About the Role:
The Strategy Lead (Youtube) will help to drive SPH Media's growth on YouTube through data-driven programming, audience development, channel optimisation and platform-native content strategies. This role owns the end-to-end distribution strategy - from thumbnails, tiling and metadata to upload cadence, watch time optimisation, and cross-channel audience funnels. The Lead partners closely with newsrooms, Creative Strategists, producers and analytics teams to ensure our content performs, reaches the right audiences, and strengthens SPH Media's editorial impact on the platform.
Key Responsibilities
- Define YouTube growth strategy for SPH Media brands, and verticals, aligned with editorial goals and audience segments.
- Build clear playbooks for content types (explainers, interviews, features, shorts, live streams) and distribution workflows.
- Translate audience insights, platform trends and algorithm signals into actionable recommendations for editorial and production teams.
- Analyse retention curves, click-through rates, completion rates and viewer behaviour to shape future content and packaging decisions.
- Content partner to newsrooms - work closely with editorial to advise on concept packaging, headline framing, format refinements and thumbnail direction. Provide rapid feedback on scripts, edits and cuts from a YouTube performance perspective.
- Partner with the Data team to deepen understanding of audience cohorts, search behaviour and niche vertical growth.
- Identify breakout formats, recurring strengths and underperforming segments to guide content roadmaps.
- Drive subscriber growth, watchtime improvements and audience retention across all SPH Media YouTube channels.
- Develop and maintain SOPs, optimisation checklists and packaging guidelines for all brands.
- Ensure all upload adhere to brand safety, editorial integrity and platform policies.
Requirements
- 8+ years in YouTube strategy, digital audience development, platform distribution or video analytics.
- Proven track record growing YouTube channels at scale (news, factual, entertainment or creator ecosystem).
- Strong understanding of YouTube SEO, packaging, metadata optimisation, analytics and platform specific storytelling.
- Ability to translate data into clear, creative and editorial recommendations.
- Comfortable working with multiple stakeholders and balancing speed, editorial standards and performance goals.
- Strong communication and training skills
*This role is a 2 year contract.
