As a Manager, Video Growth, you are a key leader within The Athletic’s content ecosystem. You will be responsible for driving the global audience strategy on and off-platform - overseeing performance and reporting on video produced across our Video, Reporter and Shows & Series teams.
This is a management role that bridges the gap between creative production, data-driven distribution, and external partnerships. Beyond platform optimization, you will spearhead our Creator Program, identifying and managing high-level talent to produce content powered by The Athletic. You will serve as a critical link between our external creators and our world-class newsroom, ensuring that influencer-led content remains aligned with our high standards of journalistic integrity and news-gathering needs.
The ideal candidate is a seasoned leader who understands the nuance of social algorithms, the mechanics of high-end series production, and the evolving landscape of the creator economy.
Responsibilities
- People Leadership: Manage and mentor a team of growth specialists and platform leads, fostering a culture of high performance, continuous learning, and career development.
- Platform & Series Strategy: Oversee the end-to-end performance of all video content, specifically focusing on the growth of our original Shows & Series across YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram.
- Creator Program Oversight: Lead the strategy and execution of our Creator Program. This includes identifying talent, negotiating partnerships, and overseeing the production of creator-led content that leverages The Athletic’s brand.
- Newsroom Integration: Act as the primary liaison between the Video team and the Newsroom. Ensure creator content supports our news-gathering efforts and that breaking news is effectively leveraged across our social video channels.
- Data & Insights: Own the departmental data stack. Translate complex analytics into actionable strategies for the Director of Video Growth and executive leadership.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with the Senior Executive Producer of Creative Studios to support commercial RFPs, ensuring our growth and creator strategies are integrated into branded content pitches.
- Process Architecture: Design and implement sophisticated workflows that streamline content packaging, SEO optimization, and community engagement efforts across global time zones.
Requirements
- Experience: 7+ years of relevant experience in video growth, social media strategy, or digital publishing, with at least 3-5 years in a formal people management role.
- Leadership Mastery: Proven track record of managing teams and navigating complex, matrixed organizations.
- Creator Economy Expert: Deep understanding of the creator landscape, including talent management, contract nuances, and understanding what content enhances The Athletic brand
- Algorithmic Authority: Intimate knowledge of YouTube, TikTok, and Meta algorithms, with a demonstrated ability to pivot strategies based on platform shifts.
- Editorial Judgment: Strong news sense and the ability to ensure creator-led content meets the rigorous editorial standards of The Athletic.
- Technical Proficiency: While this is a leadership role, you must be fluent in the Adobe Creative Suite (Premiere and Photoshop) to provide high-level creative direction and quality control.
- Communication: Exceptional copywriting and presentation skills; ability to "speak to the numbers" to stakeholders at the executive level.
- Strategic Vision: Ability to work with high autonomy, transforming high-level business goals into tactical execution plans for your team.
We are excited to learn more about you and your experience. To keep our hiring process as fair and authentic as possible, we ask that you submit your own work and not use GenAI tools to generate substantive content during the application and interview process. If you are a candidate for a technical role, we will let you know what specific tools you are permitted to use for your technical assessment.
Skills Required
- 7+ years relevant experience in video growth, social media strategy, or digital publishing
- 3-5 years in a formal people management role
- Proven track record managing teams in complex, matrixed organizations
- Deep knowledge of the creator economy, talent management, and contract negotiation
- Intimate knowledge of YouTube, TikTok, and Meta/Instagram algorithms and platform strategy
- Strong editorial judgment and news sense to ensure creator content meets journalistic standards
- Fluent in Adobe Creative Suite, specifically Premiere and Photoshop
- Exceptional copywriting, presentation skills, and ability to present data to executives
- Ability to operate autonomously and translate strategic goals into tactical plans
What We Do
Here for every sports story that matters. -- The Athletic (http://theathletic.com) is a subscription-based media publisher of smarter sports coverage for die-hard fans. Founded in 2016, The Athletic’s all-star team of writers have produced thousands of quality stories for subscribers free of ads, pop-ups and auto-play videos. The Athletic now offers in-depth local coverage in 47 North American pro sports markets along with premium national coverage across MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL, NCAA & more. Readers can count on original, authentic storytelling written by talented local and national sports journalists like Ken Rosenthal, Pierre LeBrun, Seth Davis, Stewart Mandel, Shams Charania and many more. The company is headquartered in San Francisco, CA.
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