Executive Director of Video and Photography

Executive Director of Video and Photography
University of Arizona | Full-time | Arizona | Negotiable | Unknown

Position Highlights
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, this role oversees a team of videographers, photographers, and producers, collaborating across the Marketing and Communications division and campus to develop powerful storytelling and marketing assets that advance the U of A brand, inspire audiences, perform across channels, and support the university’s Strategic Imperatives. The director also guides operational planning, digital asset management, and workflow refinement to support effective content production and asset use.

Duties & Responsibilities
Staff Leadership and Management

Lead and manage staff performance, student workers, and freelance partners to ensure high-quality work, timely delivery, and alignment with university priorities.

Support staff growth through coaching, professional development, and performance management.

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 freelancers to balance workloads and meet production demands.

Content Production

Participate directly in planning, creation, and execution of video and/or photo content, major production projects, 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.

Operations

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 function, are properly tracked, and meet future needs.

Coordinate staff operations, assigning resources, managing workloads, and supporting day‑to‑day production needs across projects.

Digital Asset Management and Content Distribution

Ensure photo and video assets are documented, ingested, archived, and catalogued in the university’s digital asset management library according to established standards.

Verify that all required usage rights, permissions, and releases are secured and documented before distribution or reuse.

Maintain asset metadata, taxonomy, and governance practices to support efficient search, retrieval, compliance, and long‑term stewardship.

Collaborate with Marketing and Communications partners to assess content performance across channels and adapt distribution strategies to improve reach and engagement.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs)

Proficiency with industry standard tools and platforms (Adobe Creative Cloud, DSLR/mirrorless camera systems, professional lighting, color grading, audio, post‑production tools, media servers).

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.

Leadership ability to guide teams, projects, programs, or functional initiatives and drive results.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent advanced learning through professional experience required; Master’s preferred.

Minimum of 9 years of related work experience, including 5 years of managerial experience, or equivalent combination of education and work experience.

Experience leading a team, project, program, or function is required.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience at a large, matrixed organization.

Participation in livestreaming or online events.

Demonstrated experience in brand storytelling, news content, advertising, or multimedia content development for a large organization.

Experience producing content for distribution on social media and digital platforms (Instagram, YouTube, etc.).

Experience with media asset management (MAM) and/or digital asset management (DAM) systems and best practices.

Compensation and Benefits
Salary: $117,883 – $153,248 (Full‑time, 40 hours/week, 1.0 FTE)

Benefits: health, dental, vision insurance; life insurance and disability programs; paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays; tuition reduction for employee and eligible family members; retirement plans; access to recreational and cultural activities.

Administrative Details
Job Code: 2026-UF-XXXX | FLSA: Exempt | Job Category: Communication and Marketing | Job Family: Multimedia | Job Function: Communications & Marketing | FTE: 1.0 | Target Hire Date: 3/16/2026 | Number of Vacancies: 1

Contact
Johnny Cruz | cruzj@arizona.edu

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