Color Manager Job Description

This is the person who decides whether a fabric's shade matches the approved standard. Small deviations get costly fast. In apparel and textile companies, the job runs on the seasonal development calendar, where design teams choose the palette and mills must reproduce it faithfully across fabric bases, dye lots, and print methods. The difficulty is achievability, since a shade approved on one fabric base can fail on another once dyed or printed, and one person answers for that gap across every product line.

The mandate of the Color Manager is to keep every seasonal shade and print accurate from first sample through bulk production, so that brand standards and delivery dates are met. Day to day, the work is shared with fabric R&D, product development, sourcing, and quality colleagues, and its approval calls set the pace for supplier deliveries.

Career Impact: Textile color and print achievability is a narrow specialty, and holding it sets you apart from general product development peers.

Business Impact: Fewer color rejections from suppliers mean fewer late deliveries and less rework for the product team, tracked through approval rating and turn time.

Growth Opportunity: Advancement leads toward global color governance, with input on raw materials sourcing strategy and chemical management goals.

• Review and approve lab dips and strike-offs against color standards for visual consistency and bulk achievability.
• Maintain the seasonal color library, physical standards, and color manual so every team works from current references.
• Develop custom colors for new products in partnership with fabric R&D and outside suppliers.
• Establish color standards and approval procedures, then communicate expectations to suppliers and internal stakeholders.
• Track supplier performance history on color submissions and use it to guide design decisions before quality issues arise.
• Coordinate color approvals with design, merchandising, fabric, and sourcing teams so each season stays on schedule.
• Calibrate color lab equipment on a daily and monthly schedule so approval readings stay accurate.
• Produce end-of-season color reports that summarize approval trends and recurring quality issues for product and merchandising leadership.

• Bachelor's degree in textiles, engineering, or a related field, or equivalent work experience.
• 5 or more years of color management experience in apparel or textile production, with ownership of approvals.
• Working knowledge of dye and print processes, including how color achievability changes across fabric substrates and materials.
• Understanding of color quality standards and the approval steps that keep bulk production consistent with them.
• Proven success collaborating across functions and with outside suppliers to resolve color issues before they delay production.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills, including presenting color findings and standards to managers and cross-functional groups.
• Ability to analyze color and performance data to identify root causes and recommend corrective actions to suppliers.
• Proficiency with business and product data software used to manage color records, seasonal schedules, and reports.

• Superior score on a standardized hue discrimination test, showing the precise color vision needed to approve shades.
• Experience directing a dye or color department team, including chemical inventory control and safe handling practices.
• Experience preparing print artwork and layouts so files are technically ready for mill production across product categories.
• Knowledge of newer dyestuffs and coloring methods that improve color fastness and reproduction accuracy in production.

• Supplier submission approval rate (%), reflecting how often submissions meet the color standard.
• Average approval turn time (days), measuring how fast submissions are cleared.
• On-time color approvals against the development calendar (%), protecting seasonal delivery dates.
• Shade pass rate in bulk production (%), reflecting how closely lots match the approved standard.
• Color library currency (% of standards updated by season start), reflecting reference accuracy.
• Active suppliers scored each season (%), showing how consistently performance history is tracked.

• Base Salary Range: $85,000 to $125,000 per year, depending on market and brand size
• Bonus: Annual performance bonus, commonly 5% to 10% of base salary
• Equity: Uncommon at this level, mainly offered by private or venture-backed brands
• Health Benefits: Medical, dental, and vision coverage with employer premium contribution
• PTO: 15 to 20 days of paid time off plus company holidays
• Common Perks: 401(k) match, product discounts, flexible schedules, and professional development stipends

Figures are estimates based on general US market benchmarks and may be outdated. Adjust based on location, company size, and seniority level.

Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States, and employment is contingent on the results of a background check. Reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act are available to qualified individuals on request. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

The Color Manager owns the seasonal color and print process for apparel, approving lab dips and strike-offs so palettes and prints stay accurate on performance materials. Reporting to the product team, the Color Manager works with design and fabric colleagues and keeps supplier performance data current, helping final products meet brand color standards.

Key Responsibilities

• Translate inspiration from the concept team into seasonal prints and color palettes.
• Execute seasonal lab dip and print requests, ensuring color standards and processes are met.
• Review and approve lab dips and strike-offs for quality and visual consistency.
• Maintain a library of seasonal color palettes, physical standards, and performance data.
• Own accuracy and availability of information specific to color and print for the product team.
• Develop custom colors as required.
• Work with the design and fabric teams to develop original prints and original pattern designs that are trend-right, brand-right, and technically ready for production.
• Create and manage mill-ready art packages for multiple categories (both sampling and production).
• Provide insights to Design & Merchandising based on supplier capabilities and performance history to prevent potential quality issues at the design stage.
• Provide end-of-season reporting metrics and track supplier performance KPIs for color, quality of submissions, turn time, approval rating, execution, and communication.
• Oversee execution of CAD work (textile, pattern layouts, logos, graphics) from concept to finish, including all edits/changes.

Required Qualifications

• 5 or more years of experience in color management in an apparel environment.
• 2 or more years of experience in print development and management.
• Experience owning file preparation for print and digital applications.
• Strong understanding of print techniques and executions on performance-quality materials.
• Strong understanding of color achievability, print/dye application, and material testing.
• Proficiency in a PDM/PLM system.
• Proficiency in Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator.
• Proven success working in collaboration with Design, Buying, and Production.

Embedded within the commercial team, the Color Manager leads the conversion of 6500 accounts from non-digital to digital color tools across the VR, CV, Sign, and Auto OEM segments, targeting annual savings of $3M. Working closely with R&D, Color Marketing, Digital, and the sales team, the Color Manager specifies new products and trains commercial staff so customers can adopt digital color tools.

