Retouching Manager Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

About the Role
We are seeking a highly skilled Sr. Stylist, Visual Direction to elevate and advance our Lay Down (PPLD) work. This role sits under Styling and brings together advanced styling skills, visual direction, and the ability to support a smooth, efficient workflow. You will work closely with Photo, Retouching, and Brand partners to ensure premium, consistent, intentional imagery across all categories while helping modernize our workflow through new tools, including AI. This role supports both the creative bar and the systems behind it: coaching stylists, maintaining standards, strengthening workflow, and pushing our styling
practice forward.What You'll Do
Styling Craft & Creative Direction
• Act as the studio's PPLD styling expert: techniques, tools, composition, shaping, folding,
texture, shadow, and accuracy.
• Style as needed across categories; on-figure experience is a plus.
• Train and coach stylists directly on set, reinforcing elevated techniques and best practices.
• Provide markups in Axis and ensure photographers and retouchers receive clear,
actionable direction.
• Partner with Photo and Retouching teams through weekly touchpoints to align on angles,
lighting, quality expectations, and post-production needs.
• Conduct regular site audits to evaluate accuracy, consistency, and customer impact;
translate findings into styling and retouching updates.
• Track styling trends, pull swipe, and incorporate new creative references, including AI-
generated concepts when appropriate, to keep our work modern and forward-thinking.
Workflow Leadership & Team Support
• Curate daily and weekly workloads based on skill sets, product complexity, and volume.
• Serve as a daily resource for stylists - reviewing work, making decisions, and supporting
growth.
• Maintain a strong understanding of shot complexity, timing, and retouching needs to
support accurate planning and meet deliverables.
• Build and maintain style guides, decks, and documentation for both internal teams and
freelancers.
• Support product walk-throughs with clear interpretations of brand intent.
Senior Stylist, Visual Direction
• Act as a liaison between Styling, Photo, Retouching, and Brand to ensure alignment and
consistent communication.
• Identify opportunities to streamline or enhance the workflow - including exploring AI tools
that improve ideation, documentation, or efficiency without compromising craft.
Creative + Operational Duality
This role blends:
• Creative vision - high taste level, editorial eye, strong product storytelling.
• Operational clarity - smart scheduling, pace setting, quality control, and strategic use of
evolving tools (including AI).
Success Looks Like:
• Elevated, consistent, premium Lay Down imagery across all categories.
• Clear coaching and support that helps stylists grow in technique and consistency.
• Strong partnerships with photographers and retouchers, grounded in weekly alignment.
• Routine site audits that fuel continuous improvement.
• Documentation and style guides that support clarity and cross-team alignment.
• A more intentional, efficient PPLD workflow rooted in skill-based scheduling and
modernized with thoughtful use of AI.
Who You Are
Who You Are/Additional Job Description:
• Highly skilled in PPLD styling with exceptional attention to detail and taste.
• A strong teacher and mentor, able to give clear, actionable feedback.
• Comfortable partnering deeply with Photo and Retouching.
• Open and curious, interested in new tools, including AI, and how they can elevate or
streamline styling work.
• Creative yet grounded in operational realities (timing, shot count, accuracy).
• Calm, collaborative, and an excellent communicator.
• Excited to build systems, elevate craft, and strengthen the Styling function.
• 10+ years of advanced styling experience, with deep roots in PPLD and a sharp, editorial
eye. Art direction experience is a plus, but styling expertise is a must.
• 4+ years in a stylist leadership or management capacity, guiding quality, coaching the team,
and maintaining high creative standards.