YouTube Channel and Programming Lead

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Position Summary:
This role is for a true YouTube native — someone who lives and breathes the platform, understands its culture, and knows intuitively how to create NBA content that engages at scale. The YouTube Channel Strategy & Programming Lead will own our content strategy across every format in the YouTube ecosystem: longform, Shorts, live, podcasts, and more. The right candidate knows what makes a video perform, how to build franchises that grow audiences over time, and how to adapt a global brand like the NBA for the way viewers watch on YouTube. This is a deeply creative and analytical role: this person will be the NBA’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 to bring into NBA programs.
This leader will be supported by Content Publishing and Production teams and work cross-functionally with Content, Media Partnerships, Finance, Legal, and YouTube directly.

Major Responsibilities:
Content Strategy & Development

• Own and execute a platform-native content strategy across every format in the YouTube ecosystem — longform, Shorts, live, podcasts, and emerging formats — with expert-level 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: identify emerging formats, pilot new franchises, and scale what works to grow watch time, revenue, and sustained audience engagement across the NBA’s channel portfolio
• Serve as the NBA’s internal expert on YouTube content — including thumbnail strategy, title and metadata optimization, hook construction, and retention engineering — and drive a disciplined A/B testing culture to continuously optimize click-through rates
• Develop and own the NBA’s YouTube SEO strategy, optimizing content for search intent across titles, descriptions, tags, and metadata
• Own a Shorts-to-longform content strategy that uses short-form content to acquire new audiences and funnel them into deeper, longform programming
• Optimize end screens and in-video cards to maximize session time across the NBA’s portfolio
• Optimize and own the NBA’s YouTube programming for Connected TV consumption, demonstrating a deep understanding of how the platform and viewer behaviors are evolving across devices
• Stay ahead of YouTube’s evolving content landscape — algorithm updates, new formats, creator trends, cultural moments — and translate those signals into programming decisions
• Translate broader NBA content priorities, programming and initiatives into YouTube-native content executions that serve promotional goals while maximizing on-platform engagement

Content Optimization & Performance

• Continuously analyze performance across NBA-owned channels, UGC, and the broader creator ecosystem to surface audience insights and identify what’s resonating and why 
• Make rapid, data-informed editorial decisions: doubling down on what works, cutting underperformers, and constantly refining the content mix
• Build reporting frameworks that give leadership, publishers and editors a clear view of channel health, audience growth, content insights, A/B testing results, and more, translating complex platform data into clear narratives

Creator & UGC Ecosystem Development

• Build, manage, and evolve NBA Playmakers and related creator programs on YouTube — optimizing frameworks, content licensing terms, and partnership models that scale without compromising NBA brand standards
• Track UGC and creator-generated NBA content at scale: understanding which topics, players, moments, and formats are driving organic viewership and using those signals to inform the NBA’s own content strategy
• Use data and ecosystem analysis to actively identify and recruit emerging creators for NBA programs, evaluating channel metrics, audience composition, content quality, and engagement potential
• Stay current on platform developments — new creator tools, monetization products, policy changes — and quickly translate them into actionable strategy

Required Qualifications:

• 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
• Experience structuring and managing creator partnerships, licensing agreements, or revenue-share programs is preferred
• Outstanding communication and collaboration skills; comfortable presenting platform strategy and performance data to senior leadership
• Established network within the YouTube/Google ecosystem and the broader digital creator community is preferred
• 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

Education:
Bachelor’s degree required

Salary Range:

$145,000 - $180,000

Job Posting Title:

Employees currently are eligible to receive an annual discretionary performance bonus, awarded at the sole discretion of the Company and subject to any terms and conditions set by the Company. Employees and/or eligible dependents may be eligible to participate in the following Company-sponsored employee benefit programs: medical; dental; vision; 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; a 401(k) retirement plan; and time off benefits that include vacation, sick time, and personal days.

We Consider Applicants For All Positions On The Basis Of Merit, Qualifications And Business Needs, And Without Regard To Race, Color, National Origin, Religion, Sex, Gender Identity, Age, Disability, Alienage Or Citizenship Status, Ancestry, Marital Status, Creed, Genetic Predisposition Or Carrier Status, Sexual Orientation, Veteran Status, Familial Status, Status As A Victim Of Domestic Violence Or Any Other Status Or Characteristic Protected By Applicable Federal, State, Or Local Law.

The NBA is committed to providing a safe and healthy workplace. To safeguard our employees and their families, our visitors, and the broader community from COVID-19, and in consideration of recommendations from health authorities and the NBA’s own advisors, any individual working onsite in our New York and New Jersey offices must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The NBA will discuss accommodations for individuals who cannot be vaccinated due to a medical reason or sincerely held religious belief, practice, or observance.

About the NBA

The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a global sports and media organization with the mission to inspire and connect people everywhere through the power of basketball. Built around five professional sports leagues: the NBA, WNBA, NBA G League, NBA 2K League and Basketball Africa League, the NBA has established a major international presence with games and programming available in 214 countries and territories in 60 languages, and merchandise for sale in more than 200 countries and territories on all seven continents. NBA rosters at the start of the 2024-25 season featured a record-tying 125 international players from a record-tying 43 countries. NBA Digital’s assets include NBA TV, NBA.com, the NBA App and NBA League Pass. The NBA has created one of the largest social media communities in the world, with more than 2.3 billion likes and followers globally across all leagues, team and player platforms. NBA Cares, the NBA’s global social responsibility platform, partners with renowned community-based organizations around the world to address important social issues in the areas of education, inclusion, youth and family development, and health and wellness.