Core Functions

• Contribute to the execution of sales and profitability by leading the conversion activity from non-digital to digital color tools and supporting the development of additional color tools and applications to advance sales performance in the VR, CV, Sign, and Auto OEM segments.
• Create relevant value propositions for customer segments in accordance with the segment plans.
• Actively manage digital implementations as a portfolio, bringing in new updates and regularly eliminating older tools to achieve the desired level of conversion.
• Identify new customer color digital needs and create specifications for new products in liaison with R&D, Color Marketing and Digital.
• Ensure effective planning, communication, and progress of implementation of the digital platform to all customers, and assure the timely launch of new digital applications into the market and follow approval processes.
• Develop and implement training for commercial team members to actively engage in the transition to the digital platform.
• Create sales documents and videos for products, including competitive comparisons as necessary to help train and expand digital color platforms, and ensure that relevant product information is provided to the sales team.
• Contribute to the creation of best practices and lead the team training SMEs for digital color conversion.
• Ensure that this conversion of 6500 accounts is on track, resulting in savings of $3M annually.
• Continue the maintenance of existing tools, digital and non-digital.
• Perform training and installation of the digital platform and ancillary technologies to the distribution and bodyshop customer base.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent education and experience.
• 5 or more years of working experience in R&D, marketing, or a commercial environment.
• Proven collaboration skills in a matrix organization.
• Good networker with strong interpersonal skills.
• Ability to apply a proactive and pragmatic approach to problem-solving.

Reporting to the Plant Manager on production performance and quality issues, the Color Manager leads the dye department's workflow, color and quality standards, and chemical inventory control. Partnering with R&D and outside suppliers, the Color Manager supports color development on new products so quality standards and efficiency hold across the dye department.

Primary Duties

• Use the ERP system to schedule and manage dyeing work daily.
• Analyze luster, color, and hand of product to ensure quality standards are met.
• Contribute to color development on new products with R&D and outside sources.
• Create work instructions to ensure proper quality and efficiency for the department.
• Manage and maintain chemical inventory.
• Work with maintenance and outside suppliers to repair machines.
• Operate a spectrophotometer to determine LAB values of product and report findings to quality, and use standard light sources and light boxes to make subject quality assessments.
• Directly manage and delegate tasks to a team of employees.
• Maintain a safe working environment with proper PPE usage and safe chemical handling practices.
• Work closely with the Plant Manager on production performance, quality issues, and general improvements to the department.
• Produce reports and findings to measure performance of the department.

Skills & Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering/operations preferred; Associate's degree plus experience also encouraged.
• Prior experience in textiles preferred, including 1 to 3 years of dye experience.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office.
• Familiarity with ERP.
• Good presentation skills.
• Comfort with team-based work.

Sitting at the intersection of fabric R&D and merchandising, the Color Manager owns the color library, approval process, and standards, keeping color consistent across fabrics and products globally. Operating across Product Development, Sourcing, Quality, and regional sourcing hubs, the Color Manager sets supplier expectations and protects development calendar dates, so approved color reaches bulk production as intended.

Duties

• Use technical knowledge related to color accuracy, consistency, and color approval processes while working closely with the fabric R&D and merchandising team, and understand the creative vision of each project and deliver bulk as per requirements.
• Work cross-functionally to establish color standards to meet team/program requirements and manage color optimization to avoid SKU proliferation.
• Prioritize color approval management to meet development calendar timelines and on-time delivery in conjunction with Product Development, Sourcing, and regional hubs.
• Collaborate and maintain color standards and tools to communicate color development to internal and external stakeholders.
• Ensure consistent color standards and integrity across fabrics and products internally and globally, and facilitate color customization efforts when needed.
• Collaborate with fabric R&D, Product Development, Sourcing, Quality and regional sourcing hubs to establish standards and meet calendar deadlines SMS through production.
• Communicate to all suppliers the color standards, approval process, and expectations.
• Enable speed in the production approval process, seeking efficiency and time savings opportunity, including implementing new technology to advance the brand's color process.
• Provide input/solution to fabric R&D, Product Development, Sourcing, Quality, and regional sourcing hubs in solving color issues when needed.
• Create, organize, and maintain a complete and accurate color library, and maintain and update the color manual as and when required.
• Maintain equipment within the color lab, spectrophotometer and light box, including daily and monthly calibration exercises, and implement color lab software upgrades and administer annual correlation tests with selected vendors.
• Develop and manage KPIs to evaluate performance of all strategic Raw Materials suppliers, and provide input to global Raw Materials sourcing strategy and to the global sustainability team on driving the company's chemical management goals.
• Keep updated on new chemicals, dyestuffs, and coloring methods in the market to enhance color fastness and color reproduction accuracy.
• Provide training and support to internal and external stakeholders in relation to color standards, processes, and quality requirements.

Requirements

• 10 or more years of experience in the Textile industry with a strong understanding of fabric substrates and knowledge of color/dying process.
• Proven experience from a buying office, factory, or fabric dyes company is preferred.
• Knowledge of leather is a plus.
• Understanding of Quality Control in relation to color.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite including PowerPoint, Excel, and Visio.
• Knowledge in PLM is a plus.
• Ability to identify issues and analyze relevant data to determine course of action and generate solutions.
• Comfort working in a constantly changing, deadline-process-driven environment with extremely time-sensitive procedures.
• Strong interpersonal communication and presentation skills, assertive and organized, with the ability to be a good team player.
• Ability to work under tight timelines, meticulous and with strong follow-up skills.
• Willingness to accept domestic and international travel as required, including visits to Distribution Centers and Sourcing hubs as needed.
• Ability to score superior on the Farnsworth-Munsell 100 Hue Color Test.