Creative Manager – Amazon, Vernon, CA
DESCRIPTION
Amazon Imaging builds the world’s best online shopping experience through photography, video, graphic design, and usability design enabling millions of customers to make more informed purchasing decisions. Imaging at Amazon is a large and fast-growing network of teams located throughout North America, Europe, and Asia, focusing on fashion and product photography, photo retouching, graphic design, video and CGI production, automated image acquisition, and image support services. We are continually innovating and setting new industry standards for showcasing millions of products across multiple global marketplaces. We are obsessed with innovating on behalf of our customers, and continually push beyond the boundaries of traditional e-commerce photography and videography.
Amazon Imaging is looking for an experienced and accomplished Creative Production Manager to play the leadership role in defining breakthrough imagery solutions for our studio with a focus on lifestyle imagery. The ideal candidate will bring innovation to high volume photographic workflows, reducing the operational cost while improving the quality of imagery produced. The Creative Production Manager is required to stay at the forefront of imagery within online retailing, ensuring that Amazon is ahead of the curve and ready to incorporate relevant solutions into the customer experience. The successful candidate will be required to understand the larger business strategy while overseeing the global implementation details of new imagery standards, technologies and equipment. In this role the qualified candidate will be responsible for managing the daily operations of a team of photographers, stylists, digitechs and assistants working in a high-volume, fast-paced photo studio. Responsibilities include leading process and aesthetic innovations that drive sales and deliver a world class customer experience, project management, and employee development. The position requires close collaboration with a large team of studio and imaging operations managers.
RESPONSIBILITIES
· Produce the highest quality photography for Home products, including those that require a high degree of problem-solving for Amazon’s worldwide websites
· Provide supervision as well as mentoring, training, development, and performance management of the creative production team of photographers, stylists, and digitechs
· Maintain consistently high standards for accuracy, aesthetics, and productivity
· Build innovative processes with global impact from the ground up and execute large scale team projects
· Develop techniques and best practices for shooting new categories/projects, and disseminate those practices worldwide
· Guide the constant improvement of Amazon photography quality and efficiency
· Interact directly with external teams to provide and receive visual guidance, implement process improvements, and procure and repair equipment
· Collect and analyze data and testing solutions for process improvements and new initiatives
· Ensure creation of robust training and process documentation
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
· Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in photography or related field
· Professional photography portfolio that demonstrates a expert-level knowledge of digital photography, including lighting, composition, color quality, and aesthetics
· Extensive documented experience in commercial shooting, across an array of client environments, including editorial, catalog, advertising, and e-commerce
· Experience managing a team
· Demonstrated ability to manage high volumes of workflow including prioritization, planning, and task delegation under tight deadlines
· Experience successfully leading teams/functions through change
· Technical experience with transition to hybridized still and video platforms
· Expert-level proficiency with the industry-standard software tools
· Proficiency with basic scripting, color management policies Expert-level proficiency with DSLR functionality (both still and video) as well as all standard studio lighting techniques and traditional grip practice
· Proficient working knowledge of still and moving imaging software for Mac and PC platforms
· Working knowledge of PhotoShop and Capture One Pro
· Proven ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously under tight deadlines
· Obsession with delighting customers
· Excellent English proficiency (written and verbal)
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
· Accustomed to the high intensity level of an e-commerce studio environment, and ability to thrive under tight deadlines
· Self-driven and able to effectively communicate creative ideas and collaborate in a multi-team environment
· Productivity-focused and proven to be a quick problem solver
· Accomplished in hiring, developing and leading high performing teams and individuals
· Deep understanding of all stages of the photography process, and ability to provide direction to the team to execute
· Ability to use industry experience and expertise to advocate for the expansion of Amazon’s worldwide photography capability, and for the adoption of new technologies