Photographer

ABOUT M&C SAATCHI WORLD SERVICES

M&C Saatchi World Services is a full-service marketing company renowned for using commercial advertising to solve the world’s toughest challenges. World Services is a specialty branch of M&C Saatchi Group, and we provide strategic communications, behavior change, and marketing support to Public Sector clients with special emphasis on the US Federal Government and State, Local, Tribal, & Territorial leaders.

M&C Saatchi World Services US is seeking a highly skilled and versatile Photographer to create compelling, high-quality photography for communications, outreach, and stakeholder engagement initiatives. Working across locations, events and planned shoots, this role will capture real people, environments and experiences in ways that can strengthen audience engagement, enhances brand presence, and advance mission objectives.

THE ROLE

M&C Saatchi World Services is seeking an accomplished Photographer to create distinctive, technically excellent photography for strategic communications, outreach, and engagement initiatives across a diverse portfolio of federal programs. You will work independently on location to photograph people, events, and real-world activities, often responding to changing conditions without extensive on-site support. You will also work as part of a wider production team on more complex shoots, collaborating with creative, communications, account, and stakeholder engagement teams to deliver against an agreed brief and visual approach. The ideal candidate combines a distinctive creative eye with deep technical knowledge of camera lenses, lighting, exposure, composition, contrast, color and digital image production. They can make strong creative and technical decisions independently, adapt to different subjects and environments, and consistently produce polished, publication-ready work. This is a hybrid role supporting a federal client environment. The ideal candidate will live in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia (DMV) region and must be available to travel domestically for photography assignments.

Key Responsibilities

• Independently capture high-quality, publication-ready photography at public locations, workplaces, leadership engagements, live events, and other on-location assignments.

• Plan and execute photography across environmental and formal portraiture, documentary and editorial photography, live events, campaign and lifestyle imagery, and promotional content.

• Translate creative and communications briefs into an appropriate photographic approach, including shot lists, location and equipment requirements, lighting plans and practical production considerations.

• Select and operate appropriate professional camera bodies, lenses, lighting, grip and supporting equipment, adapting exposure, focus, composition, color and lighting decisions to each subject, location and intended use.

• Use photography to communicate complex ideas, document impact and create coherent visual narratives that support audience and communications objectives.

• Collaborate with communications, creative, strategy, and stakeholder engagement teams to identify visual storytelling opportunities and support content development efforts.

• Edit, retouch, and optimize imagery for digital, print, social media, presentation, and multimedia applications.

• Ensure photography aligns with creative and brand standards, technical and quality standards, and provide accurate captions, contextual information and image descriptions where needed to support accessible publication.

• Prepare photography assets for publication and distribution across multiple channels and platforms.

• Ingest, back up, catalogue and archive photography using agreed folder structures, file-naming conventions, metadata, captions, keywords, version control and usage information, ensuring assets can be located and reused.

• Manage photography equipment, memory cards, file transfers and on-location backups to protect captured material and reduce the risk of data loss.

• Support rapid-turn photography requests and high-priority communications initiatives while maintaining creative quality and consistency.

• Work as part of a wider production team on more complex shoots, collaborating with producers, creatives, art directors, and other specialists where required.

• Collaborate with designers, videographers, and multimedia teams to integrate photography into wider campaigns and communications products.

• Advise internal teams on photographic approaches, equipment, lighting, locations, schedules, and other factors affecting the feasibility, quality and cost of a shoot.

• Stay current on photography trends, editing technologies, AI-enabled creative tools, and evolving visual communications practices.

Key Attributes

• Substantial professional photography with a strong portfolio demonstrating consistently high standards of visual storytelling and technical execution across a range of subjects and shooting conditions.

• Strong portfolio demonstrating expertise in photography, visual storytelling, composition, lighting, and image creation.

• Advanced knowledge of professional camera systems, lenses, exposure, metering, focus, depth of field, shutter speed, ISO, white balance, RAW capture and color-managed photography workflows.

• Confident use of available light, on-camera and off-camera flash, continuous lighting, modifiers, stands, grip and other equipment required for professional location photography.

• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop, Capture One, or comparable professional software, including image selection, RAW processing, color correction, retouching, batch processing, esport and archive preparation.

• Experience utilizing AI-assisted content development, research, and optimization tools to enhance content quality, audience engagement, and workflow efficiency.

• Curiosity in technology landscape and how AI is changing communications.

• Experience producing photography for use across campaigns, print, websites, social media, events, presentations, publications, internal communications, and online and offline channels.

• Ability to translate communications objectives and audience needs into compelling visual content. • Strong attention to detail and commitment to creative quality, consistency, and technical excellence.

• Ability to work effectively both as a self-sufficient location photographer and as part of a multidisciplinary production team on larger or more complex shoots.

• Excellent communication, organizational, and project management skills.

• Ability to manage multiple assignments simultaneously while meeting deadlines in fast-paced environments.

• Experience using digital asset management systems and applying professional standards for file ingest, backup, metadata, captioning, keywording, archiving, and retrieval.

• Ability to travel, work on location, transport and safely handle photography equipment, and work outside standard office hours where required for events or assignments.

• Experience supporting federal government, public affairs, international development, or mission-driven communications programs is preferred.

• Additional experience capturing short-form video is advantageous but not essential.

• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security clearance, as required by the position.

Educational Requirements:

BA/BS or equivalent qualification in Photography, Photojournalism, Fine Arts, Visual Communications, Multimedia Production, or a related creative field preferred.

• Location: Hybrid, able to commute regularly to Rosslyn, VA/DC Metro Area

• Experience: Minimum of 5 years experience.

Eligibility Requirements:
• U.S. Citizenship: Must be a United States Citizen (required by government contract).
• Clearance Eligibility: Must be able and willing to obtain a U.S. Government Secret or Top Secret security clearance immediately upon employment.
• Background Screening: Must be willing to submit to a rigorous federal background investigation, which includes an in-depth review of personal finances, criminal history, employment history, and drug use.

The salary range provided reflects the anticipated compensation for this role across our Washington, DC and New York locations. Actual starting salary will be determined based on geographic location, relevant experience, skills, and other job-related factors.

WHY YOU'LL LOVE IT HERE

• Work on impactful programs supporting federal and defense-related initiatives.
• Collaborate with high-performing cross-functional teams across communications, digital and analytics disciplines.
• Opportunity to shape strategic public engagement initiatives at enterprise scale.

• Flexible hybrid working environment.
• Exposure to complex, mission-driven stakeholder engagement challenges.
• Career development opportunities within a fast-growing global organization.

WHAT YOU GET

We offer a competitive salary and a benefits package designed to support your health, family life, financial wellbeing, and growth:

• 12 weeks’ of full pay for primary caregivers and 6 weeks for secondary caregivers.

• Choice of three medical plans (HSA at $0 cost; EPO 75% employer funded; PPO 65% employer funded)

• 70% employer-funded dental and vision coverage

• Generous paid time off, sick leave, and company holidays, including an office closure between Christmas & New Year's

• 401(k) with 5% employer match

• Gym membership reimbursement and/or Wellhub subscription

• Mental health support through EAP and Self Space services

• Work from anywhere for up to 2 weeks per year (subject to approval)

• Social events, happy hours, professional development trainings, etc.

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