Social Media Manager, Pickleball TV

This is a Full Time Job

Pickleball TV is looking for a Social Media Manager to own its Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube channels, with YouTube a key priority across both long-form and Shorts. This is a hands-on role: you'll set the strategy for each platform, concept and create the content, run day-to-day publishing, and lead a production coordinator supports video edits. You'll also travel to select pickleball events to capture content on site and build relationships across the pickleball community.

This role is onsite and located in Santa Monica, CA.

In this role, you will…

Develop Strategy
• Build and own a distinct strategy for each channel - audience, content pillars, formats, cadence, and growth tactics.
• Set quarterly plans for each platform and plan for events, programming moments, campaigns, and sponsor deliverables.
• Identify growth opportunities, such as new series, formats, and creator collaborations, and bring recommendations to the Head of Social.
• Track performance, report weekly and monthly to the Head of Social, and adjust based on what's working.

Create & Publish Content
• Concept and create social-first content and series: player features, highlights, skills content, trends, and behind-the-scenes.
• Shoot, write, and edit short-form video; turn Pickleball TV programming into platform-native clips.
• Own the content calendar across all three channels and publish daily, including captions, sound, hashtags, and platform-native styling.
• Run live publishing during key events and QA every post for accuracy and brand voice.

Manage & Grow YouTube
• Own Pickleball TV's YouTube strategy across long-form and Shorts, growing subscribers, views, and watch time.
• Concept and produce long-form YouTube content, such as event recaps, player profiles, instructional series, and behind-the-scenes features.
• Repurpose Pickleball TV programming and match footage into long-form videos built for YouTube audiences.
• Own packaging and optimization: titles, thumbnails, descriptions, chapters, playlists, and upload cadence.
• Use YouTube analytics (retention, click-through rate, traffic sources) to shape what gets made next.

Cover Events, Engage the Community & Stay Ahead of Trends
• Travel to select events to plan and capture on-site content and publish from the ground.
• Manage community engagement across all channels, including responding to comments and DMs and joining trending pickleball conversations.
• Run UGC sourcing, including securing rights and credit.
• Build relationships with players, creators, and event partners.
• Stay ahead of trends and platform changes on TikTok, Reels, and Shorts, and move quickly on the right ones.

Lead the Team
• Manage and develop the production coordinator; brief and review video edits for short- and long-form content.
• Set up workflows so editing and publishing keep moving while you're traveling.
• Partner with the wider social, video, programming, marketing, and sales teams.

Key Qualifications:
• 3-5 years in social media, ideally in sports, live events, or entertainment, with a track record of growing channels
• A portfolio of content you've concepted and created for Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube
• Strong shooting and editing skills (phone-first; CapCut, Premiere, or similar)
• Experience growing a YouTube channel, including long-form content, packaging, and YouTube analytics
• Experience managing or directing others, such as a coordinator, freelancers, or interns
• Fluency with trend cycles and platform best practices
• Strong writing and analytical skills
• Comfort under live-event pressure and willingness to travel, including weekends
• Knowledge of pickleball a strong plus