About the Role
The Manager, Photo Operations plays a key role within the Old Navy Online Operations team, overseeing daily in-season production of high-volume product photography and driving the execution of on-figure photography workflows. This role ensures product photography is delivered on time, with quality and consistency across eCommerce platforms, by translating business priorities into actionable photography plans.
Responsibilities
- Owns day-to-day operations of the Product Photography On-Figure (PPOF) photo pipeline, ensuring product prioritization, set pace, and shot execution meet brand and business needs.
- Leads planning and scheduling of on-figure sets, partnering with Production, Creative, and Merchandising to align talent, timing, and readiness.
- Works closely with the Production team to book sets based on creative direction and product readiness.
- Manages the organization and prioritization of product for the Product Photography On Figure (PPOF).
- Oversees all reshoots, ensuring timely resolution and alignment with brand standards.
- Submits DA Fix forms for and images stuck in the pipeline to ensure prioritization and escalation where needed.
- Acts as the photo strategy point person for PPOF sets, partnering with cross-functional leads to determine the correct shots based on strategy.
- Maintains and updates the Shot Strategy Guide to reflect current brand direction, retiring outdated or irrelevant strategies as needed.
- Escalates blockers, updates set status and drives transparency with key stakeholders through regular check-ins and tracking.
- Provides critical input to Studio Leadership on production pacing and capacity planning, directly influencing budget allocation and resource utilization.
- Advises Sr. Manager and Studio Director on how production tempo and set volume correlate to cost efficiency and throughput.
- Partners with senior leaders to make data-informed recommendations on productivity targets and seasonal readiness.
- Acts as the main liaison between Photo Operations and key partners including Online Experience, Merchandising, Catalog Operations, and Post Production.
- Leads operational alignment across teams to ensure photo and video assets are prioritized, routed, and delivered to meet channel-specific deadlines.
- Collaborates with the Post Production team to ensure assets are delivered on time and meet brand and quality standards.
- Supports the alignment of in-season priorities with the needs of Creative, Studio, and Marketing stakeholders.
- Coordinates tool usage and data flow for photography tracking systems (e.g., Creative Force, Airtable, FileMaker Pro).
- Functions as an influencer and translator across multiple leadership levels—regularly engaging with Directors across Marketing, Studio Operations, and Program Management to align shot intent, budget pacing, and business priorities.
- Provides informed counsel on what can be achieved within given timeframes and resource parameters, often helping leadership recalibrate expectations based on real-time studio data.
- Gathers and maintains reporting metrics related to sample tracking, production timelines, and delivery status.
- Identifies operational pain points and proposes solutions for process optimization in partnership with Senior Manager.
- Assists with seasonal planning and contributes to continuous improvement of photography workflows.
- Trains Sample Coordinators on standard operating procedures and the end-to-end photography product pipeline.
- Partners with Sample Coordinators to order missing or incorrect samples and ensure timely delivery to the studio.
- Exercises leadership through expertise, mentorship, and process ownership—including onboarding, peer coaching, pipeline processes, and ensuring operational consistency across PPOF workflows.
Requirements
- Deep understanding of retail photo production, on-figure photography, and eCommerce asset workflows.
- Proficient in studio operations tools like Creative Force, Airtable, and FileMaker.
- Strong communicator, detail-oriented problem solver, and highly collaborative team player.
- Demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities in high-volume production environments.
- Strong leadership presence and cross-functional communication skills, with proven ability to advise and influence Director-level partners across Marketing, Studio Operations, and Online Experience.
- Operates with accountability, curiosity, and a continuous improvement mindset.
Skills
- Photo Production
- On-Figure Photography
- eCommerce Asset Workflows
- Creative Force
- Airtable
- FileMaker Pro
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Collaboration
- Project Management
- Leadership
- Mentorship
- Process Improvement
Experience Level
- 4+ years in photo production, project coordination, or eCommerce operations
- Demonstrated experience managing on-figure or studio photography pipelines
- Experience working with creative, marketing, or studio teams in retail or eCommerce environment
Education Level
- Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent experience
