Creative Director – Hearst Canvas (Backed by Hearst Networks)
Location: London
About Us
We’re building something new. A stand-alone, fast-moving original video venture backed by Hearst Networks. Our mission? To create short and long-form video content for a global audience that cuts through the noise, grows audiences fast, and unlocks new commercial opportunities across YouTube and social media.
We’re looking for someone ambitious and entrepreneurial to lead the charge – someone who’s as comfortable pitching a sponsorship deal as they are commissioning great creators and developing killer formats. You’ll hire and manage the team, bringing in the right talent to deliver high-impact results.
This is a rare chance to shape and lead a business from day one, with Hearst’s support and budget behind you, with the freedom to make bold moves and grow quickly.
The Role
As Creative Director reporting in to the Chief Creative Officer of Hearst Networks EMEA, you’ll be running the business end-to-end. You’ll be accountable for the P&L, lead the creative and commercial strategy, and make sure we hit our clear KPIs: which will include timings, volumes, costs and revenue milestones. You’ll have the autonomy to move fast, take risks, and test new ideas – while still having the backing of a global media powerhouse when you need it.
What You’ll Do
- Own the growth and success of the business (creative, commercial, operational).
- Develop and deliver standout content strategy for video: working with the selected YouTube vertical theme, developing formats and doing talent deals to deliver that
- Work with third-party creators, external production teams and partners to deliver well-made, must-watch content on digital budgets.
- Oversee the publishing, engagement and community strategy of multiple video versions and comms across all social media.
- Build and monetise audiences across all platforms.
- Drive sponsorship, brand partnerships, and other revenue streams.
- Tightly manage the content budget as well as shooting for the revenue targets.
- Lead with ambition, building a small but mighty team and culture.
What You’ll Bring
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- Extensive experience of digital video storytelling.
- A history of leading successful teams.
- A track record of driving sustained audience growth, particularly on YouTube.
- Relationships with creators and an understanding of the creator landscape.
- A commercial mindset – you know how to monetise and sweat IP inside and outside of the medium of video.
- Proven ability to close sponsorship and/or brand partnership deals.
- A love of moving fast, iterating, and learning on the go.
- Leadership skills and a sense of fun that inspire teams and partners alike.
- Drive, ambition, and resilience – you thrive on building things from scratch.
