Senior Photo Assignment Editor

The Washington Post•Washington, DC

2d•$110,000 - $160,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Washington Post is seeking an experienced, imaginative and highly collaborative Senior Photo Assignment Editor to help lead photographic coverage across the newsroom. This editor will help shape coverage from the earliest stages — identifying stories with strong visual potential, commissioning photographers with distinctive perspectives and ensuring that photography is integral to how our journalism is conceived, reported and presented. The ideal candidate understands that powerful photography depends not only on what we commission and publish, but also on how audiences experience that work. They will think critically about image selection, sequencing, cropping and presentation and understand how those choices should evolve across mobile and desktop experiences, social platforms, newsletters and other destinations. This editor should be equally comfortable directing photographic coverage of a major breaking-news event, developing an ambitious visual enterprise project and collaborating across disciplines to determine the strongest form for a story. As a senior member of the Photo department, they will also provide leadership and mentorship to photo editors, helping elevate the ambition, creativity and quality of The Post’s visual journalism.

Requirements

At least seven years of professional journalism experience, including substantial experience assigning and editing photography in a fast-paced newsroom.
Exceptional visual and editorial judgment and a demonstrated record of producing distinctive photographic journalism.
Deep knowledge of contemporary photography and a broad network of staff and freelance photographers.
Experience directing visual coverage of breaking news as well as developing longer-term enterprise and feature photography.
Strong understanding of digital storytelling and how photography should be selected, edited and presented for different platforms and audiences.
A generous, curious and collaborative editing style, with an openness to experimentation and new approaches.
Demonstrated ability to collaborate across disciplines and to mentor and develop visual journalists.
Strong understanding of photographic ethics, sourcing, copyright and image provenance.
Ability to make confident decisions under deadline pressure while maintaining rigorous standards for accuracy and visual quality.
Fluency with professional photo-editing tools, including Photoshop and Photo Mechanic; familiarity with video and other digital publishing tools is a plus.
Flexibility to work some nights and weekends as news demands.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with video and other digital publishing tools is a plus.

Responsibilities

Assign, commission and edit photography for breaking news, daily coverage, features, investigations and ambitious visual enterprise.
Develop and pitch original photographic story ideas, including journalism conceived from the outset around the strengths of photography.
Identify visual opportunities early in the reporting process and work with reporters and editors across the newsroom to develop strong approaches.
Direct photographers in the field, providing clear editorial guidance while creating the conditions for distinctive and original work.
Apply exceptional visual and news judgment to image selection, sequencing, cropping and presentation.
Make thoughtful decisions about how photography should be experienced across mobile, desktop, social platforms, newsletters and other digital destinations.
Cultivate a broad and diverse network of freelance photographers and match photographers to assignments based on subject matter, geography, approach and visual sensibility.
Research, source and license photography when commissioned work is not appropriate, applying rigorous standards around accuracy, context, copyright, provenance and ethics.
Collaborate with News Design, Graphics, Audience, Product and other teams to determine the most effective visual form and presentation for major journalism.
Help develop visual approaches to breaking and planned coverage that take advantage of photography alongside video, graphics, text and other forms.
Stay current with changes in photography, visual culture, digital publishing, technology and audience behavior and apply that knowledge thoughtfully to coverage.
Experiment with new approaches to photographic storytelling and presentation while maintaining rigorous standards for accuracy, ethics and craft.
Mentor photo editors and photographers, providing constructive feedback and helping colleagues develop their editorial judgment and visual storytelling skills.
Contribute to department-wide coverage planning and help shape The Post’s broader approach to photography and visual journalism.