Manager - Photo Studio Operations

The Manager of Photo Studio Operations leads and manages the five branches of the team; Photography, Retouching, Product Copywriting, Vendor Information, and Digital Asset Management.  This role will lead the strategy, people, processes, and tools to manage and optimize photography and video content including on-set production, styling, inventory management, end to end workflows, resources, budgets, and measurement of defined KPIs to meet business demands.  Should be accustomed to working in a fast-paced, deadline focused environment while keeping an eye on team output, quality, and overall workload. Role requires experience working with both creative and operational teams, with a keen ability to understand the needs of both.

The Photo Studio Manager should be able to change the direction and focus of the teams when needed to ensure KPIs are met.  They need to be adaptable to ever-changing demands with the ability to re-focus and have multiple solutions ready for execution while keeping company strategies in mind.

Basic Functions:

• Directly manages senior level staff members while overseeing a staff of creative production professionals including photographers/stylists, retouchers, product copywriters, Vendor Information specialist, and Digital Asset specialists.  
• Responsible for growth and development of talent, recruiting, job descriptions, and ensuring bench strength and cross-training with elite talent to meet the needs of the business and accommodate fluctuations in the work.
• Work with the talent acquisition team to quickly backfill any product team members, ensuring minimal impact to output.
• Translate the needs of internal clients and ensure expectations are met through the creation of product standards and adhering to those that have been established in the photo studio playbooks.
• Partner with cross functional leaders and finance partners to conduct ongoing cost / benefit analysis, determining how the Photo Studio can increasingly support the company’s growth objectives
• Develop resource plans to prioritize work and meet KPIs. Shift priorities based on product, staffing, hot projects, and other sometimes unforeseeable peaks.
• Manages external retouching and copywriting agency invoicing, POs, and budget tracking.  Communicates with finance team and updates financial projections accordingly.
• Oversees digital production tools (DAM, Adobe, CaptureOne, etc.) and is responsible for maintaining expert level knowledge within.
• Stays current on all technical aspects of equipment, software applications, and innovative platforms.
• Work within Microsoft SharePoint to create, run, and interpret reporting.  Utilize the reports to communicate out any potential misses to SLA or roadblocks.
• Maintain the business relationship with Adobe to support our Digital Asset management tool.
• Sets goals, plans, and organizes work efficiently with DSW’s mission as a compass. Generates new ideas, supports change. Continuously seeks new knowledge and uses new information effectively.
• Takes initiative, is personally accountable for work performance; targets and achieves results.  Simplifies and processes complex problems, understands underlying issues and addresses root causes, analyzes quantitative information and presents it in an effective way, seeks input from others and makes timely decisions.
• Helps establish and optimize Product Services processes while working with cross-functional partners with full end to end in mind.
• Listens to others and values opinions, promotes a team atmosphere by demonstrating humility and respect, appreciates the importance of diversity. Builds effective relationships, relates well to others, delivers and responds to feedback in a constructive manner. Is dedicated to working with business partners to exceed the expectations of the customer (internal and external).

Qualifications:

• Prior management and talent development experience (4-6 years).
• Hybrid working model.  Expected to be in studio in Columbus, Ohio as needed.
• Prior photo studio production experience in a retail space preferred.
• Prior experience with process development and improvement. Demonstrate continuous learning.  Always asking, “What can we do new, different, or better?”
• College Degree in related field or equivalent experience.
• Must be proficient in Microsoft Excel for data and metric reporting.
• Extremely organized, excellent communication skills – listening, speaking, and writing skills.
• Keen eye for color and lighting.
• Superior knowledge of digital photography including Photoshop, Canon equipment, Mac, and Profoto gear (preferred).
• Must be process oriented and maintain the ability to prioritize effectively.
• Ability to multi-task, work under pressure, in a fast-paced and growing team environment.
• Passion: We love what we do. We do it with passion, enthusiasm and dedication.
• Manages change; effectively implements planned organizational change; communication strategies, collaboration in implementation and monitoring success.

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