YouTube Channel and Programming Lead

This is a deeply creative and analytical leadership role for a true YouTube native who understands the platform's culture and knows how to create NBA content that engages at scale. The role owns content strategy across every format in the YouTube ecosystem — longform, Shorts, live, podcasts and emerging formats — and acts as the organisation's leading voice on YouTube trends, mining platform signals and performance data to drive programming decisions, inspire new content ideas and identify the next generation of creators. The postholder is supported by Content Publishing and Production teams and works cross-functionally with Content, Media Partnerships, Finance, Legal and YouTube directly.

• Own and execute a platform-native content strategy across longform, Shorts, live, podcasts and emerging formats, applying expert command of how format, length, packaging and upload cadence interact to drive algorithmic performance and retention across all viewer device types and segments.
• Lead new content franchise development by identifying emerging formats, piloting new franchises and scaling what works to grow watch time, revenue and sustained audience engagement across the channel portfolio.
• Serve as the internal expert on YouTube content — including thumbnail strategy, title and metadata optimisation, hook construction and retention engineering — and drive a disciplined A/B testing culture to continuously optimise click-through rates.
• Develop and own the YouTube SEO strategy, optimising content for search intent across titles, descriptions, tags and metadata, and optimise end screens and in-video cards to maximise session time across the portfolio.
• Own a Shorts-to-longform content strategy that uses short-form content to acquire new audiences and funnel them into deeper, longform programming.
• Own and optimise YouTube programming for Connected TV consumption, demonstrating a deep understanding of how the platform and viewer behaviours are evolving across devices.
• Stay ahead of YouTube's evolving content landscape — algorithm updates, new formats, creator trends and cultural moments — and translate those signals into programming decisions
• Including translating broader NBA content priorities and initiatives into YouTube-native executions that serve promotional goals while maximising on-platform engagement.
• Continuously analyse performance across NBA-owned channels, UGC and the broader creator ecosystem to surface audience insights, and make rapid, data-informed editorial decisions by doubling down on what works and cutting underperformers.
• Build reporting frameworks that give leadership, publishers and editors a clear view of channel health, audience growth, content insights and A/B testing results, translating complex platform data into clear narratives.
• Build, manage and evolve NBA Playmakers and related creator programmes on YouTube, optimising frameworks, content licensing terms and partnership models that scale without compromising NBA brand standards.
• Track UGC and creator-generated NBA content at scale to understand which topics, players, moments and formats drive organic viewership, and use those signals to identify and recruit emerging creators for NBA programmes by evaluating channel metrics, audience composition
• Content quality and engagement potential.
• Stay current on platform developments — new creator tools, monetisation products and policy changes — and quickly translate them into actionable strategy.

• 10+ years of experience with deep, demonstrated expertise in YouTube as a platform, including its content ecosystem, creator culture, algorithm mechanics, Content ID and YouTube Studio.
• A proven track record of building and growing YouTube content that performs at scale, ideally within a major media, entertainment, sports or creator-driven channel.
• A creator's intuition: a genuine feel for what makes content work on YouTube and the ability to develop and greenlight ideas that connect with audiences.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interrogate platform data, identify trends and translate insights into content and creator strategy.
• Outstanding communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to present platform strategy and performance data to senior leadership.
• Deep familiarity with YouTube analytics tools (e.g. YouTube Analytics, Tubular Labs) to track trends and benchmark performance.
• A genuine passion for basketball and an understanding of the NBA's global brand and fanbase.
• Bachelor's degree required.

• Experience structuring and managing creator partnerships, licensing agreements or revenue-share programmes.
• An established network within the YouTube/Google ecosystem and the broader digital creator community.

• Eligible employees currently have the option of working remotely one day per week.

• Annual discretionary performance bonus, awarded at the sole discretion of the Company and subject to any terms and conditions set by the Company.
• Medical, dental and vision insurance.
• Life/AD&D insurance.
• Short- and long-term disability.
• Fertility and family-forming assistance.
• Wellbeing allowance.
• Educational assistance.
• Mental health coaching/therapy.
• Tax-advantaged accounts such as HSA and healthcare/dependent care FSAs.
• 401(k) retirement plan.
• Time off benefits including vacation, sick time and personal days.