Print Production Manager

ABOUT US

tms unites technology, marketing, and sourcing to drive transformational change for the world’s leading brands. With 1,200+ employees across 26 countries, we offer an impressive range of solutions – from inspiration and innovation to category management and delivery.

Operating as a creative agency, a strategic consultancy, a sourcing business, and a technology provider, we engage with over 110 million customers every single day for our clients, including McDonald’s, T-Mobile, O2, Starbucks, and adidas.

Most importantly, we're a place where you can achieve great things, and be recognized as the best.

WHAT MATTERS THE MOST

Breakthrough, business-driving ideas come from extraordinary people with the freedom to be their most authentic selves at work. Authenticity and diversity are critical elements of our business. They can only be realized when we create access and equity for all. We foster a culture of inclusion and belonging and aspire to be ever-evolving.

tms is a place where brilliant people are better together. If you want your ideas to be heard and to contribute to a culture of inclusion and authenticity, bring us your voice! Visit us at tmsw.com.

WHY WE THINK YOU WILL LOVE THIS ROLE

The Print Production Manager (PPM) – IMEA will sit within our Global Graphics team.

The Global Graphics team is responsible for the delivery of packaging for a number of large multi-national customers inclusive of core, everyday packaging designs as well as frequent promotional or sales-driving graphic executions. This role will advise internal stakeholders, Creative Agencies, as well as manage work-in-progress and all final artwork production with our external repro facilities, and print converters. Stakeholder management across a matrix organization is essential within the role, an a structured, methodical and professional approach to managing the graphics and promotional change cycle processes is key. This role must be able to handle multiple projects while staying on track, working to tight deadlines and delivering outstanding service. The role will report directly to our Director, Global Graphics & Innovation, and integrate all PQM work standards into the process One Way Globally. Being able to provide expert advice and technical support on colour management and print activity is required. As well as technical expertise, this role also requires a strong creative flair and eye for creativity, giving input to design, briefing, creative review processes.

This Print Production Manager oversees the production of print projects on various substrates utilizing multiple printing methodologies. The main purpose of this role is to ensure that the graphics printed on any packaging substrate print at a top quality no matter the variables, while maintaining all original creative intent and upholding all known Brand standards.

WHAT YOU WILL BRING TO THE ORGANIZATION

Graphics and Print Expertise

• The job requires oversight of the entire printing on packaging production process, with specific knowledge of graphics, fonts and print design.
• Ensure that the graphics printed on any packaging substrate print at a top-quality no matter the printing methodology.
• Reviews agency files when released to Graphics to align on file request modifications from creative review and quality control production art/prepress files to standard.
• Advise creative agencies on printing specs, print capabilities & results.
• Provides print-specific feedback early in the creative cycle to ensure the integrity of the design intent is achievable in production.
• Ensures entry of all jobs into WebCenter (our digital project management tool) and oversees execution through all internal and external teams.
• Receives and reviews colour contract proofs (where necessary), printed samples, and ink drawdowns and verifies against creative intent.
• Ensure all agency final art is fully compliant, correct and supply to prepress / for printing.
• Management of internal resources or external prepress facilities to ensure quality standards and timelines are followed.
• Manage PQM process, ensure CCJ’s are available for all jobs and global ink workflow has been followed for new spot colours.
• This is also a Brand Guardianship role: maintaining and centralizing all final artwork, brand guidelines, and final digital assets is critical.

Internal & External Client Service

• Acts as the primary IMEA point of contact on any Graphics-related projects for packaging (or any other print medium, as necessary).
• Liaise with cross-functional and supplier teams on existing and new artwork
• Enable McD Marketing & Agency with globally compliant promo artwork development to ensure packaging is printable.
• Works with internal and external teams on executing creative requests; improve and optimize creative workflow through production.
• Manages McDonald’s GRC (Global Review Center) Global approvals process effectively with client stakeholders.
• Prioritize and manages jobs to customer timelines to ensure compliance on key deliverable dates; acts as primary liaison from customer to internal stakeholders.
• Participates in creative reviews, customer and supplier meetings as required.
• Attend all required LMA and Global Graphics Teams calls (which generally will be during later hours for IMEA).

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO HAVE

• College level education in Graphics, Print, or Colour Management
• 5-7 years management experience in a packaging graphics/repro/studio environment
• Experience & solid knowledge of flexographic, lithographic and gravure print
• Thorough knowledge of managing artwork and repro processes for packaging & POP
• Solid experience of working with Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, Acrobat and Microsoft 365
• Fully Mac literate including good working knowledge of OSX
• Experience of working through a matrix organization where clients/partners may be based in different geographies with varying levels of understanding
• Ability to build rapport and inspire confidence across a wide stakeholder group
• Great stakeholder management skills within the ability to adapt your approach across multiple levels of an organisation
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to lead internal and external meetings as required
• Must have passport and be prepared to travel as required for the role

 And we’d love you to…  

• Experience in artwork origination for packaging, including origination from scratch, manipulation of existing designs, basic colour retouching, through to checking and proofreading

Any of the following would be a plus

• GMG, CGS, Esko, X-Rite, ColorCert