Director, YouTube Strategy

The Recording Academy; United States; On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

The Recording Academy is seeking a sharp, data-literate senior YouTube strategist to own and grow our YouTube presence. You will shape editorial direction, build a learning culture, and drive revenue aligned with content and audience growth.

Reporting to the Chief Global Entertainment Officer, you will partner across Grammy Studios, digital media, marketing and strategy teams to make YouTube a strategic priority—not just a distribution channel.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in related fields required.
• 5+ years of experience in YouTube growth strategy at a media/content company or creator-facing agency.
• Proven track record growing a channel to meaningful scale (500K+ subs or significant watch-time).
• Fluency in YouTube Studio analytics and third-party tools; strong grasp of the recommendation engine.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end YouTube strategy across all company-owned channels.
• Translate knowledge of YouTube algorithm into editorial direction.
• Shape video concepts, thumbnails, titles, and packaging for optimization.
• Build a performance reporting system tracking views, watch time, CTR, subscribers, revenue.
• Lead development of a channel growth playbook with A/B testing frameworks.
• Collaborate with content developers, editors, and producers to foster learning and experimentation.
• Identify revenue and growth opportunities—Shorts, sponsorships, AdSense optimization.

Skills

YouTube growth

Editorial instincts

Analytics tools

Strategic leadership

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

TubeBuddy

VidIQ

Social Blade

Job description

We're looking for a sharp, data-literate strategist to own and grow our YouTube presence. You understand the platform deeply, think in audience funnels and revenue, and know how great content and great strategy reinforce each other.

This is a senior, cross-functional role sitting at the intersection of creative, revenue, content development, and growth. Reporting to the Chief Global Entertainment Officer, you'll work closely with Grammy Studios (Production & Event Development, Artist Relations, Partnerships & Business Development, Digital Media Production) and partner across social, marketing, and strategy teams to make YouTube a strategic priority — not just a distribution channel. You'll set direction, build frameworks, coach the team, and be the internal champion for what makes YouTube different from every other platform we operate on.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

• Own end-to-end YouTube strategy — channel architecture, content cadence, format development, and audience growth targets, across all company-owned channels.
• Translate deep knowledge of YouTube's algorithm, search, and browse functionality into actionable editorial direction.
• Partner with production and creative teams to shape video concepts, thumbnails, titles, and packaging so every upload is optimized before it goes live.
• Build a performance reporting system tracking views, watch time, CTR, subscriber growth, and revenue, and deliver regular insights to leadership.
• Lead development of a channel growth playbook, including A/B testing frameworks for thumbnails, formats, and upload schedules.
• Collaborate with content developers, editors, and producers to foster a culture of experimentation and continuous learning.
• Identify and pursue revenue and growth opportunities — Shorts, sponsorships, YouTube Select, AdSense optimization, in partnership with monetization and partnerships teams.
• Track platform updates, creator trends, and competitor movements, keeping the content team informed and ready to respond.

SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

MUST HAVE

• Bachelor's degree in related fields.
• 5+ years of experience in YouTube growth strategy, in-house at a media/content company or at a creator-facing agency.
• Proven track record growing a channel to meaningful scale (500K+ subscribers or significant watch-time growth on a competitive channel).
• Fluency in YouTube Studio analytics, third-party tools (TubeBuddy, VidIQ, Social Blade), and a practical grasp of the recommendation engine.
• Strong editorial instincts — you understand what makes a video compelling, not just what the data says.
• Ability to set strategy, influence stakeholders, and make decisions with incomplete information at a senior level.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to translate complex platform dynamics into clear guidance for writers, producers, and on-screen talent.

NICE TO HAVE

• A background in journalism, broadcast, or entertainment.
• Experience managing a YouTube channel across multiple verticals or audience demographics simultaneously.
• Hands‑on experience with YouTube Shorts and a perspective on how short‑form complements or competes with long‑form strategy.
• Familiarity with YouTube Partner Program policies, Content ID, and ad-friendliness best practices.