Prepress Manager

Employment Type: Full-time

Location: On-site in Buena Park, CA

Schedule: Monday – Friday 9am – 6pm Occasional work outside standard hours as needed

Our client is a fast-growing e-commerce brand specializing in shatterproof and sustainable drinkware products. Their mission is to provide our customers with stylish, customizable and eco-friendly drinkware solutions.

Overview

We are seeking a highly skilled and detail-oriented Prepress Manager to oversee and elevate our prepress operations. This role blends technical expertise with strong leadership capabilities, ensuring efficient workflows, exceptional quality standards, and a collaborative team environment. The ideal candidate will have deep knowledge of prepress processes, color management, and digital printing technology while guiding a team in delivering flawless, print-ready files for our growing product line.

Key Responsibilities

Team Leadership & Workflow Oversight

• Supervise and mentor the prepress team, providing training, setting priorities, and driving continuous improvement in processes and output quality.
• Collaborate closely with the operations and production teams to ensure seamless handoff between file preparation and print execution.
• Establish and refine SOPs to improve efficiency, consistency, and automation across the prepress workflow.

Prepress Production & Quality Control

• Oversee all stages of the prepress process—from customer file intake to final print-ready output—ensuring files meet all internal specifications and color standards.
• Manage the preparation of artwork, including ICC profiles, spot colors, vector cleanup, and proportional sizing for various print formats and substrates.
• Conduct rigorous quality control checks throughout the prepress process to maintain accuracy, color consistency, and customer satisfaction.
• Develop templates and print areas for new products in collaboration with the production team.

Technology, Software & Process Improvement

• Maintain and optimize prepress software systems, including Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop, Acrobat) and RIP software (Onyx), ensuring all tools are up to date and efficient.
• Implement workflow automation and explore additional software solutions for scaling production capabilities.
• Lead troubleshooting efforts for file issues, print anomalies, and system errors, collaborating with technical teams as needed.

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Client Support

• Partner with internal design teams to ensure artwork aligns with specifications and print capabilities.
• Provide technical support and guidance to customers when artwork adjustments or approvals are required.
• Act as a key liaison between design, production, and operations for all prepress-related matters.

Qualifications

• 5 years of experience in prepress production, including direct-to-object or digital printing environments.
• 3–5 years of experience in a supervisory or management role, preferably in a manufacturing or fast-paced production setting.
• Strong proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop, Acrobat); experience with RIP software such as Onyx is essential.
• Deep understanding of color theory, CMYK printing processes, and color management standards.
• Experience with workflow automation, RIPs, and prepress software; familiarity with tools like Enfocus Switch is a plus.
• Excellent problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple priorities under tight deadlines.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills with a collaborative, team-focused mindset.
• High sense of organization, time management, and accountability in a production environment.