Sr Manager, YouTube Operations & Optimization

The Disney Entertainment segment includes the company’s full portfolio of entertainment media and content businesses globally, including streaming.

The YouTube Operations & Optimization Team supports the Disney Entertainment Theatrical & Digital Brand Marketing Teams and the larger brand and franchise YouTube Ecosystem. This group is responsible for leading and the development of macro-level channel optimization strategies, including metadata updates, playlisting, tagging, chapters, thumbnail reconciliation, the reorganization of back-library content, and ensuring alignment with YouTube Digital Strategy and Brand teams’ priorities and guidelines. The efforts of this team will prime content for search, optimize to algorithms, and audience discoverability, retention, and engagement.

Reporting into the VP, Digital Strategy & Operations, the Sr Manager, YouTube Operations & Optimization will support The Disney Entertainment Digital Marketing YouTube Team that is focused on Brand, Studio, and Title Marketing.

The Sr Manager, YouTube Operations & Optimization should be well-versed in YouTube as a platform, its various products and tools within the larger ecosystem, have an expert understanding and history of managing CMS backend systems, and have a proven track record successfully leading efforts involving multiple CMS within a matrixed YouTube ecosystem. This leader will have a deep understanding of content uploading, playlisting, geo-targeting, and metadata and have demonstrated successes utilizing channel and content performance data to drive and pivot optimization strategies.

More importantly, this senior leader must possess expertise in the nuances of general audience versus made-for-kids content as it relates to the above. This leader will already have strong platform relationships and contacts, and understand the opportunities and limitations of the platform’s capabilities and its representatives’ technical support.

This senior leader will work closely with respective MFK and GA YouTube Creative & Programming counterparts to collaborate on scheduling workflows and mobilize plans forward or provide solution paths to roadblocks.

In addition to internal digital team stakeholders, this leader will regularly interface and lead collaborations with Legal, Anti-Piracy, CyberSecurity, YouTube Governance, and cross-line-of-business (xLOB) leaders across TWDC (where applicable) and must be able to provide recommendations backed by sound reasoning and data within their proposals.

This senior leader should be strategic, collaborative, results-driven, and detail-oriented, with an expert understanding of content distribution within a highly matrixed organization and YouTube ecosystem. Additionally, they should possess a deep understanding of digital and emerging platforms outside of YouTube and how they co-exist within a larger landscape. They should be able to lead and shepherd multiple projects at a time within a fast-paced environment while identifying ways to streamline processes to maximize efficiency across all workflows and groups. This senior leader will have a successful track record of leading direct reports, executing performance reviews, and possess the ability to influence, inspire, and mobilize team members effectively.

Responsibilities:

• Drive the larger strategy for ecosystem recommendations and collaborate with internal stakeholders to align tactics.

• Lead the team responsible for maintaining the backlog of legacy content and identifying areas of optimization for the go-forward strategy.

• Understand domestic and international requirements for content restrictions that will live on global brand channels from the Creative & Programming team and share those insights downstream for the team executing geo-targeting tactics.

• In partnership with Digital Strategy, Creative & Programming, and Brand Leads, manage the creation and maintenance of playlists across the portfolio of YouTube channels.

• Lead operational efforts in maintaining permissions, user access levels, and quarterly audits for CyberSecurity compliance.

• Support content rollouts on the platform and resolve issues/bugs, publishing errors, and escalate outstanding platform issues as applicable.

• Proactively identify larger operational and optimization platform roadblocks and provide solutions for Sr Executive leadership review.

• Serve as the lead platform expert and attend regular YouTube trainings to ensure up-to-date knowledge of product features and priorities, discerning their application to the Digital YouTube ecosystem. Regularly share best practices with stakeholders.

• Collaborate with the Studio Analytics Team to share channel and content performance data at appropriate intervals to inform business decisions.

• When applicable, collaborate with the wider Digital Marketing Team to support publishing efforts (including unlisted assets) on designated YouTube channels on behalf of Brand, Title, and Creative & Programming Teams.

Minimum Qualifications:

• 7+ years with relevant experience in digital marketing for brand and entertainment properties, preferably within a highly matrixed multi-IP/brand organization

• 5+ years specifically in YouTube Operations & Optimization

• 3+ years experience successfully managing teams and the professional development of individual contributor professionals, a plus managing people-managers

• Can successfully drive work forward and has demonstrated a proven track record in working with partners across multiple functions/disciplines

• Mastered YouTube as a platform, the backend CMS operations, capabilities, limitations, and has navigated complex-problem troubleshooting with platforms and internal stakeholders to resolve

• Experience with direct management of YouTube Channels with large followings within a complex ecosystem structure

• Strong understanding of AdSense, YouTube Policies, Block Categories, and Channel Designations

• Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office (excel, word), Google Doc

• Strong Keynote/Powerpoint/Google Slide experience and building Sr Executive facing materials with the ability to discern appropriate communication for all levels of team members

• Previous experience with other CRM tools – Salesforce, AirTable, Zendesk, JIRA

• Strong understanding of relevant social media platforms Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok. More specifically, how they differ from one another and how to leverage within the wider ecosystem alongside YouTube

• Strong analytical and quantitative skills coupled with the ability to communicate and implement operational processes effectively

• Ability to thrive in a rapidly-changing workplace, can lead with positivity through ambiguity, and is self-accountable to independently executing plans with minimal supervision once project guidelines, expectations, and goals are shared

• Superior organizational and communication skills with strong history of working with xLOB/partners across multiple teams and departments

• Ability to juggle and work on multiple projects successfully over a sustained period of time, often carrying sensitives and high visibility

• High sensibility with the ability to be open minded to feedback and always seeking out the best idea, not just their own idea

• Strong expertise in the ability to synthesize historical context, new information, data and insights into actionable strategies and tactics

Preferred Qualifications:

• AA or BA in Digital Marketing, Marketing, Business Admin or relevant degree preferred