UK Government decides to pay artists: Hiring photographer for $78K a year

The UK Government has just announced that they’re hiring an official photographer. If you need a job and miss travels in these crazy times, it may be a good opportunity for you. The yearly salary is £60,000, and you’ll get to travel and take photos of the UK Government and its ministers.

The job posting was shared by the Cabinet Office, with a detailed job description and requirements.  If you plan to apply, it’s a must to have a background in photojournalism. You would be based in Whitehall and reporting to the Head of Digital Communications, and your duty will be “to promote the work of Ministers and the wider government visually.”

“No two days will ever be the same in this role,” the job ad reads. For those of you who don’t like routine, this may sound pretty appealing. “One day you may accompany a Cabinet Minister on an international visit, working closely press officers across Whitehall to deliver a series of coordinated announcements, and the next you will be working in the Cabinet Office producing innovative visual content.”

Here are the ssential skills and experience you need to have if you want to apply:

• Proven experience in photo journalism, ideally for a national or regional newspaper.
• Good eye for a picture and the story that the picture is trying to tell.
• Expertise in digital content and photo platforms.
• Ability to edit photos using Photo Mechanic and Photo Shop
• Previous content management experience, ideally in a related area.
• Knowledge of high-end brand cameras and the expert use of them.

The salary for the position is listed to be between £54,700 and £60,635 (~$71,200 and $78,900). According to several sources I visited, an average yearly salary for photographers in the UK is between £25,000 and £35,00o, so this seems like a good deal. I’m even pretty surprised that they’re paying above average, considering a recent scandal with a marketing campaign that devalued artists and their work. Who knows, maybe it’s a way of making up for it. But anyway, if you’re interested in the position, you can see the full requirements here and apply.

[via FStoppers; image credits: Number 10/Flickr]