Print Production Manager

Position Overview

The Print & Print Finishing Manager owns everything that happens between a print-ready file and a finished, inspected graphic ready for handoff to Fulfillment or Fabrication. Print is BVG’s largest production department and the source of most billable output, spanning large-format roll and flatbed printing, small-format digital production on the Xerox iGen5, laminating, contour cutting on the Zund, welding, grommeting, and industrial sewing for SEG, feather flags, and custom fabric structures.

The Print & Print Finishing Manager leads the print, finishing, and sewing teams across day and night shifts. The role requires disciplined color management, a strong mechanical aptitude, and the ability to keep a high-mix, fast-moving queue on schedule without letting quality slip. BVG holds G7, Avery, and 3M certifications; maintaining those standards in daily production is a core expectation of this role.

The Print & Print Finishing Manager is expected to be on the production floor daily, visible to the team, and actively engaged with Design, Fabrication, and Fulfillment to keep work moving cleanly across department handoffs.

Key Responsibilities

People Leadership

• Directly supervise Print Production Operators, Print Finishing Specialists, Sewing & Production Finishers, and the Night Shift; set clear daily and weekly expectations for each position and verify they are met.
• Conduct regular one-on-ones with direct reports and coach for skill development, not just compliance.
• Identify training and skill gaps and close them through direct coaching, paired work, or structured training on machines and materials.
• Manage performance issues fairly, document them appropriately, and partner with HR on escalations.
• Lead recruitment, interviewing, and onboarding for new print, finishing, and sewing hires.
• Own cross-training between day and night shifts so critical work does not depend on a single operator.

Print Production

• Own the daily print queue across large-format roll and flatbed printers and the Xerox iGen5 small-format press; balance load, media changes, and priority.
• Oversee the Caldera RIP environment — hot folders, nesting, media presets, and ICC color profiles — and keep it aligned with current substrate inventory.
• Maintain G7 color standards across all print devices; own the calibration, verification, and profiling cadence.
• Enforce pre-run color, alignment, and registration checks; drive down banding, color-shift, and misregistration through operator coaching and process fixes.
• Ensure work orders are read and understood before a job is run, including material, quantity, finished size, and finishing needs.

Print Finishing & Converting

• Oversee laminating, trimming, mounting, contour cutting on the Zund, banner welding, grommeting, hemming, pole-pocket construction.
• Set and enforce quality standards for finished graphics — clean edges, square trims, consistent hems, correct hardware placement, and accurate contour cuts.
• Confirm the daily finishing queue is staged and sequenced to meet ship and install dates.
• Investigate rework and reprint events, log root cause, and drive corrective action when patterns emerge; rework rate is a gating input to the department bonus program.

Sewing

• Oversee the Sewing & Production Finisher and Senior Sewing Specialist; ensure sewn product line (SEG keder panels, feather flags, pole pocket banners, circular graphics, pillowcase displays, custom fabric covers) is produced to spec.
• Confirm training on walking foot, double needle, and serger machines is current for anyone working in the sewing cell.
• Verify silicone keder application, pattern registration, and hem quality on finished sewn product before it ships or installs.

Equipment, Materials, and Vendors

• Own the preventive maintenance calendar for all print, finishing, and sewing equipment; hold operators accountable for daily cleaning and end-of-shift checks.
• Manage ink, media, laminate, thread, hardware, and consumables inventory; set reorder points and place orders in coordination with Purchasing.
• Maintain relationships with print, media, and equipment vendors; escalate service calls and warranty issues.
• Keep the Avery and 3M certifications current, including any required annual training or documentation.

Quality, Workflow, and Reporting

• Own department KPIs including on-time completion for print/finishing stations, rework and reprint rate, dwell time per station, and throughput per shift.
• Keep WIP status current so Scheduling, Sales, and adjacent departments have an accurate view of the queue.
• Support the e-commerce web-order flow; ensure online jobs are produced, finished, and routed on time.
• Review production data daily, act on outliers, and report department status, wins, and issues to the VP of Operations on a recurring cadence.
• Identify process improvements and reduce waste — material yield, changeover time, and rework.

Collaboration & Communication

• Serve as the primary print voice in cross-departmental discussions, including production planning and sales escalations.
• Coordinate with Design on file quality and prepress standards; push back constructively when files arrive incomplete or out of spec.
• Coordinate with Fabrication and Fulfillment on downstream handoffs so finished graphics arrive staged and labeled for the next step.
• Communicate upstream to the VP of Operations when print or finishing commitments require prioritization or additional resources.
• Represent Print in operations meetings and shop huddles.
• Promote a positive and collaborative team environment and grow the team as the company grows.

Qualifications

Education

High school diploma or equivalent required. Technical school, trade school, or college coursework in print production, graphic arts, industrial technology, or a related field preferred.

Experience

• Five or more years of production experience in a large-format print, sign, or commercial print environment, with at least two years in a supervisory or lead role.
• Direct hands-on experience with roll-fed and flatbed large-format printers and with a RIP environment (Caldera preferred).
• Working knowledge of G7 color standards and day-to-day color management.
• Experience running or overseeing print finishing equipment — laminators, plotter/contour cutters (Zund preferred), banner welders, grommet machines.
• Exposure to industrial sewing operations for sign or trade-show fabric goods strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience coaching operators with skill gaps, not just managing performance issues.

Skills

• Strong people management instincts and the ability to lead a team with consistency and fairness.
• Comfortable having hard conversations, including performance feedback and conflict resolution.
• Calm and organized under pressure; able to triage in real time without losing sight of root causes.
• Detail-oriented with strong follow-through; comfortable spot-checking work without micromanaging.
• Excellent written and verbal communication; able to write a clear internal report and a clear vendor email.
• Mechanical aptitude and comfort troubleshooting print, finishing, and sewing equipment.

Technical Skills

This role is not paper-driven. The Print & Print Finishing Manager is expected to be a confident user of software systems and to model that competence for the team.

• Microsoft 365 (Outlook, Excel, Teams, SharePoint): daily working proficiency.
• Caldera RIP or equivalent (Onyx, etc): direct working experience preferred.
• CRM / MIS workflows: general comfort with order-tracking, work-order, and production systems. BVG uses CoreBridge.
• Spreadsheet fluency: filtering, sorting, and basic formulas. Capable of pulling a production report and finding the pattern in it.
• Self-directed learner: able to figure out new software with minimal outside support.

Other Requirements

• Ability to lift and move materials up to 50 lbs when assisting on the floor.
• Available on-site during standard business hours; flexibility during peak periods, critical project deadlines, or night-shift transitions.
• G7 Expert or G7 Professional certification a plus; BVG will support certification maintenance for the right candidate.

Working Conditions

• This role operates primarily in a production and warehouse environment, with regular time spent on the print floor, in the finishing area, in the sewing cell, and at a desk.
• Exposure to typical production noise, forklift and vehicle traffic, printer inks and solvents, adhesives, heat-seal equipment, and varying temperatures in the warehouse area.
• Flexible work hours may be required during peak periods, critical project deadlines, or night-shift coverage.

ADA Requirements

• Ability to perform essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Ability to stand, walk, sit, and move throughout the facility for extended periods.
• Ability to use standard office equipment and computer systems.
• Ability to occasionally lift and move materials up to 50 lbs.

Pay: $60,000.00 - $70,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off

Experience:

• Management: 2 years (Required)
• Digital Print Production: 3 years (Required)

Shift availability:

• Day Shift (Preferred)
• Night Shift (Preferred)

Work Location: In person

Salary : $60,000 - $70,000