Director of Photography and Multimedia Production

Located in Lewiston, Maine, Bates is internationally recognized as a leading liberal arts college. We are proud to offer a highly personalized education that centers on deep and sustained interactions among students, faculty, and community. We are engaging the forces — intellectual trends, demographic changes, and technology — that are transforming higher education and the world into which our students graduate.

Title: Director of Photography and Multimedia Production

Position Purpose:

Working with Bates Communications and Marketing (BCM) colleagues and supervising student photographers, freelancers, and the Multimedia Producer, the Director of Photography and Multimedia Production will provide strategic vision for campus-wide visual and multimedia assets. The Director will work closely with colleagues in marketing, editorial, and design to ensure a cohesive and intentional visual identity across all platforms and media.

Job Duties:

Leadership, Mentorship, and Collaboration:

• Supervise and mentor the Multimedia Producer and student photographers.
• Provide strategic vision for campus-wide visual and multimedia assets.
• Act as a central creative partner for the BCM team, balancing the need for real-time coverage of campus news and events with high-level brand strategy and long-term planning.

Strategic Visual Storytelling and Production:

• Lead the creation of compelling video, multimedia pieces, and photography that promote the College’s brand and mission.
• Partner with campus offices and the Bates Magazine editorial team to plan annual visual strategies, producing fresh imagery for web banners, digital monitors, and featured online stories.
• Manage end-to-end production workflows, including scheduling, equipment maintenance, and the styling/staging of complex photo and video shoots.

Digital Asset Management and Technical Oversight:

• Provide executive oversight of the College’s Digital Asset Management (DAM) system in collaboration with web and library (ILS) leadership to ensure assets are organized, accessible, and preserved.
• Maintain expert-level proficiency in industry-standard software (Adobe Creative Suite, Final Cut Pro, Photo Mechanic, PhotoShelter and DaVinci Resolve) and stay ahead of emerging multimedia trends and best practices.

Minimum Qualifications:

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Photography, Communications, Marketing, or a related field.
• Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license.

Experience

5+ years of professional experience in professional photography and multimedia production, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Skills and Knowledge

• Commitment to equity and inclusion, and serving the needs of a culturally and educationally diverse community.
• Deep knowledge of still photography and video principles, including storyboarding, lighting, composition, and post-production.
• Ability to prioritize and balance competing demands, exercise critical judgment, and thrive in a high-pressure, fast-paced environment.
• A high level of organization and attention to detail.
• Experience managing professional staff and freelancers.
• Ability to write engaging scripts and supportive text that complements visual media.
• Proven ability to build relationships with faculty, students, and colleagues in a fast-paced environment.
• Comfortable working in diverse environments, from professional office settings to rugged outdoor locations in varied weather conditions.

Benefits:

Bates College offers competitive salaries, excellent benefits (health, dental, sick leave, 24 days of vacation, 2 personal days, 13 paid holidays, dependent care subsidy, free parking, access to library and athletic facilities & more), and a supportive, collegial environment in a drug and smoke-free workplace.