Specialist, Digital Asset Management

How You’ll Contribute

The Storytelling team works to expand the organization’s impact through journalism, photography, film/video, web content, mapping, and data visualization. As one of the largest funders to individual storytellers in this work, it also identifies key grantmaking and programmatic opportunities with creative talent. Much of the team’s activity is focused on identifying and building capacity for the next generation of diverse storytellers.

Reporting to the Manager, Digital Asset Management, the Specialist, Digital Asset Management is primarily responsible for the ingest, curation, and elevation of a high‑volume pipeline of photos and videos created by research, conservation, storytelling, and education grantees, as well as other Society funded Programs. The Specialist coordinates the submission of grantee media assets while providing quality assurance of required legal documentation and metadata.

This includes leading the creation of accurate and precise key wording standards using departmentally specific and dynamic taxonomies, promoting noteworthy media for wider use across the Society and its Partners, and researching rights and clearance information. The Specialist provides final quality assurance of photos and videos before submitting assets into the Society’s archive and maintaining media asset information in the grants database.

• Catalog all grantee and other Society funded Program photos and videos, attaching correct metadata and ensuring legal rights compliance (35%)
• Lead in the creation of cataloging standards for media assets (15%)
• Collaborate with content teams to promote media assets on the Society and its Partners platforms, including responding to internal requests for specific photo assets and researching the DAM for broader photo requests (20%)
• Develop and maintain Standard Operating Procedures for finalizing grants media requirements and update media asset information in the grants database (10%)
• Follow up with grantees and content teams to ensure completion of grants media requirements (10%)
• Help assist with onboarding and training new staff, specifically interns and potential incoming coordinators (5%)
• Liaise, when needed, with media partners to collect and catalog media assets (5%)

Bachelor’s degree in Library & Information Science or related field. Advanced knowledge of Digital Photography preferred.

3+ years of video and/or photography experience, including cataloging media.

• Strong research, communication, and organizational skills
• Attention to detail and ability to understand and prioritize multiple requests from different stakeholders across the Society and its Partners
• Must be a self‑guided, creative, highly organized, and motivated individual
• Comfort with ambiguity and the ability to work through problem‑solving on a growing team
• Basic understanding of legal and rights terminology
• Must be capable of exercising flexibility, multitasking, and working effectively with others on tight deadlines

• Knowledge of metadata standards and experience in library and archives settings a plus
• Knowledge of Adobe Suite a plus

No direct reports

The National Geographic Society offers a competitive and holistic total rewards package. The salary range for this position is $58,900.00 - $62,000.00. In addition, the National Geographic Society offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision insurance; a 401(k) retirement savings plan with matching contributions after 6 months of employment; flexible paid time off with up to 22 days of paid annual leave per calendar year;

paid holidays and a paid winter break between December 25 and 31; paid parental leave; adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement; learning and development opportunities; a Lifestyle Spending Account; pet adoption assistance and insurance; pre‑tax transportation benefits; employer‑paid life insurance and disability benefit; and a variety of National Geographic discounts and perks.

Hybrid – At the Society, we…