Manager- Color & Artwork; West Coast Operations

Job Title: Manager
- Color & Artwork (West Coast Operations)

Brands: Youth to the People/IT Cosmetics

Location: El Segundo, California

We are seeking a Manager to join our Color and Artwork packaging team for Luxury Division in our El Segundo, California office. In this role, you will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of color matching, decoration development, and technical execution, ensuring the highest standards of quality, innovation, and sustainability. You will collaborate cross-functionally to bring our brand visions to life through exceptional packaging, managing projects from conception to launch while adhering to critical timelines and cost efficiencies.

• Lead and oversee all color matching for a range of packaging components based on Marketing's decoration brief and color targets
• Apply expert knowledge of color science to assess and approve color development across various materials, including PCR plastic resins, glass, paper cartons, labels etc. ensuring aesthetic consistency across product franchises and brands.
• Conduct thorough risk analyses on Marketing aesthetic briefs and provide recommendations for the highest perceived value decoration at the lowest cost.
• Partner effectively with Marketing and Operations to drive high quality decoration concepts that are feasible, cost-efficient & timely.
• Assist and oversee on site print trials and press approvals to ensure color and decoration compliance with L'Oréal's quality standards.
• Develop and implement strategies to ensure no first production rejections due to missing color standards or inadequate defect panoplies.
• Contributes to essential elements for artwork routing and actively participates in the system-based artwork approval process

• Manage packaging tasks for lower complexity projects, including the issuance of specifications and initiation of critical testing such as compatibility, decoration validation, and light resistance
• Drive extrapolation on testing through discussions with technical teams but also, while discussing conception with Brand Development and Marketing
• Foster the application of extrapolation techniques in homologation and compatibility investigation through close collaboration with technical teams, Marketing and Development.

• Proactively anticipate and elevate any potential blocking points to internal stakeholders, ensuring Color & Artwork owned project deadlines are met and launches are achieved on schedule.
• Drive adherence to key decoration development timelines across Division, Operations, and external vendor partners
• Maintain transparent and timely communication with Development teams regarding any project schedule adjustments.
• Anticipate potential risks related to timing or conception and collaborate with Development and Packaging teams to formulate robust action plans, systematically utilizing L'Oréal's Risk Elevation Process.

• Lead the development of sustainable decoration solutions in alignment with L'Oréal's group-wide commitments and sustainability objectives.
• Provide recommendations for cost-effective and flexible decoration options at the project conception phase, balancing innovation with feasibility

• Actively participate in and/or lead decoration-focused discussions within conception meetings with Brand Development, offering expert advice to optimize project complexity and minimize time-to-market.
• Reinforce awareness among stakeholders regarding the financial impact of development decisions, including industrial budget spending (e.g., production color sample costs, on-site press approvals).
• Demonstrate a deep understanding of supplier and plant capabilities to inform conception meetings and strategic decisions.
• Be consumer-centric, leveraging consumer insights to guide decoration choices and innovation.
• Provide support to global operations partners on projects being executed in other zones

The ideal candidate possesses a strong blend of technical expertise, leadership skills, and a commitment to continuous…