Digital Strategy and Content Lead

WNBA Digital Content Leadership Role

WORK OPTION: The NBA currently provides eligible employees the option of working remotely one day per week.

Job Summary

This role will lead WNBA digital content end-to-end, including strategy, development, and execution across owned and operated platforms, with a particular focus on growing best-in-class content for the WNBA App and shaping the future of WNBA fandom.

This role will serve as the architect of the WNBA's digital content experience, bringing curiosity, editorial judgment, and product fluency to how storytelling comes to life across digital platforms. This role will establish processes, frameworks, best practices, and storytelling structures that support original content, content optimization, automation, scaling, and thoughtful use of AI so the team can move nimbly and effectively.

Reporting to the WNBA Head of Content, this leadership role will manage the digital content team and work closely with stakeholders across Content, Marketing, Product, Insights, Brand Creative, Partnerships, Player Ops, and Legal to develop a collaborative content strategy that supports league growth. A passion for the WNBA, an eagerness to shape the digital fan experience, and the ability to use data and insights to inform decision-making are essential.

This role will own the development of a robust digital content strategy that ladders into seasonal business and department OKRs while supporting long-term growth for the WNBA digital fan.

This is an exciting opportunity to help build the WNBA's future by bringing together digital content strategy, editorial judgment, operational excellence, and digital product innovation to deliver storytelling that meets the moment for women's basketball.

Major Responsibilities

• Own digital content strategy and architecture, utilizing current platforms to elevate storytelling across WNBA App and WNBA.com as well as connected devices
• Leading the team on content ideation and development across major league tentpoles and daily content coverage and publishing, setting standards and best practices for fan experience
• Develop a digital content ecosystem that works seamlessly together between.com, App, push and connected devices, that obsessed fan journey
• Prioritize content and fan insights to sharpen digital content strategy and decision-making as well working closely with Content Insights Lead on implementing learnings and testing
• Collaborate closely with the product team to develop a product roadmap that is informed by content strategy and goals to grow and deepen WNBA digital fandom, bring a POV on digital product landscape, innovations and trends to ensure the WNBA App is a leading fan content platform and experience
• Establish clear objectives, benchmarks and goals that help shape content priorities and plans and establish clear measures of success
• Develop, maintain and grow as needed appropriate communications, flows, frameworks that live across digital platforms and executions, ensuring a cohesive digital content plan that is both integrated with Social, Originals and Branded Content while independently serving the digital fan
• Evolve the digital fan experience, positioning the WNBA as best-in-class and leader, by collaborating and partnering closely with the Digital Product team and owning relationships and growth of external product vendors and also have a keen perspective on the digital landscapes and new opportunities

Required Education/Professional Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Communications, Digital Media, or a related field preferred.
• 10+ years of experience in digital content strategy, planning, and content design, with strong experience working alongside or within product organizations and leading content and editorial teams.
• Experience in an industry driven by real-time coverage and events required; sports and entertainment experience preferred.

Required Skills/Knowledge Attributes

• You have led a team responsible for content strategy, publishing, and programming digital products, and you can inspire continuous learning and curiosity in content presentation and consumption.
• You have excellent writing and communication skills, preferably with experience in both editorial writing and functional, brand, or UX copy, and with experience working closely with a design and/or product team.
• You're a content expert and storyteller with strong editorial judgment who can work within the fast-paced demands of sports league coverage and understand the importance of product architecture in fan engagement and experience.
• You know when to bring a high-level perspective to long-term strategy and roadmaps, but can just as easily jump into a daily publication plan and execution; you can also clearly communicate and distill those strategies into actionable plans for your team to set them up for their own growth, ownership, and success.
• You're discerning and detail-oriented, obsessing over fan journey and knowing that elements such as copy, design, content flows, design architecture, and digital product are key components to building a seamless and dynamic fan experience.
• You're an independent self-starter who knows how to ask the important questions, seek out answers, and identify the partners needed to determine solutions. You can integrate into large matrices and balance input and considerations from cross-functional stakeholders.
• You have extensive experience owning content strategy, development, and execution, with particular focus on the launch and development of O+O channels and platforms, next-stage growth, and scaling of content and product.
• You're able to seek out relevant data and insights, interpret and implement insights into content strategy and decision-making, partner with product teams to prioritize information-backed innovation and product development, and establish benchmarks and metrics as performance indicators, all within a fast-paced setting.
• You're an expert communicator who is able to present vision and strategy to leadership and stakeholders while also creating a shared goal and vision for growth and success with your team and working partners.
• You know content isn't a set schedule and have a willingness to work a flexible schedule, as this position may include working days, nights, weekends, and holidays based on the WNBA calendar.
• You have fluency across various content and project management systems as well as awareness of and experience in exploring AI in day-to-day operations.
• You have a strong knowledge of the WNBA, a passion for sports and how to reach fans across channels and platforms, and most importantly have a pulse on evolving entertainment and sports content and the content product landscape.

Salary Range: $185,000-$190,000

Job Posting Title: Senior Director

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.

The NBA does not accept unsolicited resumes from search firms or any other third parties. Any unsolicited resume sent to the NBA will be considered NBA property, and the NBA will not pay a fee should it hire the subject of any unsolicited resume.

The NBA considers applicants for all positions on the basis of merit, qualifications, and business needs, and without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, alienage or citizenship status, ancestry, marital status, genetic predisposition or carrier status, 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 WNBA: The WNBA is a bold, progressive basketball league that stands for the power of women. Featuring 15 teams, the W is a unique sports property that combines competition and entertainment with a commitment to diversity and inclusion and social responsibility. Through its world-class athletes, the in-game fan experience, TV and digital broadcasts, digital and social content and community outreach programs, the league celebrates and elevates the game of basketball and the culture around it.