YouTube Strategist

Our client is looking for a world-class YouTube Strategist to join their team onsite in San Jose. In this role, you will own our YouTube presence end-to-end – driving everything from high-level channel strategy, packaging, and ideation to hands-on production oversight and performance analytics. Media is their core growth engine, and they are building a generational brand by delivering high-impact, business-driving content. We aren't looking for a passive manager or someone who focuses on vanity metrics; our client need a proactive leader obsessed with YouTube, audience psychology, and real business outcomes (leads, conversions, retention, and brand scale). If you are a multifaceted strategist with the receipts to prove your success in B2B, educational, or expert niches, this is your opportunity to lead, build a team, and shape the future of a media ecosystem. What You’ll Own & Do Define, execute, and scale our YouTube channel strategy, formats, and brand identity to drive subscriber growth, high median views, and direct business results. Lead video ideation and strategy – deciding what videos get made, why they get made, and how they are packaged (titles, thumbnails, and hooks) to maximize CTR and audience retention. Manage end-to-end production pipelines. Collaborate with creative teams to take concepts from handoff through shoot day, post-production, final approval, and upload. Build, manage, and direct a dedicated team of junior strategists, researchers, thumbnail designers, video editors, and production talent as we scale. Continuously analyze performance metrics (retention curves, view velocity, subscriber conversion, lead generation). Lead A/B testing back-catalogue packaging and adapt strategy based on data-driven patterns. Manage the YouTube upload calendar, direct research workflows, and coordinate with internal marketing teams and external stakeholders to ensure seamless deliverables with zero dropped balls. What We’re Looking For 3–5+ years of experience in YouTube channel strategy, development, or digital content production. You can point directly to successful channels and say, "I did that." Demonstrated success growing channels in educational, B2B, or expert niches – understanding what makes a sophisticated audience click, watch, and convert. Obsessed with the platform. You possess an expert-level understanding of packaging (titles/thumbnails), retention editing, algorithm shifts, competitive analysis, and content structuring. You rely on analytics and research over gut feel, focusing on real impact (leads, conversion, median views, retention) rather than surface-level metrics. Strong creative judgment combined with high operational control – comfortable building shot lists, managing production timelines, overseeing editing/post-production workflows, and making fast decisions on the ground. Highly proactive and self-directed. You don't wait for instructions – you figure it out, lead teams, give direct actionable feedback, and own the outcome. Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. We are unable to sponsor applicants at this time. We do not accept unsolicited C2C resumes. #J-18808-Ljbffr Gilder Search Group