Color and Print Manager

Pact; Boulder (CO); On-site; USD 110,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Pact in Boulder, CO is seeking a Color and Print Manager to own color and print end-to-end—from market research and seasonal palettes to lab dip approval and production handoff. You will partner with design, merchandising, development, and operations under the Head of Design, delivering color direction true to Pact’s aesthetic across seasons and channels.

The role requires mentoring a direct report, managing freelance designers and dye houses, and driving the TA calendar.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in color & print for apparel or textiles.
• Experience with organic cotton/GOTS a plus.
• Experience managing at least one direct report.
• Proficiency with Delta E2000 and lab dips.
• Experience with Pantone to digital color workflows.
• Strong organizational and deadline-driven work ethic.
• Willingness to take Farnsworth-Munsell Hue Test.

Responsibilities

• Partner with design leadership to build seasonal color stories and palettes.
• Translate trend research into cohesive color direction per season.
• Gather market findings into trend and color presentations for leadership.
• Set seasonal color standards and track performance by style/season.
• Own lab dip/strike-off reviews using Delta E2000 tolerancing.
• Lead transition from Pantone TCX to digital QTX submissions and operate spectrophotometer.
• Maintain knowledge of dyeing with GOTS cotton blends and color shift risks.
• Own Color Approval SOP and keep records audit-ready.
• Design all-over/placement prints in-house and with freelance designers.
• Manage digital print file prep for strike-offs production handoff.
• Source/manage freelance print artists and ensure brand/IP compliance.
• Own TA calendar across seasons and align with internal teams/vendors.
• Flag risks and deadlines early; manage vendor relationships and costs.
• Develop and mentor at least one direct report.

Skills

Color management

Lab dip & color theory

Delta E2000 tolerancing

Spectrophotometry

Digital color tools

QTX/Coloro/Datacolor

Adobe Illustrator

Photoshop

Figma

Trend forecasting

Project management

Mentoring/leadership

Vendor management

Tools

QTX

Coloro

Datacolor

Adobe Illustrator

Photoshop

Figma

Job description

The Color and Print Manager owns Pact’s color and print process end to end—from market research and seasonal palette-setting through lab dip approval and print file handoff—while making sure every color holds true on our GOTS organic cotton fabrications, from first lab dip to bulk production. You’ll partner closely with design, merchandising, development, and operations—reporting directly to the Head of Design, to bring color and print direction to market across all of our seasons (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter, Holiday/Resort, and our wholesale and market place chanels-specific lines) that is both commercially confident and true to Pact’s aesthetic.This role will have 1 direct report and contract design support.Management experience and mentoring junior team members is expected.

About Us

Hi, we're Pact — it's great to meet you. Since 2009, we've been on a mission to help people dress themselves well with clothing that's stylish, comfortable, and consciously made. From thoughtfully designed apparel for men and women to soft, sustainable bedding, we make everyday basics that feel good for you and the planet. We partner with Fair Trade Certified™ factories and everything is made with Organic Cotton and GOTS certified. For more information, visit https://wearpact.com/about.

What You’ll Do

• Partner with the Head of Design and Senior Design members to build seasonal color stories, translating WGSN and market/trend-trip research into 2–3 cohesive, commercially viable palettes per season with clear hero, core, and pop color roles.
• Shop the global market—trade shows, retail, street style—and turn findings into polished trend and color presentations for design and senior leadership audiences.
• Set and communicate key seasonal colors and the story behind them to design, merchandising, and development partners; track color performance by style and season to sharpen future palette decisions.
• Own end-to-end lab dip and strike-off review against approved standards, making pass / hold / reject calls using Delta E2000 tolerancing
• Manage the ongoing transition from physical Pantone TCX chip standards to digital QTX submission, and operate spectrophotometer equipment for instrumental color evaluation.
• Maintain deep working knowledge of how GOTS cotton blends take dye, and how color shifts from lab dip to bulk; flag substrate-driven risk early
• Own and maintain the Color Approval SOP, keeping standards, submissions, and approval records organized and audit-ready.
• Design original all-over prints (AOP), placement prints, and graphics in-house and with outside contract designers, that reflect Pact’s modern, minimal aesthetic.
• Manage digital print file preparation for strike-offs and production handoff.
• Source, brief, and manage freelance print and graphic artists, reviewing their work for brand fit, technical print-readiness, and clean IP/licensing.
• Own and drive the color and print T&A (Time & Action) calendar across every season and line, holding internal teams and vendors to hard development dates.
• Flag risk and missed deadlines early and directly
• Manage day-to-day relationships with dye houses, print vendors, and freelance contractors, including scope, timeline, and cost negotiation.
• Manage, coach, and develop at least one direct report (e.g., a Color & Print Coordinator), building bench strength on the color and print function.

What You Bring

• 5+ years managing color and/or print for an apparel or textile brand, ideally with natural-fiber or organic cotton experience.
• Track record running seasonal color development across multiple concurrent seasons or product lines.
• Experience managing at least one direct report, with a track record of coaching and developing talent.
• Experience managing external freelance artists, dye houses, or print vendors.
• Proficiency with digital color tools (QTX, Coloro, Datacolor, or similar) and spectrophotometry.
• Fluent in Delta E / DE2000 tolerancing and lab dip-to-bulk color behavior on GOTS cotton blends.
• Working knowledge of print file preparation for AOP and placement prints.
• Must be willing to take a Farnsworth-Munsell 100 Hue Test as part of the interview process; a strong result is required prior to any offer.
• Trend fluency, including experience with WGSN or an equivalent forecasting service.
• Proficient in Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop and Figma.
• Exceptionally organized and deadline-driven; a true self-starter who owns the T&A calendar end to end.

Bonus Points

• Experience with wholesale and DTC calendar.
• Familiarity with sustainability credentialing (Oeko-Tex, GOTS) as it relates to dyes, pigments, and print inks.

Compensation

$110,000 -120,000 annually, depending on experience