Job Description
Position Summary
The Creative Production Manager oversees retouching and post-production projects from kickoff through final delivery, ensuring all work is completed on time, on budget, and at the highest visual standard. This role serves as the primary day-to-day lead for assigned accounts and projects, balancing client expectations, creative quality, timelines, and internal resources.
The Creative Production Manager partners closely with clients, account teams, retouchers, prepress, and leadership to manage high-volume, deadline-driven workstreams. Success in this role requires strong organizational skills, excellent communication, a sharp creative eye, and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
Key Responsibilities
Project Ownership & Production Management
- Own all aspects of assigned projects from kickoff through final delivery
- Manage multiple projects simultaneously while maintaining accuracy, organization, and quality
- Establish and maintain project schedules, timelines, milestones, and delivery expectations
- Oversee day-to-day workflow to ensure deadlines are met and deliverables remain on track
- Work closely with offshore vendors to maintain quality, consistency, and project schedules, including identifying issues, communicating feedback, and ensuring revisions are completed when necessary.
- Monitor project scope, flag potential risks, and proactively propose solutions
- Maintain strict adherence to approved project budgets and escalate concerns when needed
Creative Review & Quality Control
- Review imagery from a creative and technical perspective to ensure all work meets client expectations and internal quality standards
- Act as the client’s advocate throughout the retouching process, ensuring imagery aligns with creative direction, campaign cohesion, and project briefs
- Provide clear, actionable feedback to retouchers and prepress teams to improve image quality and consistency
- Lead quality control efforts throughout the project lifecycle, serving as the final set of eyes before images are delivered to clients
- Ensure there are no technical, visual, or file-related issues prior to delivery
Client Communication & Account Partnership
- Serve as the day-to-day liaison for assigned clients and projects
- Lead project-related communication including schedules, file deliveries, creative feedback, timelines, and solutions to production challenges
- Partner closely with Account teams to align on client expectations, project scope, budgets, and delivery timelines
- Build strong client relationships through professionalism, responsiveness, and attention to detail
- Participate in client meetings, creative reviews, and production calls as needed
Workflow Coordination & Team Collaboration
- Coordinate workflow across retouching, prepress, production, and account teams to ensure efficient execution
- Partner with the Production Lead and Director of Retouching & Post to establish project workflows, staffing plans, and resource allocation
- Track project status and maintain accurate records of files, markups, approvals, schedules, and communications
- Attend and lead production meetings, review sessions, and internal project discussions
- Contribute to a collaborative, team-oriented environment within the department and across cross-functional teams
Estimating, Reporting & Resource Management
- Create project estimates in partnership with Account teams and leadership
- Track time spent on images and projects to evaluate resource usage, efficiency, and profitability
- Produce reports and participate in post-mortem discussions to identify opportunities for workflow improvement
- Maintain organized project documentation including files, markups, emails, hard drives, and reference materials
Professionalism & Representation
- Demonstrate professionalism and sound judgment in all client and internal interactions
- Represent the company positively in meetings, presentations, and public or private events
- Make decisions in the best interest of the company, clients, and project teams
- Support a positive, solutions-oriented work environment
Success in This Role Looks Like
Projects are delivered on time, on budget, and at a consistently high quality level
Clients feel informed, supported, and confident throughout the production process
Internal teams have clear direction, organized workflows, and strong communication
Imagery is cohesive, visually strong, and aligned with creative expectations
Project challenges are identified early and resolved proactively
Accurate project tracking, reporting, and documentation are maintained across all accounts
5–7 years of experience in a high-volume production, post-production, or creative environment
Experience in photography, beauty, fashion, retail, or related industries strongly preferred
Strong understanding of photography, image production, and retouching workflows
Working knowledge of Adobe Photoshop, Bridge, Excel, InDesign, and file transfer platforms such as FTP, Dropbox, and WeTransfer
Excellent visual judgment and strong color perception
Strong time management, communication, and organizational skills
Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment
Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining attention to detail and creative quality
The anticipated salary range for this role is $70,000 - $90,000 annually. Ranges are based on various factors including the labor market, job type, internal equity, and budget. Exact offers are calibrated by work location, individual candidate experience, and skills relative to the defined job requirements.
This is a hybrid role requiring flexibility to work in-office and remotely. Evening or weekend work may occasionally be required during major projects.
We offer a competitive benefits package including major medical, dental and vision insurance, FSA, HSA, and employee discounts.
Industrial Color is a division of CoCreativ, a family of integrated creative production companies. Industrial Color partners with top brands, agencies, and creative professionals providing a full range of essential production services. For over 30 years, we’ve led the industry through a culture of innovation, bringing state-of-the-art digital production and post-production solutions to our clients.
Our headquarters is based in Tribeca, NY, with offices in Los Angeles and studios in Brooklyn and Los Angeles. Our clients include: L’Oreal, Publicis, Procter & Gamble, Tommy Hilfiger, Absolut Vodka, Nike, Estee Lauder, Amazon…
