Visuals Editor

About the role

The Banner is growing its Visuals Team to reflect Maryland's complexity, urgency, and possibilities. We are seeking a Visuals Editor to lead the creation of powerful visual journalism across the state.

Responsibilities

• Manage the daily visual schedule and workflow for stories across Maryland, focusing on Montgomery and Prince George's counties.
• Assign staff and freelance photographers, illustrators, and visual contributors for breaking news, features, enterprise stories, and special projects.
• Coordinate workloads, deadlines, and priorities for visual assignments in partnership with the Director of Visuals and other newsroom leaders.
• Edit photography on deadline with strong visual judgment, rigorous caption accuracy, and attention to tone, context, and fairness.
• Provide clear assignment direction, creative briefs, and feedback to staff photographers, freelancers, and illustrators.
• Coach visual contributors on storytelling approach, captioning, ethical considerations, visual quality, and digital presentation.
• Brainstorm visual approaches with reporters and editors early in the story process.
• Identify opportunities for stronger photography, illustration, design, video, archival imagery, visual explainers, and other storytelling formats.
• Research wire, archival, and licensed imagery, ensuring appropriate permissions, credits, captions, and usage rights.
• Help shape story presentation, layout, homepage treatment, newsletters, social visuals, and off-platform promotion.
• Art direct illustrations and create photo illustrations when needed.
• Support the Director of Visuals in maintaining visual standards, workflow systems, and consistent editorial practices across the newsroom.
• Onboard and support freelance contributors, including communicating expectations, deadlines, assignment needs, and editorial standards.
• Bring creativity, care, sound judgment, and strong editorial standards to every assignment.
• Uphold The Banner's commitment to ethical, accurate, inclusive, and community-centered journalism.

Requirements

• 5+ years of experience editing visuals in a fast-paced newsroom or editorial environment.
• Excellent news judgment and a strong understanding of visual ethics, accuracy, consent, representation, and context.
• A strong eye for visual narrative, digital storytelling, and platform-specific presentation.
• Experience assigning or managing photographers, illustrators, freelancers, or other visual contributors.
• Experience providing feedback, coaching, or editorial guidance to visual journalists or creative collaborators.
• Experience commissioning photography, illustration, and/or video.
• Strong caption writing, reporting, assignment brief, and visual research skills.
• Experience with archival research, licensing, copyright permissions, and proper image usage.
• Fluency in Photoshop, Lightroom, InDesign, Photo Mechanic, and related visual editing or design tools.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to help manage competing deadlines, assignments, and newsroom priorities.
• A collaborative approach and the ability to stay calm, clear, and constructive under deadline pressure.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to give and receive thoughtful editorial feedback.
• A clear commitment to community-centered journalism and inclusive assignment practices.
• Willingness to work some evenings, weekends, or irregular hours as news requires.

Qualifications

• Photoshop, Lightroom, InDesign, Photo Mechanic, and related visual editing or design tools.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to help manage competing deadlines, assignments, and newsroom priorities.
• A collaborative approach and the ability to stay calm, clear, and constructive under deadline pressure.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to give and receive thoughtful editorial feedback.
• A clear commitment to community-centered journalism and inclusive assignment practices.
• Willingness to work some evenings, weekends, or irregular hours as news requires.

Skills

• Photoshop
• Lightroom
• InDesign
• Photo Mechanic

Benefits

• Flexible Paid Time Off
• Retail Savings - 401K plan offered through Human Interest, with a company match
• Student Loan Debt Repayment Assistance for qualified employees
• Full health benefits - medical, dental, vision, prescription, FSA/HSA, and coverage for family/dependents
• Sick Leave eligible for rollover
• Commuter Benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Generous Parental Leave
• Company paid access to a wellness platform to support mental, financial, and physical wellbeing

Pay

$95,000 - $105,000

Schedule

This position follows a Sunday - Thursday afternoon/evening coverage schedule. Some schedule flexibility may be needed based on news demands.

Location

This role is based in Baltimore, Maryland with hybrid work options available.