Arena Careers

At Crooked, we believe the answer to a rising authoritarian movement is a democratic movement powerful enough to fight it and (fingers crossed) defeat it. That means using all the tools at our disposal as a media company to help build a massive, diverse coalition united behind a core set of democratic values: freedom, equality, compassion, and the rule of law.

Job Summary:

Crooked is hiring for a Director of Network Operations & Strategy in the Programming department reporting to the VP of Production. This role will play a key role in ensuring that our content is delivered seamlessly to our listeners and viewers across all platforms, managing workflows across various teams, and optimizing the programming schedules to maximize audience engagement and ad revenue. This role works highly cross-functionally across programming, production, and ad operations teams, and will also serve as key contact/integrator with revenue, finance, and audience development teams.

This role is based in Los Angeles and follows a hybrid schedule based on the job's needs. We are ideally looking for Los Angeles-based candidates, or candidates willing to relocate within the first 3 months of accepting an offer.

How You’ll Spend Your Time:

Network Trafficking & Content Distribution

• Oversee relationships with platform partners for both external troubleshooting and internal user management and onboarding purposes.
• Manage network content distribution calendar, working closely with both programming and ad operations to set a full-year plan that aligns with our monetization strategy.
• Oversee agreements with partners, ensuring compliance and tracking with terms.
• Ensure all content adheres to legal, advertising, and regulatory compliance standards, maintaining Crooked Media's integrity and brand identity.

FAST Channel and Video Distribution Operations

• Project manage the launch and ongoing operations of Crooked Media’s FAST channel, collaborating with key stakeholders to ensure timely and successful execution.
• Oversee the operational flow, including content and metadata management, and the uploading of content to distribution platforms.
• Develop and manage the programming schedule, optimizing content delivery based on audience insights, time slots, and seasonal strategies.
• Troubleshoot and resolve any operational issues to maintain a smooth, error-free broadcast and video distribution.
• Seek opportunities to expand the network’s content offerings by integrating new content from partners to engage broader audiences. Onboard partners and integrate partner content into the Crooked Media workflow.
• Liaise with the legal team on contracts, assist with due diligence on new content agreements, and vet new platform integrations to ensure compliance and alignment with company goals.

Performance Monitoring and Collaboration

• In partnership with the Audience Development team, identify and monitor key performance metrics (KPIs), including viewership, listener engagement, and ad sales, to continuously optimize the channel's performance.
• Work closely with Crooked Media’s marketing team to implement strategies for growing our audience across platforms and increasing viewer engagement.

This job description provides a summary of how you’ll spend your time, but is nowhere near exhaustive, so other duties may be assigned over time.

Leadership Standards:

The following characteristics are required of those in leadership positions (Director and above) at Crooked Media. Each leadership characteristic is part of the annual evaluation process and all are critical to effective leadership to advance our organization:

• A strong sense of ownership and excitement related to our mission
• A self-starter and leader who will guide the way of our programming initiatives
• A strong collaborator, who is eager to create a positive environment to work well with others and bring multiple stakeholders together to accomplish amazing things
• A strategic thinker and doer who maintains a strong balance between creative vision and project management skills, which many times will require one to actively roll up their sleeves to bring great ideas to life
• A facilitator of constructive conversations who values diverse perspectives and promotes critical thinking to ensure compelling ideas are shared and valued.

What You’ll Bring To The Table:

• 6+ years of experience in trafficking and scheduling and/or network operations within the media or entertainment industry.
• 3+ years of experience managing multiple direct reports, ensuring their growth is nurtured and standards of excellence are maintained.
• 3+ years of experience managing digital channel operations, including content scheduling and platform management.
• Knowledge of FAST channels, OTT platforms, YouTube, RSS (Simplecast, Megaphone, etc), broadcast automation systems, and platform integrations.
• Experience working with legal teams on contract negotiations including due diligence, red-lining, budgets, and approvals.
• Ability to track revenue, manage revenue share agreements, and report on ad sales and sponsorships.
• Strong market research and analysis skills to identify trends and optimize content and revenue strategies.
• Organized and detail-oriented, able to manage multiple projects efficiently.
• Strong communicator and collaborator with internal teams and external partners.
• Proficiency in Excel and Google Sheets, Google Slides, and other deck-building tools

Pay and Perks:

At Crooked, we believe in paying employees competitive market salaries. And we also believe in providing holistic and rich benefits to all full time staff, including:

• Paid healthcare, with most individual plans paid fully by the company
• 401k match
• Generous vacation and paid leave including, sick, bereavement, pregnancy loss, and disability leaves
• 20 weeks of paid parental leave
• Commuter reimbursement or paid parking
• A monthly communications stipend
• Professional development opportunities
• And did we also mention our offices are closed at the end of the year?

Once we’re ready to extend an offer, we look at the individual’s years of relevant experience and other compensable factors to determine a competitive offer. And for this role, the salary for this role ranges from $125,000-$135,000.