Print Shop Manager / Print & Graphics Manager

Drayton Print – Telford, Shropshire
Full-time

Drayton Print is an early-stage print business based in Telford, specialising in custom printed clothing and workwear, banners, signage, vinyl graphics, merchandise and personalised products.

We’re looking for an experienced Print Shop Manager / Print \& Graphics Manager to take responsibility for the day-to-day running of the business and help us grow Drayton Print into a strong, profitable print operation.

This is a hands-on role for someone with genuine print industry and graphic design experience. You’ll initially be working largely by yourself and reporting directly to the business owner, so we need someone who is confident managing their own workload, solving problems and taking ownership of jobs from enquiry through to finished product.

As the business grows, we hope to expand the team around you and develop the role further.

About the Role

You’ll be responsible for the day-to-day production and organisation of Drayton Print.

The majority of our focus will initially be on:

• Custom printed T-shirts
• Workwear and branded clothing
• Banners
• Signage
• Stickers and vinyl graphics
• Promotional merchandise
• Personalised products

Drayton Print also works closely with our sister company, Bryght, an established events, AV and experiential business.

Bryght regularly requires printed materials for its own projects and customers, including branded clothing, event graphics, signage, banners, vinyl graphics and other printed items.

A key part of the role will therefore be making sure Bryght’s internal print requirements are produced efficiently alongside external Drayton Print customer orders.

An Early-Stage Business

Drayton Print is still at an early stage of its development.

The business, product range and processes are likely to evolve as we learn what customers want and which areas are most commercially successful.

We’re therefore looking for someone who is comfortable working in a growing business rather than expecting every process to already be established.

You’ll have the opportunity to help influence:

• Which products we focus on
• How we organise production
• What work we produce in-house
• What work we outsource
• How we improve turnaround times
• How we price and package products
• What equipment we invest in
• How we improve quality and efficiency
• When additional staff are required

We want someone who can help us build the operation, not just operate the machinery.

Key Responsibilities

Your responsibilities will include:

• Managing the day-to-day print operation
• Producing customer orders accurately and on time
• Producing printed T-shirts, hoodies, polos and workwear
• Operating DTF printing equipment
• Operating heat presses and garment finishing equipment
• Producing banners, signs, stickers and vinyl graphics
• Operating wide-format print-and-cut machinery
• Preparing and checking artwork before production
• Creating and amending customer artwork
• Producing digital artwork proofs for customers
• Using Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop or similar design software
• Checking artwork for resolution, sizing, bleed, colours and print suitability
• Applying vinyl graphics where required
• Producing print and graphics for Bryght's events and customer projects
• Managing jobs from enquiry through to completion
• Communicating with customers regarding specifications and artwork
• Managing production priorities and deadlines
• Monitoring stock levels
• Ordering garments, vinyl, inks and other consumables
• Carrying out routine machine maintenance
• Keeping the print area organised and production-ready
• Helping develop new products and services
• Helping improve production processes and profitability
• Supporting pricing and costing of jobs
• Helping develop Drayton Print's online product range
• Potentially assisting with products on WooCommerce, Etsy, eBay and other online channels
• Identifying opportunities to increase sales from existing customers and Bryght's client base

What We're Looking For

Previous experience within the print, signage, garment decoration or graphics industry is important for this role.

Ideally, you’ll have experience in several of the following areas:

• DTF garment printing
• Heat transfer printing
• Wide-format printing
• Print-and-cut machinery
• Vinyl cutting and application
• Banner production
• Signage production
• Sublimation printing
• Adobe Illustrator
• Adobe Photoshop
• Creating and editing vector artwork
• Preparing print-ready artwork
• Customer artwork checking
• Colour management
• Print finishing

You do not necessarily need experience with every piece of equipment we use, but you should already understand the fundamentals of professional print production.

Graphic Design \& Artwork Skills

Strong artwork skills are important.

You should be comfortable taking customer artwork and preparing it correctly for production.

This could include:

• Recreating simple logos
• Converting artwork to vector format
• Removing backgrounds
• Resizing artwork correctly
• Creating layouts for garments and signage
• Setting up cut lines
• Preparing print-and-cut files
• Checking image resolution
• Making basic design amendments
• Producing customer proofs

We’re not necessarily looking for a pure graphic designer, but we do need someone who can confidently handle everyday artwork requirements within a busy print environment.

The Person

We’re looking for someone who:

• Has genuine hands-on print industry experience
• Has good graphic design and artwork skills
• Can work independently
• Is comfortable taking responsibility for the day-to-day operation
• Takes pride in producing high-quality work
• Is organised and reliable
• Can manage multiple jobs and deadlines
• Is comfortable communicating directly with customers
• Can identify artwork or production problems before they become costly mistakes
• Understands that print jobs need to be produced efficiently and profitably
• Is willing to turn their hand to different tasks
• Can adapt as the business develops
• Looks for ways to improve processes
• Is comfortable working in an entrepreneurial environment
• Wants the opportunity to help build and eventually manage a growing team

Essential Experience

• Previous professional print, signage or garment decoration experience
• Graphic design / artwork preparation experience
• Experience preparing files for print
• Good computer skills
• Ability to work confidently without constant supervision
• Strong attention to detail

Desirable Experience

• DTF printing
• Wide-format printers and cutters
• Adobe Illustrator
• Adobe Photoshop
• Vinyl application
• Signage manufacture
• Sublimation printing
• Garment decoration
• WooCommerce or ecommerce
• Customer service
• Print estimating and costing
• Previous supervisory or print shop management experience

Equipment

Our current print setup includes equipment for:

• DTF garment printing
• Heat transfer
• Wide-format print and cut
• Vinyl graphics
• Sublimation printing
• Laminating
• General print finishing

Experience with similar equipment would be advantageous, although training and familiarisation with our specific machinery can be provided.

The Opportunity

This role offers considerably more involvement than a standard print production position.

You’ll be joining Drayton Print at an early stage and will have the opportunity to help shape how the business develops.

Initially, you will work independently and report directly to the owner.

As order volumes grow, our intention is to recruit additional production and administration staff, giving the successful candidate the opportunity to take on greater management responsibility and potentially build their own team.

For the right person, this is an opportunity to become a key part of Drayton Print as the business grows.

About Drayton Print

Drayton Print is based in Telford, Shropshire, with an initial focus on three core areas:

T-Shirts \& Workwear

Custom printed clothing for businesses, teams, events, trades and organisations.

Banners \& Signage

Banners, boards, stickers, vinyl graphics, window graphics and signs.

Merch \& Gifts

Branded merchandise, mugs, promotional products and personalised items.

Our aim is to build a modern, straightforward print business known for reliable service, good turnaround times and high-quality print.

Pay: £28,000.00-£30,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Employee discount
• On-site parking

Work Location: In person