Digital & Print Retoucher

Company description

Within Publicis Groupe’s Intelligent Creativity business, we specialize in bringing creative ideas to life, and to consumers. By combining 100 years of craft excellence with 6,000 experts across 52 locations of the world’s biggest studio network, we leverage the industry’s richest data, through the power of agentic AI, to radically redefine content production with Intelligent Content. We intuitively deliver this through Marcel Make, the world’s first Intelligent Content agent. The result? Predictively performing content that unlocks business growth in unprecedented ways. No more guesswork. No more waste.

Just content that works, working a lot harder.

Overview

Title: Digital & Print Retoucher

Location: Johannesburg, South Africa

Reporting to: Creative Director

The role will collaborate closely with the Creative Director and creative teams to retouch, refine and prepare high-quality imagery for digital and print channels. This role is crucial in ensuring that all visual assets are polished, technically accurate and consistent with brand standards.

The successful candidate will work with designers, photographers, producers and artwork teams, contributing specialist retouching craft across campaign, social, e-commerce, point-of-sale and production outputs.

Responsibilities

1. CREATIVE COLLABORATION:

• Work in partnership with the creative teams to understand the creative intent and retouching requirements for each project.
• Collaborate with designers, photographers, producers and artwork teams to ensure cohesive and high-quality deliverables.

2. ART DIRECTION:

• You will translate creative concepts & assets into polished, brand-consistent imagery for digital and print applications.
• Support the creative teams in refining visual assets that align with the client's and global lead agency’s vision and objectives.

3. DESIGN EXECUTION:

• Retouch, colour-correct, clean up, mask, composite and enhance imagery for digital, social, e-commerce, print, out-of-home and point-of-sale applications.
• Prepare technically accurate files with the correct colour profiles, resolution, dimensions, bleed and output specifications for each channel.

4. PROJECT MANAGEMENT:

• Self-manage multiple retouching projects, timelines, feedback rounds and priorities efficiently.
• Liaise with the creative teams to review visual references, gather feedback and implement adjustments accurately.

5. INNOVATION AND TRENDS:

• Stay up-to-date with retouching techniques, colour workflows, image-generation tools and digital and print production standards.
• Contribute to a culture of craft excellence, collaboration and continuous improvement within the team.

6. QUALITY ASSURANCE:

• Conduct detailed quality checks for colour accuracy, image consistency, resolution, masking, compositing and technical specifications before release.
• Ensure final retouched assets meet client expectations, brand standards and the production requirements of each digital or print channel.

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a retoucher, digital retoucher or similar image-production specialist within an advertising agency, studio or production environment.
• Strong portfolio showcasing high-end retouching, colour correction, compositing and image enhancement across digital and print work.
• Excellent visual judgement, attention to detail, communication and collaborative skills.
• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Photoshop, with strong working knowledge of Adobe Creative Cloud, colour management, file formats and digital and print production workflows.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple projects, asset variations and delivery specifications simultaneously.
• Passion for visual craft, image quality and staying current with retouching and production techniques.

Skills

• This role requires a highly skilled visual craftsperson with the ability to transform source imagery into polished, technically accurate assets while protecting creative intent, brand consistency and image integrity.
• The ideal candidate is a meticulous problem-solver with expert Photoshop skills, a strong eye for colour and detail, and a thorough understanding of digital and print production requirements.
• Flexibility and adaptability are crucial, as the Digital & Print Retoucher will navigate multiple projects, evolving feedback, varied file formats and channel-specific delivery requirements.

Additional information

Publicis Groupe Africa is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits any forms of Discrimination or Harassment. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all our employees in line with our Employment Equity Plan.

All appointments will be based on qualifications, experience and best fit but preference will be given to candidates from designated groups. Interested candidates must please submit a concise CV including a link to your portfolio if necessary. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Should you not hear from us within 2 weeks after submitting your application, please consider your application as unsuccessful.