: Cover Letters that include a link to a short 5 min video explaining why you are the best person for this role will be given preference.A Quick Note From Me (founder)I’ll be personally reviewing every application — and as a very small team juggling everything from product to growth to support, my bandwidth is limited, especially around the holidays.That said, this role is mission-critical. I'm eager to find the right person fast, and will reach out quickly if there's a potential fit.I may not be able to respond to everyone, but I want to thank you in advance for your time, care, and interest in joining VAWAA. I’m excited to hear from you.