CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER JOB DESCRIPTION

A Chief Photographer owns something a Photojournalist does not: the staffing, scheduling, and technical accountability of an entire photography division inside a live news operation. That ownership spans a 24/7, 365-day newsroom cycle where ENG crews, live trucks, and satellite uplinks must be resourced and ready regardless of what breaks. FAA drone certification and NPPA-standard field practices are common benchmarks in this tier. When the Chief sets the standard, coverage holds; when that standard slips, the newsroom's ability to serve viewers erodes story by story.

As the Chief Photographer, you oversee the day-to-day operations of the photography division, from live-shot logistics and equipment maintenance to staff coaching and editorial quality, while also shooting and editing content yourself. You work directly alongside assignment desk managers and news managers, with scope extending across all shifts and coverage of planned and breaking events throughout the broadcast area.

Career Impact: Holding this seat builds cross-functional credibility within broadcast news at a level that is visible to news directors and regional networks, positioning experienced photojournalists for senior editorial roles.

Business Impact: The coverage decisions and crew assignments you manage directly shape what viewers see on-air each day, determining whether the station wins or loses the biggest local news moments.

Growth Opportunity: Deep exposure to emerging platforms, drone operations, and multiplatform storytelling expands your market value well beyond traditional ENG, opening paths toward Director of Photography or regional chief roles.

• Lead daily staffing and scheduling for the photography division to ensure adequate coverage across all shifts and breaking news situations.
• Assign photographers to stories and live events, verifying that logistics, shot requirements, and safety protocols meet editorial standards.
• Shoot and edit priority news content, including investigative reports and special live events, to the station's broadcast specifications.
• Operate live transmission equipment, including microwave trucks and satellite uplinks, during remote field assignments as required.
• Coach photographers and editors through regular feedback sessions, performance evaluations, and targeted training in ENG, drone operations, and emerging platforms.
• Recruit and onboard qualified photojournalists and editors, maintaining a pipeline of candidates to fill open positions.
• Coordinate with news managers on large-scale event coverage, including elections and special broadcasts, to align crew deployment with editorial priorities.
• Maintain all photography equipment and fleet vehicles, partnering with vendors on procurement and service to minimize downtime.

• Bachelor's degree in Journalism, Communications, or a related field, or equivalent work experience.
• 5 or more years of professional experience in broadcast television news photography and editing, with demonstrated leadership responsibility.
• Proficiency in field operations across broadcast cameras, non-linear editing, and live transmission equipment including live trucks and backpack systems.
• Strong news judgment grounded in an understanding of journalistic ethics and libel law as applied in daily broadcast coverage.
• Proven ability to coach and develop photojournalists at different career stages, including structured performance management.
• Valid driver's license with a clean driving record, required for operating news vehicles in the field.
• Ability to work flexible and extended shifts, including weekends, holidays, and breaking news call-ins.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to make sound editorial decisions under tight deadlines.

• FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate, with active experience integrating drone footage into broadcast news coverage.
• Prior experience managing departmental budgets, vendor relationships, or equipment procurement in a television news environment.
• Familiarity with satellite newsgathering workflows and NPPA ethical standards for photojournalism.
• Experience leading coverage of high-profile planned events such as elections, live remotes, or network-fed specials.

• On-air story completion rate, measuring how consistently assigned crews deliver edited packages to air on deadline.
• Live hit uptime percentage, reflecting the reliability of satellite and microwave transmissions during scheduled and breaking windows.
• Staff overtime hours per scheduling period, tracking how efficiently the division is deployed against 24/7 coverage demands.
• Time to fill open photographer positions, measuring pipeline health and recruiting effectiveness across the division.
• Equipment downtime incidents per quarter, indicating how proactively maintenance standards are upheld across cameras and live gear.
• Typical tools: Broadcast camera systems (commonly Sony or Panasonic ENG); editing platforms (commonly Edius or Adobe Premiere); live transmission (LiveU, satellite truck systems).

• Base Salary Range: $65,000 to $95,000 annually, varying by market size and station group
• Bonus: Performance-based discretionary bonus, typically 5% to 10% of base salary
• Equity: Generally not offered at this level in local broadcast environments
• Health Benefits: Medical, dental, and vision coverage; employer contribution varies by station group
• PTO: 15 to 20 days annually, plus paid holidays
• Common Perks: Mileage reimbursement for field assignments; professional development budget for emerging platform training

Figures are estimates based on general US market benchmarks and may be outdated. Adjust based on location, company size, and seniority level.

Employment is contingent on successful completion of a background check, including a review of driving history where applicable to field operations. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law. Candidates requiring reasonable accommodations during the application or employment process are encouraged to make that need known. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States.

The Chief Photographer leads a 24/7 newsroom visual operation, overseeing staff scheduling, coaching photographers across ENG and drone platforms, and collaborating with news managers on large-scale event coverage including Election Day. Working alongside assignment desk and news managers, this role shapes the visual standards, training workflows, and performance development that sustain broadcast quality year-round.

Key Responsibilities

• Schedule staff and work closely with the assignment desk manager and news managers on scheduling to ensure appropriate coverage to support the needs of a 24/7, 365-day/year newsroom.
• Approve employee timecards and time-off requests promptly, in conjunction with news management.
• Collaboratively develop and refine visual standard best practices, trainings, and department workflows.
• Work with news managers to develop and execute large-scale event coverage, including Election Day, live remotes, and special events.
• Shoot and edit stories regularly with Edius and other editing platforms as needed.
• Source and recruit a robust pipeline of qualified candidates for open positions.
• Regularly coach and provide feedback to the team to continue professional development, including satellite training, ENG, drone, and emerging platforms.
• Work with news managers to address performance concerns and conduct annual performance reviews and goal setting.

