Senior Image Controller

O'Brien Recruitment; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 400,000 - 500,000; Full time

Job summary

A creative recruitment agency in Cape Town seeks a Senior Image Controller to lead post-production workflows and ensure quality outputs. The successful candidate will support junior team members, manage editing tasks, and liaise effectively with photographers and stylists. Ideal applicants will have 3–5 years of experience, advanced skills in Photoshop and Capture One, and strong leadership capabilities.

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of experience in a studio post-production environment.
• Proficient in Photoshop & Capture One.
• Ability to uphold visual quality standards.

Responsibilities

• Edit RAW imagery in Capture One and Photoshop.
• Mentor and upskill junior Image Controllers.
• Oversee functional checks and gear bookings.

Skills

Image editing

Team leadership

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Retouching experience

Tools

Photoshop

Capture One

Job description

Overview

The Senior Image Controller is a pivotal role within the Production Department’s post-production team. Acting as the deputy to the Lead Image Controller (LIC), the SIC ensures the smooth execution of all post-production workflows in the LIC’s absence and supports the daily operations of the Image Controllers (ICs) and Retouchers (Rs). This role combines hands-on image editing responsibilities with team coordination, quality control, and operational oversight.

Responsibilities

• Post-Production Execution & Oversight
  • Edit RAW imagery in Capture One and Photoshop, with a high standard of consistency and quality.
  • Perform image selection, cropping, grading, and colour correction in accordance with the “How to Shoot” guide.
  • Take ownership of complex post-production jobs and ensure alignment with brand standards.
  • Provide backup to LIC by trafficking editing requests when needed and tracking job progress daily.
  • Perform quality control reviews on output from ICs and Rs, providing feedback and escalating issues when needed.
• Team Support & Leadership
  • Act as the day-to-day go-to person for the ICs and Rs when the LIC is unavailable.
  • Mentor and upskill junior Image Controllers and Retouchers, supporting their technical development.
  • Assist in onboarding and training of new post-production hires.
  • Run ad hoc or weekly syncs with ICs/Rs at the direction of the LIC.
  • Monitor retouching statistics and provide performance insights to LIC.
• Studio & Systems Operations
  • Maintain post-production hardware and software in collaboration with the LIC.
  • Support with studio setup: painting curves, maintaining equipment, and tracking consumables.
  • Ensure the backup and organization of post-production data and server systems.
  • Oversee functional checks and gear bookings in the absence of an IC or when escalated by them.
• Communication & Coordination
  • Liaise with photographers and stylists to ensure smooth shoot-to-post transitions.
  • Keep the LIC informed of bottlenecks or technical issues.
  • Represent the post-production team in smaller interdepartmental check-ins when the LIC delegates.
  • Provide catalogue-ready images to PR, content teams, or buyers when workload allows.
• Role Hierarchy
  • Reports to: Lead Image Controller (LIC)
  • Leads/Supports: Image Controllers (ICs) and Retouchers (Rs)

Key Skills & Experience

• 3–5 years of experience in a studio post-production environment.
• Advanced proficiency in Photoshop & Capture One.
• Strong organisational, mentoring, and communication skills.
• Proven ability to uphold visual quality standards and manage high-volume output.
• High-level retouching experience is highly beneficial.
• Experience with studio systems, data backup, and file management.

Why This Role Exists

This role strengthens the leadership structure within the post-production team, reduces reliance on the LIC for daily escalations, and ensures high-quality visual outputs even during peak periods or LIC absence. The SIC brings both technical excellence and leadership maturity, helping to build a more resilient and scalable team.