Manager, Trends- Color Execution

Walmart • Bentonville, AR

4d • $80,000 - $155,000

About The Position

About the Role The Color Execution Manager is a hands-on color leader who blends textile expertise, digital color management, and disciplined visual evaluation to deliver on‑brand color across fabrics and prints for Walmart Fashion brands. This role partners closely with Design, Product Development, Quality, Sourcing, and external vendors and mills to evaluate color submissions and resolve issues from development through bulk production. This is a manager-level individual contributor role that works daily with a co‑located third‑party Lab Colorist and a third‑party testing lab.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Textiles, Textile Chemistry, Color Science, Materials, Chemistry, or a related field and 2 years’ experience, or 4 years’ experience using instrumental and visual methods to evaluate and approve lab dips, print strike‑offs, yarn dyes, and bulk production.
• Hands‑on experience setting tolerances, managing shade continuity, and making clear pass/fail color decisions.
• Proficiency with textile dyeing, printing, and finishing processes and their impact on color execution.
• Experience using spectrophotometer‑based color measurement and digital color management workflows (e.g., Datacolor, X‑Rite, CSI ColorFlow, Natific ASAP).
• Working knowledge of proper visual color evaluation requirements, including light booth setup, illuminants, calibration, neutral surroundings, and observer practices.
• Proven ability to resolve color testing failures and drive corrective actions with cross‑functional partners and external vendors/mills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain technical concepts to non-technical audiences.
• Ability to prioritize, follow through, and perform effectively in a fast‑paced, deadline‑driven environment.
• Superior color vision, as verified by the Farnsworth‑Munsell 100 Hue Test.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree in Textiles, Color Science, Materials, Chemistry, or a related field.
• 2+ years’ experience in apparel or fashion color execution supporting bulk production approvals with vendor and mill networks.
• 2+ years’ experience with CSI ColorFlow and/or Natific ASAP, and Datacolor and/or X‑Rite systems, including calibration, measurement conditions, and reporting.
• Experience supporting color accreditation programs, including supplier audits, lab capability verification, SOP development, and training.

Responsibilities

• Own color quality execution for assigned categories from development through bulk production, aligning expectations, standards, and timelines with Design, Product Development, Sourcing, and Quality.
• Evaluate and approve or reject color submissions—including lab dips, print strike‑offs, bulk production shade bands, product mock‑ups, and in‑store testing failures—using both digital color data and controlled visual assessment.
• Apply digital color management tools to assess color difference, shade continuity, and acceptability; document decisions and communicate clear pass/fail rationales to internal partners and suppliers.
• Partner daily with a co‑located third‑party Lab Colorist to manage evaluation priorities, service‑level expectations, and escalation or override needs.
• Ensure proper visual color evaluation practices are consistently followed (standard illuminants, calibrated light booths, neutral surroundings, observer practices, and viewing geometry) to minimize variability and metamerism risk.
• Lead root‑cause investigations and corrective actions for color testing failures in partnership with Product Development and Quality; coordinate containment plans and re‑test strategies with vendors and mills.
• Provide technical guidance and training to vendors and mills on color standards, submission requirements, measurement conditions, and process controls impacting color outcomes.
• Maintain and support digital color workflows and libraries (standards, targets, tolerances, and approval records) to ensure traceability and audit‑ready documentation.
• Translate complex color science concepts into clear, practical guidance for non-technical audiences through training, job aids, and supplier communications.
• Drive continuous improvement in color execution processes while protecting design intent and the customer experience.

Benefits

• At Walmart, we offer competitive pay as well as performance-based bonus awards and other great benefits for a happier mind, body, and wallet.
• Health benefits include medical, vision and dental coverage.
• Financial benefits include 401(k), stock purchase and company-paid life insurance.
• Paid time off benefits include PTO (including sick leave), parental leave, family care leave, bereavement, jury duty, and voting.
• Other benefits include short-term and long-term disability, company discounts, Military Leave Pay, adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, and more.
• You will also receive PTO and/or PPTO that can be used for vacation, sick leave, holidays, or other purposes.
• Live Better U is a Walmart-paid education benefit program for full-time and part-time associates in Walmart and Sam's Club facilities.
• Programs range from high school completion to bachelor's degrees, including English Language Learning and short-form certificates.
• Tuition, books, and fees are completely paid for by Walmart.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Number of Employees: 1-10 employees