Manager, Post-Production - West Elm

About the Role

The scope of the Manager, Post-Production position requires proficiency in the following areas : color and printing, brand management, production, data asset management, people management and budgeting.

The Manager, Post-Production role involves close collaboration with the Brand / Lifestyle Photo Teams, Digital Studio Team, Asset Production Team, and Data Asset Management Team to streamline processes, improve efficiency, and maintain consistency in a high-quality image production environment.

You will ensure that the images on the website and in print reproductions are of the highest color quality and accurately represent the products consistently.

You will direct teams, projects, and assets to support these goals.

Responsibilities

People & Projects Creative manager for three creative post-production teams : Color re-touchers (brand, digital studio, freelancers, and outside vendors) DAM asset librarian Asset Coordinator Allocate projects to individual team members and outside vendors to ensure quality reproduction, to meet project deadlines, and stay within budget.

Negotiate costs, maintain relationships, and manage contracts with outside vendors. Update and distribute photo submission guidelines seasonally to DTs to ensure files received meet image quality and naming standards.

Foster a collaborative and high-performance culture, building strong relationships with cross-functional teams, and provide training and support to maximize all team efforts.

Technology and Innovation Develop, evolve, and implement workflow optimizations for efficiency to reduce turnaround times and improve creative execution.

Direct the color process, requiring a creative eye and clear communication with production teams to meet high-quality brand standards.

Collaborate with outside vendor to develop and implement necessary upgrades to our color viewing software. Direct the DAM team to drive automation and improvements in process and system integrations, metadata management, version and permissions control to enhance image searchability and accessibility within the Digital Asset Management system.

Collaborate with IT and stakeholders to streamline and automate workflows, integrate tech platforms and improve data integrity and speed in asset delivery.

Color Expert Own the color process for large volume of brand and digital studio assets (about 25k / year). Conduct visual assessments of color with product samples, requiring excellent color acuity.

Review assets from several teams to ensure color accuracy and consistency from image to image; mark up all rounds of color and approve all assets.

Manage team of 3 in-house retouchers, 1-3 freelance retouchers, and 1-3 outside vendors. Work closely with art directors to execute their vision in lifestyle brand shoots.

Collaborate closely with photo and production teams to determine necessary clone work. Maintain constant communication with asset, production, and merchant teams to ensure awareness and execution of additional or late changes.

Strong ability to create and follow schedules and meet deadlines. Markup color proofs and manage printing of catalogs and any additional collateral produced by creative services teams.

Create and maintain libraries of assets for backgrounds and cloning options. Research and implement new color technologies;

stay current with industry advancements.

Budget Create, monitor, and manage budgets for retouching projects - including color correction / pathing expenses, and software costs.

Coordinate with production teams to determine any changes that will affect costs. Work with finance partners on month-end close.

YOU : Pride yourself on the quality of your work and are a stickler for the details. Love inspiring customers with beautiful and color-accurate photography.

Have excellent communication and collaboration skills. Have experience working cross-functionally with creative, production, and technical teams.

Have a proven track record of driving process improvements, optimizing workflows, and delivering high-quality photo assets.

Demonstrate flexibility and resourcefulness in a fast-paced environment. Excel at multi-tasking and prioritizing tasks. Believe innovation is critical and are constantly searching for a better way.

Criteria

• Bachelor’s degree in photography, Digital Media, or related creative field.
• Experience with the Adobe Suite.
• 5+ years of experience in with product photography or similar roles within a creative or e-commerce environment, home retail experience a plus.
• 2+ years of management experience.
• This role requires being onsite in the Industry City office

Our Culture & Values

We believe that taking care of our people is vital to our success and we strive to offer equitable and transparent practices for all.

We prioritize connection, growth, and wellbeing. Our associates are encouraged to bring their authentic selves to work, so they can be their best and achieve their personal and professional goals.

We make inclusivity a cornerstone of our culture by welcoming associates with diverse cultures and backgrounds and celebrating them, together.

We nurture an open, inclusive environment for all. Our differences whatever they may be are valued, explored, and appreciated.

Together, we’re creating a more just and inclusive company culture where the only criteria for advancement are :

• The quality of our work
• The contributions we make to our teams and the business
• Our ability to lead and connect

We firmly believe that working in a culture focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) spurs innovation, creates healthy and high-performing teams, and delivers superior customer experiences.

Outside of WSI, we recognize the importance of playing a part in our communities through partnerships, collaborations, and commitments to a more just and inclusive world.

People First

Putting People First means investing in overall well-being and opportunities to grow and advance within the organization.

Depending on the position and location, here are a few highlights of what benefits may be available :

Benefits

• A generous discount on all WSI brands
• A 401(k) plan and other investment opportunities
• Paid vacations, holidays, and time off to volunteer
• Health benefits, dental and vision insurance, including same-sex domestic partner benefits
• Tax-free commuter benefits
• A wellness program that supports your physical, financial and emotional health

Continued Learning

• In-person and online learning opportunities through WSI University
• Cross-brand and cross-function career opportunities
• Resources for self-development
• Advisor (Mentor) program
• Career development workshops, learning programs, and speaker series

WSI will not now or in the future commence an immigration case or "sponsor" an individual for this position (for example, H-1B or other employment-based immigration

This role is not eligible for relocation assistance.

The expected starting pay range for this position is $100,000 - $110,000. Applicable pay ranges may differ across markets.

Actual pay will be determined based on experience and other job-related factors permitted by law. In addition to competitive pay, compensation may include a variety of other components like benefits, paid time off, merit, and bonus opportunities.