Freelance Thumbnail Jobs (NOW HIRING)

THE ROLE
We're hiring a Producer to help grow the Big T - Tennis Channel's tennis sport and culture focused podcast. This is the role that turns the creative vision into a thriving, multi-platform show with pivotal contribution from ideation through execution, post, distribution, and measurement. This person will play a pivotal role in supporting all aspects of content development, editing, publishing and promotion-with a mandate to make a measurable impact on how Big T shows up across podcast platforms, YouTube, social, and Tennis Channel's broader ecosystem. Preferred candidates bring experience in sports media, radio, or television production, along with strong connections within the tennis community and familiarity with modern content creation tools such as Adobe Premiere and CapCut. Experience growing podcasts or YouTube channels and developing creative branded content, sponsorship integrations, and custom sales-driven programming is highly valued.
ABOUT THE PODCAST
The Big T is Tennis Channel's flagship podcast - sitting at the intersection of the game, the players, and the lifestyle around it. Hosted by Brad Gilbert, Andrea Petkovic, and Tennis Channel's vast roster of experts and legends, The Big T brings fans inside the personalities, storylines, and cultural moments that define tennis on and off the court.
This freelance role is onsite in our Santa Monica, CA office and is expected to be approximately 8 hours per day, Monday-Thursday. This freelance engagement is anticipated to run through early December 2026.
In this role, you will...
• Create weekly rundowns with a strong mix of topical tennis content, debate-driven segments, and YouTube-skewing growth strategies - without compromising the audio version
• In collaboration with senior leadership, develop and execute long-term creative and content strategies, ensuring each episode aligns with the show's North Star and Tennis Channel's broader editorial voice
• Liaise with Executive Producer/Department lead to provide show updates, feedback, and growth plans
• Create and manage a content roadmap that aligns with overall show strategy and audience growth tactics across podcast, YouTube, and social platforms
• Manage all aspects of pre-production, including show concepts and content, creating rundowns and shot lists, sales deliverables, building storyboards, and talent scheduling
• Navigate ASANA daily as the primary content scheduling and tracking system, managing projects at various stages simultaneously
• Collaborate with internal teams to execute an effective promotional strategy across a variety of mediums, including Tennis Channel's linear, digital, and social platforms
• Drive social content strategy - developing platform-specific clips, thumbnails, hooks, and short-form packages optimized for YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, TikTok, and X
• Deep expertise in YouTube Shorts and social clip best practices, including understanding of the algorithm, what makes a Short go wide, and why a thumbnail matters as much as the content itself
• Liaise directly with podcast editors, social coordinators, and the graphics team to create consistency throughout The Big T brand and episodic deliverables
• Ensure all sponsorship requirements are completed and QC'd, including host-read ads, sponsored segments, and video/social integrations
• Track show analytics and audience trends - completion rates, click-through rates, and YouTube analytics - using data as a creative tool to shape future editorial decisions
• Work with key stakeholders across the company to distribute podcast assets and keep all cross-functional teams aligned on assets, deliverables, and timelines
• Keep up with news and trends in tennis, sports, and culture to develop programming based on what is resonating with audiences
Qualifications
• 3-5+ years of experience in podcast production, digital content production, or sports media - ideally producing compelling long-form talk content in a digital space (podcasts, YouTube, etc.)
• Genuine passion for tennis and working knowledge of the ATP and WTA tours, Grand Slams, and the sport's biggest personalities, storylines, and history
• YouTube native - you understand how the algorithm works, what makes a Short go wide, and why a thumbnail matters as much as the content itself
• Social-first mindset - skilled in audience growth strategies and best practices across YouTube, podcast, and social media platforms, with a creative point of view on what content resonates across each channel
• Highly organized and able to manage projects at various stages simultaneously in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment
• Hands-on experience with ASANA or a comparable project management platform
• Strong communicator - comfortable presenting ideas to hosts, executives, and cross-functional teams, and able to both give and take direction/feedback
• Audio-first AND video-first fluency - you understand the difference and know how to serve both simultaneously
• Data-driven - you look at completion rates, click-through rates, and YouTube analytics as a creative tool
• A creative outside-the-box thinker, ideating new ways to engage tennis and culture audiences across YouTube and social-first platforms
• Comfortable working directly with high-profile talent - including players, broadcasters, and cultural figures - while maintaining a professional demeanor
• Flexibility to work mornings, nights, and/or weekends as projects and the tennis calendar (including Grand Slams and major tournaments
Tennis Channel is proud to be equal opportunity employer and a drug free workplace. Employment practices will not be influenced or affected by virtue of an applicant's or employee's race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, military or veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.
About Tennis Channel
Tennis Channelis the only multiplatform destination dedicated solely to tennis year-round. Together, the Tennis Channel flagship network, Tennis Channel 2, and the Tennis Channel app (tennischannel.com) deliver the most accessible and concentrated single-sport coverage anywhere. As the exclusive U.S. home of the ATP Tour and WTA Tour, Tennis Channel features live coverage of every Masters 1000 tournament - including Indian Wells, the Miami Open, Madrid, Rome, Cincinnati, and more - alongside live studio programming including its premier series, TC Live. Tennis Channel 2, a free FAST channel available in over 100 million homes, brings fans matches from across the globe at every level of the game. The Tennis Channel app brings it all together in one place, delivering live and on-demand matches, original content, and a personalized multi-view experience for fans, available on mobile and connected TV devices. Owned by Sinclair, Tennis Channel is also a co-owner of PickleballTV (pickleballtv.com), a joint venture with the Professional Pickleball Association.
About Sinclair
Sinclair, Inc. (Nasdaq: SBGI) is a diversified media company and a leading provider of local news and sports. The Company owns, operates and/or provides services to 177 television stations in 79 markets affiliated with all major broadcast networks; owns Tennis Channel, the premium destination for tennis enthusiasts; and multicast networks CHARGE, Comet, ROAR and The Nest. Sinclair's AMP Media produces a growing portfolio of digital content and original podcasts. Additional information about Sinclair can be found at www.sbgi.net.
About the Team
The life-blood of our organization is our people. We have a compelling story, a goal-oriented culture, and we take really good care of people. How good? Here is a glimpse: great benefits, open-door policy, upward mobility and a strong desire to see you succeed. Ready to be part of a winning team? Let's talk.
The base salary compensation range for this role is $90,000-$110,000 annually. Final compensation for this role will be determined by various factors such as a candidates' relevant work experience, skills, certifications, and geographic location. This is a six-month term from date of hire through December 15, 2026, with potential for full-time employment in 2027 or beyond.
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