Photography Art Director

The Children's Place

1d•$115,000 - $225,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Children's Place and Gymboree are two of North America's most recognized children's apparel brands. The Children's Place brings accessible, everyday style to families across the country, built on a foundation of quality, value and real-life wearability. Gymboree sits alongside it as a more elevated expression of children's fashion, where premium fabrics, refined aesthetics and a distinct brand point of view come together to create clothing that feels as considered as it looks. Together, we dress millions of kids every season. We are building a creative organization that matches the ambition of that mission. Great photography is the result of a strong creative vision, disciplined execution and a leader who knows exactly what a brand needs to look like. We created this role to define a clear, elevated, and consistent photographic identity across both brands. In partnership with the Brand Creative Director, the Photo Art Director will shape and uphold that vision. From seasonal concept development and on-set direction to the standards that guide every shoot, this role sets the visual benchmark. This is a director-level role with direct impact on how millions of customers experience both brands every day.

Requirements

7 or more years of experience in photo art direction within fashion retail, apparel or a closely related category.
A strong portfolio demonstrating brand-building campaigns, ecommerce and editorial work across diverse talent.
Deep knowledge of photography production from pre-production through on-set execution and post-production.
A trained eye for casting that reflects inclusive, diverse and authentic representation.
Experience developing or maintaining photo standards, style guides or brand photography guidelines.
Strong communication skills and comfort presenting creative direction to cross-functional partners and senior leadership.
Experience managing or mentoring junior team members.
Familiarity with Adobe Creative Suite.

Nice To Haves

Experience with digital asset management systems is a plus.

Responsibilities

Lead on-set photo art direction across all TCP and Gymboree campaigns, seasonal content and ecommerce shoots.
Bring a strong, decisive point of view to every set, with a trained eye for lighting, composition, casting and styling.
Own the creative brief for each shoot, ensuring execution matches the seasonal concept from concept through final selects.
Collaborate with the Brand Creative leadership team on seasonal concept development for both brands.
Translate brand strategy and seasonal direction into a clear photographic vision that works across all channels.
Stay current on visual trends in children's fashion, lifestyle and ecommerce photography.
Develop and maintain photo standards manuals for TCP and Gymboree as both brands evolve.
Establish and document ecommerce and campaign photography guidelines for on-figure, lifestyle and product imagery.
Ensure visual consistency across all channels including ecommerce, marketing, social and retail.
Provide creative oversight of the photoshoot plan document in partnership with the Junior Photo Producer.
Review casting options and provide direction on model selects aligned to brand standards and inclusive representation.
Partner with post-production on retouching direction and final image delivery.
Directly manage the Junior Photo Producer, providing mentorship, clear direction and ongoing development.
Build a collaborative, respectful and high-performing photo creative culture