Digital Asset Manager Job Description Example

Digital asset managers are the master organizers and guardians of your company's digital treasures. Their job? To make sure all the digital assets are not just thrown together in some pile but are carefully sorted, tagged, and stored in a way that makes them easily findable and usable.

In this article, we’re talking in detail about digital asset managers' daily tasks and responsibilities, as well as about required skills and expertise. Read on!

The Role

Digital asset managers are the go-to pros for setting up and running digital asset management systems (DAMs). These systems are essentially the backbone of any organization’s digital library. With digital asset management, every file is right where it should be and accessible to those who need it, all while keeping unauthorized users out. It’s all about creating a seamless flow of digital assets from one department to another.

In fact, a DAM is the main tool that a digital asset manager is using daily. We will discuss the role itself further. Now, we’ll briefly overview the main benefits of digital asset management system:

Centralized Storage

By consolidating all digital assets into a single repository, DAMs provide everyone in the organization has access to the same, up-to-date content.

Enhanced Searchability and Accessibility

DAMs organize assets through metadata tagging, which makes it incredibly easy to search for and access specific files within seconds. No more time wasted on manual searches.

Improved Security and Compliance

Some of the robust security features in DAMs are controlled access and permissions, 2FA, expiration dates for assets, etc. This helps in maintaining compliance with copyright laws and industry regulations.

DAM systems facilitate easy file sharing and collaboration on digital assets among team members, partners, and stakeholders (both internally and externally). This software removes bottlenecks related to asset access and distribution, which makes such processes as reviewing, editing, and approving much faster.

Asset Lifecycle Management

From creation to archiving, DAM systems manage the entire lifecycle of digital assets.

Brand Consistency and Integrity

DAM systems help maintain brand consistency across all channels and touchpoints by providing a single source of truth for brand assets. This means that all marketing or sales materials, regardless of where they are deployed, reflect the brand accurately and positively.

What Does a Digital Asset Manager Do?

Above you can see a real-life digital asset management job description for Netflix in LA. As you can imagine, Netflix must have a huge amount of various digital assets, so the job’s not an easy one. This job opening is still fresh on Indeed by the way :)

As you can see the list of key responsibilities is huge and further we will go through all the requirements for the digital asset manager job.

Why and When Hire a Digital Asset Manager

When your business reaches a point where digital assets become too numerous and disorganized to manage effectively, it’s a good time to hire a professional - a digital asset manager.

This usually coincides with a business scaling up its operations, increasing its digital marketing efforts, or undergoing digital transformation strategies.

The right time to bring a digital asset manager on board is when you notice that searching for assets takes longer than actually creating new ones, when asset reuse is low due to poor visibility, or when there's a risk of brand inconsistency due to uncontrolled asset distribution. With a digital asset manager, your team spends less time hunting for files and more time leveraging them to drive business value.

Skills

Technical:

Excellent knowledge of DAM platforms and familiarity with other related software like Jira and Slack (for internal processes), as well as DAM integrations (content management systems, project management tools, marketing and sales tools, etc.)
Metadata Management - understanding how to tag and categorize assets
Digital Media Formats - knowledge of various digital media formats helps in managing a wide range of assets.
Data Analysis and Reporting Tools: Competence in using data analytics tools to track asset usage and performance metrics.
Technical Troubleshooting: Ability to identify and resolve issues within the DAM system or related integrations.

Analytical:

Asset Performance Analysis - evaluating the effectiveness of different assets and making recommendations for optimization.
Workflow Optimization - analyzing current asset management processes to identify bottlenecks and improve efficiency within the team.
Market Trends Analysis - keeping abreast of the latest trends in digital asset management technologies and practices to ensure the organization stays competitive.

Personal:

Attention to Detail - accuracy in asset tagging, categorization, and archiving.
Communication - training team members, communicating with teammates from different departments daily (especially not-so-tech-savvy ones)
Problem-Solving - being able to quickly find solutions
Time Management and Self-Organization - prioritizing tasks in a fast-paced environment to meet deadlines and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
Adaptability - the digital landscape is constantly evolving, so digital asset managers need to learn and adapt to new tools and processes quickly.

Responsibilities

The main responsibilities of a digital asset manager can indeed vary significantly depending on the company's size, industry, and specific needs. However, there are several core duties that tend to be consistent across most roles:

Develop and Implement Digital Asset Management Strategies - establishing procedures and guidelines for asset creation, storage, retrieval, and archiving to optimize the digital asset lifecycle.
Manage DAM System Operations - overseeing the daily operation of the DAM system, including system selection, implementation, maintenance, and upgrades.
Cataloging and Metadata Management - assigning accurate metadata and tags to digital assets.
Asset Distribution and Sharing - facilitating the sharing of digital assets across departments and with external partners.
User Rights Management - monitoring and managing the rights and permissions associated with digital assets for team members.
Training and Support - providing training and ongoing support to DAM system users, so that they can effectively utilize all system's features.
Quality Control - ensuring the integrity and quality of digital assets, including reviewing, editing, and approving content before it is added to the DAM system. This also includes managing restricted assets, expiration dates, etc.
Implementing and Managing Archival Workflows
Reporting and Analytics - monitoring asset usage and performance, providing insights into how assets contribute to the company's goals, and identifying opportunities for improvement.
Collaboration and Communication - working closely with various departments (marketing, sales, IT, etc.) to understand their digital asset needs and ensure that DAM meets these requirements.

Final Thoughts

The importance of digital asset managers in managing all company's digital assets cannot be overstated. Ranging from implementing and overseeing DAMs to developing and implementing accurate cataloging and easy retrieval of assets—these professionals support organizational efficiency in multiple ways. Among the core skills required for the role are technical proficiency, analytical ability, and personal attributes like attention to detail and communication. As businesses continue to prioritize digital strategies, the demand for skilled digital asset managers will only grow in the near future.