Director, Audience Strategy

Director Of Audience Strategy

The Director of Audience Strategy is Playboy's chief architect of video, social, and digital distribution — the creative and operational leader responsible for how the brand shows up, grows, and connects with its audience across platforms. Reporting to the Chief Brand Officer & Editor-in-Chief, this role owns Playboy's social strategy and production, multi-platform content distribution, podcast strategy, and the brand's approach to organic creator partnerships.

This is a senior role for a battle-tested digital media operator with deep roots in social video and platform strategy at a major brand or media entity known for cultural relevance and virality, and has a proven track record of utilizing social video as the engine of audience growth. The ideal candidate has run a soup-to-nuts video operation, knows how to develop distinct strategies for each platform without losing brand coherence, and understands the Playboy audience, predominantly men 25-45.

The Director of Audience Strategy will lead the in-house social team and manage a contract video production operation, integrating fully into the editorial workflows for both Playboy.com and the print magazine.

Core Responsibilities

• Video Strategy & Production
• Own Playboy's social video strategy end-to-end: from concept development and pre production through platform-specific delivery and performance analysis.
• Lead the brand's social video operation across TikTok, Reels, YouTube Shorts, and Facebook — building and managing a contract/freelance video team to support high-volume, high-quality output.
• Develop and execute a YouTube strategy that balances longer-form original programming with short-form social-first content, growing subscribers and watch time against defined benchmarks.
• At a high-level, be responsible for final decisions on video production, including pre production planning, talent coordination, on-set direction, post-production, and final delivery, in collaboration with the Art Director and editorial team.
• Work directly with talent on set, ensuring video content captures the performances, moments, and assets needed for multi-platform distribution.
• Manage and grow the freelance and contract video production network, building a reliable, scalable creative bench.
• Social Strategy & Platform Management
• Define and lead Playboy's platform strategy across its full social ecosystem — Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, Reddit, Substack, and future platforms — with distinct, algorithm-informed approaches for each channel.
• Supervise the in-house social media team, setting strategic direction, content priorities, and performance expectations across all owned channels.
• Develop content strategies that maximize engagement and reach on each platform, understanding that the brand experience should be native and platform-appropriate even when the look and feel varies.
• Stay ahead of platform algorithm updates, emerging trends, new formats, and tools relevant to the Playboy audience — and move quickly to incorporate them.
• Identify and evaluate new platforms — including streaming and gaming — and build the case for expansion when audience opportunity warrants it.
• Influencer & Creator Partnerships
• Pitch and develop organic brand partnership concepts with notable creators and cultural figures who are resonating in the ecosystem — building collaborations that feel like culture, not commerce.
• In partnership with Playboy's Casting Lead, cultivate a running pipeline of creator relationships and platform-native talent that Playboy can activate quickly around editorial moments, tentpoles, and cultural opportunities.
• Branded Content & Partnerships
• Develop branded content strategies and executions that feel native, organic, and culturally credible — protecting the editorial voice while delivering results for commercial partners.
• Partner with the commercial and marketing teams to develop and pitch branded content ideas, bringing audience insights and content expertise to partnership conversations.
• Ensure all branded content meets Playboy's editorial standards and has the potential to drive earned media attention beyond the paid placement.
• Podcast Strategy & Distribution
• In partnership with the EIC, own Playboy's podcast production — inputting on concept development, but leading production oversight and optimization for social channels.
• Identify opportunities to repurpose podcast content as short-form video, clips, and social native formats to maximize reach.
• Editorial Integration & Concept Development
• Integrate fully into Playboy's editorial workflows — from print magazine to Playboy.com — ensuring video and social strategy reflects, amplifies, and extends editorial priorities.
• Pitch original video concepts, social franchises, and tentpole programming to the CBO/EIC, bringing a proactive creative voice to the editorial calendar.
• Collaborate with the Deputy Editor on content alignment, timing, and social amplification strategy for digital editorial.
• Partner with the Casting Director and Art Director on video and social execution for key talent, cover, and shoot programming.
• Team Leadership & Budget Management
• Lead, develop, and inspire the in-house social media team, building a culture of creative ambition, platform fluency, and data-driven accountability.
• Manage and direct the contract video team — setting briefs, managing timelines, reviewing work, and maintaining creative standards across all freelance output.
• Oversee the video and social budget in partnership with the operations team, ensuring resources are allocated to maximize impact and ROI.
• Build scalable workflows, production systems, and content processes that grow with the brand and its platform footprint.
• Key Performance Indicators
• Social Reach: Follower and audience growth across all primary platforms (Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook).
• Video Performance: Views, watch time, completion rates, and subscriber growth across YouTube and short-form social video.
• Engagement: Likes, comments, shares, saves, and engagement rates across all owned channels.
• Platform Growth: Measurable expansion of Playboy's presence on Reddit, Substack, and new platform initiatives.
• Operational Excellence: On-time delivery of video and social content against production schedules and editorial calendar.

What You'll Bring

• Demonstrated expertise leading social video strategy and production at a major media brand, entertainment platform, or sports media company known for virality and cultural resonance.
• Deep, hands-on knowledge of TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook — including algorithm mechanics, content formats, and platform-specific best practices for organic growth.
• Proven track record of measurable audience growth and engagement across multi-platform social ecosystems.
• Experience running a full-cycle social video operation, from concept and pre-production through editing, delivery, and performance analysis.
• Ability to develop distinct, platform-native strategies for different channels without losing brand coherence or voice.
• Strong instincts for the 25–45 male audience — what they watch, share, follow, and engage with — and an ability to translate those instincts into content that moves.
• Experience in influencer marketing, creator partnerships, and organic brand collaboration — with a nose for what feels authentic vs. transactional.
• Branded content experience: able to make commercial content look, feel, and perform like editorial.
• Comfort and confidence working on set with talent, managing shoots with a social and video lens.
• Strong people manager — able to lead in-house teams and manage freelance/contract creative networks simultaneously.
• Excellent pitching skills; able to develop and sell original ideas, concepts, and tent-pole programming to senior leadership.
• Budget management experience; comfortable working with an operations team on production financials and resource allocation.
• Podcast strategy and distribution experience a plus.

Education & Experience:

• 8+ years of experience in social media strategy, digital video production, or audience development, with at least 3 years in a director-level or equivalent senior leadership role.
• Demonstrated experience at a media company, major consumer brand, or creator-driven platform with a proven track record of social virality and audience growth.
• Strong portfolio or reel of social video work spanning multiple platforms and production contexts.
• Experience managing both in-house teams and contract/freelance video production operations.
• Bachelor's degree in Communications, Journalism, Film, Marketing, or a related field — or equivalent professional experience.

What We Offer

• Competitive Medical/Dental/Vision insurance plans with FSA/HSA and Dependent Care FSA options
• Generous Family and Parental Leave Policy
• Pet Insurance for those who need it too!