"Senior Photographer"

Job Details

Posting Details

Position Information

Position Title
Senior Photographer

Position Type
Regular

Job Number
SA69024

Full or Part Time
full-time 40 hours weekly

Fair Labor Standard Act Classification
Exempt

Anticipated Pay Range
$72,500 - $85,000

Pay Range Information
Chapman University is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this position. This range takes into account a variety of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions, including experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs. Salary offers are determined based on the final candidate’s qualifications and experience, as well as internal equity and other internal factors. The anticipated pay range is not a promise of a particular wage.

Position Summary Information

Job Description Summary
The Senior Photographer in Chapman University’s Strategic Marketing and Communications (SMC) department supports the university by creating high-quality photo and occasional video content that engages our internal and external audiences, including faculty, staff, current, and prospective students and families, alumni, and partners. This position captures a variety of content for marketing (including web), events, portraits, headshots, campus scenes, environmental shots, etc.
This position develops and implements photo approaches and solutions that advance the reputational and enrollment goals of the university. This could include preproduction, scheduling and managing shoots, conducting interviews, creating storyboards, and informing design composition to tell an engaging story. This position must be able to work independently and collaboratively with other members of the SMC team. The individual in this role needs to be able to think about various audiences to ensure that content is appropriate and relevant and have comfort in working with executives and other leaders.
This position is in person on Chapman’s Orange, CA campus at least 3-5 days a week. The position must be available to attend occasional evening and weekend events to capture multimedia content as needed.

Responsibilities

Photography

• Shoots high-quality digital images to meet the university’s needs for marketing, web, news coverage, and executive communications. Assignments may include candid images, portraits, campus, and environmental shots, etc. Must be comfortable shooting for print, web, and mobile.
• Works with the creative, marketing, web, and communications teams to bring storytelling and ads to life with compelling visual imagery.
• For images that will accompany written content, coordinates with writers and/or editors to ensure photographs will present a unified message matching the purpose, tone, and audience of the channel/publication.
• Edits, retouches, and files photos following shoots and is accustomed to identifying and providing selects during and immediately following major events, such as commencement.
• Continually updates university photography collections of locations on our campuses, buildings, landmarks, candid images, and portraits of faculty, staff, and students, etc.
• Serves as a main resource for an online photo database (digital asset management system) to ensure correct classifications, naming standards, key words, and image details.
• Maintains standardized, searchable library of photo/digital release forms.
• In collaboration with creative team, develops a recognizable university photo style to become an element in the university’s visual identity.
• Scouts locations, schedules shoots, coordinates with talent, and develops and follows shot lists.
• Budgets time and office resources to ensure photographic work is done efficiently and in a way that reflects university priorities. Responds to requests from other campus units.
• Ensures equipment is in proper working order. Makes recommendations on new/replacement/maintenance plans for equipment and software.
• Coordinates the recruitment and oversight of freelance photographers, as needed, and supervises photography student workers.

Videography and Multimedia

• Assists the video team with a variety of video production needs and requests.
• As needed and appropriate, assists with preproduction (scouting, concepting); production (sound, lighting, recording); and post-production (editing, aftereffects, motion graphics, etc.) for a variety of multimedia marcomm needs.
• Helps to update the university’s video library and assets, as needed.

Other Duties as Assigned

Required Qualifications

• Some college or professional coursework (associate or bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution preferred).
• Demonstrated experience working in or for a complex organization
• Thorough understanding of best practices, techniques, equipment, processes, and technology related to photography and videography, including drone photography and other emerging tools and trends.
• Mastery of taking professional photographs in studio and on location.
• Detailed knowledge and understanding of photography art and lighting science.
• Excellent communication skills, presence, and professionalism needed to direct shoots while exhibiting strong interpersonal skills necessary to ensure subjects feel comfortable.
• Visually creative with a keen eye for detail and composition.
• Highly proficient with Adobe Creative Suite (specifically Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, and Adobe Premiere Pro), and other related software used for downloading, transferring, photo manipulation, retouching, and enhancing images. Experience with Adobe After Effects is a plus.
• Willingness to engage in professional development, learn new software, research and learn to operate new photography and videography equipment.
• Skilled at handling multiple priorities in a shifting landscape.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Self-motivated, proactive, and works well with minimal direction. Customer-service driven.
• Ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional team.
• Ability to work irregular shifts and extended hours, including evenings and weekends. Longer days may be required to accommodate events.
• Strong customer service skills with all university partners and direct experience working with leaders, trustees, donors, and VIP clients.

Desired Qualifications

• At least 6 years’ relevant experience (10 years+ preferred).
• Previous higher education experience.

Special Instructions to Applicants
Chapman University is an equal opportunity employer that provides equal employment opportunities to all individuals, regardless of their protected characteristics. All qualified applicants and employees are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, military and veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law.

Applicants for Staff and Administrator positions must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis.

The offer of employment is contingent upon satisfactory completion and outcomes of a criminal background screening and returning to the Office of Human Resources a signed original acceptance of the Chapman University Agreement to Arbitrate.

Minimum Number of References
Maximum Number of References
Pre-screening Questions
Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

Applicant Documents
Required Documents

1. Resume
2. Cover Letter

Company

Founded in 1861, Chapman University is a nationally ranked private university in Orange, California, about 30 miles south of Los Angeles. Chapman serves nearly 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students, with a 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Students can choose from over 100 areas of study within 11 colleges for a personalized education. Chapman is categorized by the Carnegie Classification as an R2 “high research activity” institution. Students at Chapman learn directly from distinguished world-class faculty including Nobel Prize winners, MacArthur fellows, published authors and Academy Award winners. The campus has produced a Rhodes Scholar, been named a top producer of Fulbright Scholars and hosts a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious honor society. Chapman also includes the Harry and Diane Rinker Health Science Campus in Irvine. The university features the No. 4 film school and No. 66 business school in the U.S. Learn more about Chapman University: www.chapman.edu.

Join Our Mission-Driven Organization
At Chapman University, we recruit, appoint, promote and retain a workforce that reflects a community committed to the mission, values and vision of the University. Chapman presents a broad range of professions and positions within our administrative departments and academic schools and colleges, ranging from entry-level to professional and managerial.

An Equal Opportunity Employer
Chapman University prohibits harassment and discrimination on the basis of race (including hair texture and protective hair styles) , ethnicity, color, religion (including religious dress and grooming practices), creed, ancestry, national origin, age, medical condition, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender (including sexual harassment, gender identification, gender expression, transgender or LGBTQIA+ status), genetic information, marital status (including registered domestic partner status), military and veteran status, lawful change of name, Social Security Number or federal employment authorization document, receipt of Medi-Cal coverage, California driver’s license with a “federal limits apply” notation, or any other characteristic protected by local, state or federal law. Discrimination or harassment on the basis of sex includes harassment or discrimination on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, breastfeeding, and conditions related to breastfeeding.

We provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants with questions about access or requiring a reasonable accommodations for any part of the application or hiring process should contact the Office of Human Resources by email at hroffice@chapman.edu, or by phone at (714) 997-6686. Inquiries will be treated as confidential to the extent permitted by law.

Company info
Website: http://www.chapman.edu/