Producer, YouTube

Warner Bros. Discovery•New York, NY

About The Position

CNN is building a next-generation YouTube ecosystem that will leverage original, platform-native franchises at its core. We’re hiring a Senior Producer, YouTube, to help build and produce original series and formats that drive audience growth, watch time, and revenue. This role works in lockstep with the Channel Manager, YouTube, and editorial teams and is key to developing a new slate of mid- to long-form storytelling. The ideal candidate is a YouTube-fluent creative with strong editorial instincts and the ability to consistently think outside the box to champion what the next era of CNN on YouTube will look like. The idea candidate consumes YouTube daily and understands its platform-specific mechanics, psychology, incentives, and culture.

Requirements

5–7+ years producing digital video, with substantial YouTube-first experience.
Ability to pitch, script, shoot, and edit mid-/long-form stories that thoroughly engage audiences.
Sharp understanding of YouTube-specific pacing, visual logic, intros, tension arcs, and retention mechanics.
Fluency in YouTube analytics, A/B testing, packaging optimization and performance interpretation.
Deep familiarity with successful YouTube formats and niches beyond hard news, and an understanding of why they work.
Strong editorial judgment and capacity to translate complex reporting into engaging, universally appealing frameworks.
Proficiency in video editing software (motion graphics a plus).
Track record of building or contributing to successful YouTube series or franchises.
Experience collaborating with journalists, strategists and multi-disciplinary editorial teams.
Ability to articulate and defend creative decisions with both YouTube-native logic and editorial rigor.
Comfortable in fast-moving environments with shifting priorities and tight turnarounds.
Self-directed, detail-oriented, and energized by building something truly new.

Nice To Haves

You’ve consumed YouTube on a daily basis for years, especially off-hours.
You can explain, on first watch, why a video succeeds or fails structurally, emotionally, and editorially.
You’ve developed a strong portfolio of original YouTube series.
You can toggle between YouTube instincts and newsroom rigor while maintaining creative clarity.
You deeply understand YouTube at the consumer and viewer experience level.
You favor impact, simplicity, and modern video mechanics over legacy conventions.
You bring a storytelling background that extends beyond traditional news or J-school lanes.

Responsibilities

Pitch, produce, and edit mid- and long-form YouTube videos (8-15+ minutes) aligned with CNN’s editorial mission and platform behavior.
Pilot, incubate and refine low-to-medium lift, high ROI formats that can scale into long-term franchises.
Collaborate with the Channel Manager on creative direction and planning.
Partner with the Channel Manager on titles, thumbnails, hooks, intros, and packaging systems that maximize CTR, retention, and watch time.
Diagnose why a video over- or under-performed and propose actionable creative fixes.
Track platform trends, competitor formats, and emerging features.
Work with producers, reporters, hosts, editors, and show teams to surface high-impact stories suitable for YouTube.
Guide newsroom partners on adapting stories into YouTube-first executions.
Mentor and elevate other producers.
Test new creative approaches and iterate quickly based on data and audience feedback.
Help define best practices and workflows.
Push CNN’s platform-native evolution through strong taste, clear reasoning, and a deep intuition for what works on YouTube.