Director of Digital Media Capture & Licensing

SXSW; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

SXSW in Austin, TX seeks a Director of Digital Media Capture & Licensing to own photography operations, DAM governance, and licensing for all SXSW events. You will lead multiple photo crews, manage 850K+ assets, and coordinate with legal on licensing.

You will also direct video coverage, oversee budgets, and build automated workflows to ensure timely delivery and compliant usage across promotional, editorial, and commercial use.

Qualifications

• Minimum 7+ years in managing large-scale photography or media production.
• 3+ years leading contract teams of 50+ at live events.
• Experience directing third-party video production and managing vendor outcomes.
• Budget management, contractor agreements, PO processing, invoicing.
• Experience with image syndication or royalty-sharing with photo agencies.
• DAM governance including metadata schema, taxonomy, and multi-year archiving.
• Rights and licensing knowledge for promotional, editorial, and commercial use.
• Event photography standards, coverage types, and delivery workflows.
• Familiarity with API calls for bulk system operations and automation.
• Knowledge of AI tools to build workflows and documentation.

Responsibilities

• Direct photography operations for SXSW conferences, festivals, and brand events.
• Build and maintain annual coverage schedules for photo and video events.
• Administer the enterprise DAM with standards for folders, metadata, and permissions; manage rights data.
• Lead seasonal staff to review, approve, or deny licensing requests; coordinate with legal.
• Schedule and brief contracted video production; specify deliverables and file naming standards.
• Manage the photography budget, contractor agreements, and invoicing workflows.
• Distribute images to partners and internal teams; manage syndication and royalty reports.
• Design and automate operational systems; develop databases, intake forms, and workflows.

Skills

Large-scale media production

Contract team leadership

Budget & invoicing

DAM & metadata

Event photography standards

Licensing rights

Communication & training

API & workflow automation

Decision-making under pressure

Training others

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in photography/related field

Job description

SXSW is seeking a Director of Digital Media Capture & Licensing who will own how SXSW captures and manages its visual records across four functions: photography operations for multiple photo crews, enterprise DAM administration and governance of 850K+ assets, video production management, and Event Recording & Licensing (ERL).

Duties & Responsibilities

• Direct photography operations: plan, staff, and run year-round photography coverage for all SXSW conferences, festivals, and brand events. This includes ~75 contract photographers across four specialized teams; the role holds final on-site authority and serves as the top escalation point during the event.
• Build and maintain the event coverage schedule: create and update the annual coverage schedule for ~800 photo and ~120 video events. Collect requests from programming and sales teams and move data from programming databases into the asset system so every captured file ties to the event it documents.
• Own the digital asset management system: administer the enterprise system holding 850K+ assets. Set and enforce standards for folder structure, metadata, naming, and permissions across event years, and keep rights and usage information current so assets can be cleared for promotional, editorial, and licensed use.
• Govern event recording and licensing: lead two seasonal staff who review, approve, or deny outside requests to film, record, or license SXSW content. Resolve escalated requests and work with legal and licensing partners on commercial agreements.
• Manage video production coverage: schedule and brief the contracted video production company on where and when to film. Specify the deliverables required for each event, and set file organization and naming standards so recordings arrive ready for the asset system.
• Administer the photography budget and contractor agreements: manage the annual photography budget. Prepare contractor agreements, tax and vendor forms, purchase orders, and event credentials, then review all contractor invoices and submit them to accounting after the event.
• Distribute images to partners and internal teams: deliver event images to the photo agency syndication partner and reconcile royalty-share reports and invoices each season. Fulfill photo requests from content, marketing, PR, and sponsorship teams, and train staff to search for and share images independently.
• Design and automate operational systems: build and maintain databases, intake forms, and automated workflows for scheduling, licensing requests, and photographer administration. Keep process documentation current so operations continue smoothly year to year.

On-Site Event Responsibilities

• Serve as the final authority and top escalation point for all photography operations across every SXSW team during the event.
• Oversee photography headquarters, where shift leads cover standby photographers, fill coverage gaps, and resolve day‑of issues.
• Supervise the atmosphere and client events photography teams on-site alongside the photography coordinator, and oversee the high‑profile event team through the coordinator.
• Enforce image quality, delivery deadlines, and upload and metadata standards across all photography teams throughout the event.
• Update the event coverage schedule in real time as programming, venues, and call times change, and communicate changes to photography leads and the video production company.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for photography‑related issues from SXSW staff across all departments.
• Supervise the asset coordinator's on-site work as photo editor and photo agency liaison, including resolving metadata, file transfer, and takedown issues.
• Coordinate gear delivery, staging, and control room setup with the video production manager and internal facilities staff.
• Triage filming and recording requests directly during peak volume, and make final calls on escalated requests and policy exceptions.
• Coordinate on‑site and post‑event file delivery for approved recording requests with the technology team.

Qualifications & Skills

• 7+ years managing large‑scale photography or media production, including 3+ years leading contract teams of 50 or more at live events, festivals, or conferences.
• Proven experience building multi‑venue coverage schedules from programming data for events with hundreds of sessions.
• Experience directing a third‑party video production company, including scheduling, specifying deliverables, and setting file standards.
• Experience managing a departmental budget and contractor agreements, purchase orders, and invoicing.
• Experience with image syndication or royalty‑share partnerships with a photo agency, a plus
• Enterprise digital asset management, including metadata schema design, taxonomy, folder architecture, user permissions, and governance across multi‑year archives.
• Image rights, usage clearances, and the basics of media licensing for promotional, editorial, and commercial use.
• Event photography standards, including coverage types, shot lists, image quality, captioning, and delivery workflows.
• Knowledge of filming and recording policy, release requirements, and licensing negotiations with outside requesters, a plus.
• Advanced proficiency in relational database and low‑code platforms, including base design, automations, interfaces, and forms.
• Advanced spreadsheet skills, including formulas, data cross‑referencing, and script‑based automation.
• Working proficiency in professional photo ingest, editing, and captioning software.
• Strong written communication for training materials, creative briefs, and process documentation.
• Experience writing API calls for bulk system operations, a plus
• Experience using AI tools to build workflows, documentation, and tools, a plus.
• Ability to hold final authority in a high‑volume live environment and make fast, sound calls under pressure.
• Ability to keep complex schedules accurate as programming changes daily.
• Ability to train users at different technical levels, from new contract photographers to senior staff.
• Ability to work with internal departments, legal, and outside vendors, and to resolve conflicting priorities between them.
• Bachelor’s degree in photography, media production, information science, communications, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• Certification in digital asset management or project management, a plus.
• Highly organized, with exceptional attention to detail and strong systems thinking.
• Calm, decisive, and steady as a leader during peak event periods.
• Builds documentation and institutional memory so operations don’t depend on any single person.

Physical Requirements

• Prolonged periods of sitting or standing at a desk and working on a computer.
• Ability to occasionally lift up to 25 pounds, as needed.
• Manual dexterity to operate standard office equipment, such as computers, phones, and printers.
• May require occasional bending, reaching, kneeling, or climbing stairs.
• Ability to work outdoors, including exposure to varying temperatures or noise levels.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Work Location & Schedule

This is a full-time position based in Austin, Texas. You must be available to work additional hours from January through March, including evenings and weekends. You must also be available for the March event, which will require extended on‑site hours.