Executive Director of Video and Photography

The Executive Director of Video and Photography will lead multimedia production and content development in support of the University of Arizona’s marketing, communications, and brand-building efforts. Reporting to the Chief Communications and Marketing Officer and a member of the division’s leadership team, this position directs a team of videographers, photographers, and producers and collaborates with colleagues across the Marketing and Communications division and the campus.

It drives the creation of storytelling and marketing assets across a variety of styles and formats that advance the U of A brand, inspire audiences, perform effectively across channels, and support the university’s Strategic Imperatives. The role also guides operational planning and digital management of these resources, establishing and refining workflows, standards, and processes that support effective content production and asset use.

• Lead and manage the performance of staff members, student workers, and freelance partners to ensure high-quality work, timely delivery, and alignment with university priorities.
• Support the growth and professional development of staff through coaching, professional development, and performance management, while reinforcing alignment with deadlines, policies, and best practices.
• Manage relationships with freelance video and photography partners to ensure adherence to project expectations and institutional requirements.
• Allocate resources and assign work across staff, students, and freelance partners to balance workloads, meet production demands, and maintain a collaborative, high-performing team.

• Participate directly in the planning, creation, and execution of video and/or photo content, major production projects (e.g., brand shoots, Commencement), and day-to-day multimedia resource acquisition.
• Lead or support end-to-end production workflows, including pre-production coordination, on-site production, and post-production review and delivery.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders and external partners to scope production requirements, develop concepts, manage timelines, and align deliverables with project goals.

• Oversee planning and production, editing and review processes, equipment inventory, project workflows, and staff operations.
• Manage and maintain multimedia equipment and technology inventories, ensuring assets are functional, properly tracked, and aligned with current and future production needs.
• Coordinate staff operations, including assigning resources, managing workloads, and supporting day-to-day production needs across projects.

• Ensure that photo and video assets are appropriately documented, ingested, archived, and catalogued in the university’s digital asset management library in accordance with established standards.
• Verify that all required usage rights, permissions, and talent or location releases are properly secured and documented for published visual assets prior to distribution or reuse.
• Help maintain asset metadata, taxonomy, and governance practices to support efficient search, retrieval, compliance, and long-term asset stewardship.
• Collaborate with Marketing and Communications partners to plan, coordinate, and assess video and photo content performance across channels and adapt distribution strategies and asset usage to improve reach, engagement, and effectiveness across platforms.

• High levels of proficiency with industry standard tools and platforms, including but not limited to Adobe Creative Cloud, DSLR or mirrorless camera systems, professional lighting setups, color grading, audio, post production tools, and media servers.
• Proven ability to engage collaborative teams and deliver high quality work on time and within budget.
• Knowledge of current trends, best practices, and technologies in digital media, multimedia production, and visual storytelling.
• Ability to lead teams, projects, programs, or functional initiatives and drive results.

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent advanced…