Required Qualifications

• College degree in a relevant field and/or relevant training and certification history.
• 5+ years of experience in a relevant role.
• Keen knowledge and interest in emerging technologies and industry best practices.
• Strong computer skills in a mobile environment, with the ability to multi-task and manage high-profile projects with meticulous attention to detail.
• Outstanding written and oral communication skills and organizational skills.
• Self-motivated leader with proven problem-solving abilities and the ability to make quick, sound, ethical decisions while working under strict deadlines.
• Commitment to fostering a culture of teamwork, collaboration, and innovation.
• Willingness to work overtime, flexible shifts, and holidays as needed.

Embedded within the newsroom technical operations team, the Chief Photographer maintains and operates professional video cameras, live equipment including microwave, satellite, and LiveU backpack, and leads the team through field troubleshooting challenges. Working closely with vendors and management, this role delivers cutting-edge newsgathering capability and coaches photojournalists to the highest standard of broadcast production.

Core Functions

• Operate and maintain professional-quality video cameras and related newsgathering equipment.
• Be proficient with field troubleshooting and lead the team through technical challenges.
• Coach the team to become the best photojournalists in the business.
• Operate and maintain live equipment, including microwave, satellite, and LiveU backpack.
• Organize and maintain fleet vehicles.
• Research the latest newsgathering technology to ensure operations remain at the cutting edge.
• Photograph and edit the most important investigative reports and specials.
• Partner with vendors to ensure equipment is purchased and maintained.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Journalism or Communications.
• Four-year college or university preferred.
• FAA-licensed Drone Pilot certification preferred.
• Minimum 4 years of professional experience in local TV news preferred.
• Prior news management experience a plus.
• Excellent technical and troubleshooting abilities.

Reporting to the Operations Manager, the Chief Photographer supervises photojournalists across coaching, performance evaluations, and scheduling while operating newsgathering equipment, including live trucks and video editing systems, daily. Partnering with reporters, anchors, producers, and Content Center staff throughout the newsroom, this role sustains broadcast quality and editorial readiness across all shifts and breaking news situations.

Primary Duties

• Assist the Operations Manager with supervising photojournalists, including coaching, conducting performance evaluations, and creating schedules to manage overtime.
• Operate various newsgathering equipment, including live truck, video camera, and video editing equipment, as well as new technology.
• Work in tandem with reporters and conduct interviews solo for broadcast as needed.
• Listen to scanners, call in spot news, and respond to spot news when asked.
• Communicate frequently throughout the day and work collaboratively with others in the newsroom, including reporters, anchors, producers, Content Center staff, Creative Services, and other photographers.
• Respond and work well in a crisis and during breaking news, handling last-minute and unexpected changes professionally.
• Come prepared for editorial and other meetings and contribute story ideas daily.
• Travel regularly, primarily locally, with occasional national travel.
• Work assigned shifts and fill in for absent co-workers on all shifts as needed.

Skills & Qualifications

• Minimum 7 years of TV news photography and editing experience required, with NPPA style experience a plus.
• Proficiency with current broadcast cameras, non-linear editing, and live equipment, including live trucks and live backpacks.
• Good news judgment and thorough understanding of daily news content, journalistic ethics, and libel laws.
• Ability to work well under pressure and meet tight deadlines.
• Ability to work alone and with a reporter.
• Ability to work in areas and conditions that are often noisy, have many distractions, and involve extreme weather and landscape conditions.
• Ability to stand for long periods and move quickly on uneven and unfamiliar terrain.
• Must be reliable and able to work additional hours and travel as required.

Sitting at the intersection of visual journalism and regional news leadership, the Chief Photographer at Reuters directs UK and Ireland picture coverage, ensuring the file meets customer performance standards while fostering unique photojournalism that serves diverse audiences. Operating across photographers, the UKI TV team, and the Europe Picture Editor, this role builds the talent pipeline and multimedia storytelling capacity that secures Reuters' dominance of the region's biggest news events.

Duties

• Give overall direction to news coverage in the region and ensure the file meets customer needs and performance standards.
• Uphold and ensure full team understanding of Reuters Trust Principles.
• Ensure the biggest regional news stories are won and support rich photojournalism.
• Coordinate closely between photographers and the UKI TV team to guarantee that photographers produce quality video from news events.
• Ensure that the security and safety of the entire team is always a priority.
• Lead, motivate, and communicate with photographers in the region.
• Discover and foster talent and promote diversity.
• Drive multimedia and cross-asset storytelling through collaboration with news specialists from other parts of the news file.
• Manage budgets and work with the Europe Picture Editor.

Requirements

• Minimum 5 years of experience working in a team of photojournalists.
• Knowledge of news video and its importance in news products.
• An understanding of safety and security issues as well as the news pictures business and wider media industry.
• Inspirational leadership and communication skills.
• Strong people and organizational skills.

A key member of the Marketing Department, the Chief Photographer delivers high-standard photographic imagery across creative still-life product photography and model photography while contributing plans and ideas to support marketing operations. Collaborating across the wider team and managing off-site photography and video projects, this role maintains studio and equipment standards that sustain consistent visual output for the department.

Functions

• Deliver high-standard photographic imagery, including creative still life product photography and model photography.
• Maintain high standards of the studio and equipment, including photoshoot preparation.
• Contribute ideas, plans, and operations for the Marketing Department.
• Work well as part of a wider team.
• Undertake off-site photography and video projects as required.

Experience & Qualifications

• Third-level qualification in Photography desirable.
• Knowledge and experience of photographic equipment and techniques, with video production experience preferred.
• High proficiency in Photoshop.
• Ability to work with high volumes and tight deadlines, with great attention to detail.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to follow direction well.
• Interest in current fashion and homeware trends.
• Team player with the ability to multi-task and execute a creative brief.