Manager Content Operations Jobs in Cicero, IL (NOW HIRING)

SteelSeries is looking for a data-obsessed, lightning-fast Insights and Content Strategy Manager who lives and breathes social media, gaming culture, and the battle for attention. You will set the strategy for all social media and influencer content efforts based on insights, learnings, and iterative testing. You'll be the nerve center of a small, high-impact social and influencer team, responsible for turning raw performance data into sharp, prioritized content plans that the team can execute on immediately. You will own the social content calendar, translate insights into action, and serve as a key navigator to the Social Media Director, Community Director, and Esports & Influencer Managers across EMEA, APAC, and the Americas.

Your success is measured by how clearly and quickly you can see what's "popping off," how fast you can turn those signals into more of the right content, and how effectively you guide the broader team toward an attention-first roadmap.

You treat attention like a tradable asset: constantly re-allocating focus to the ideas, formats, and platforms that are winning *right now*, while building systems that let the team publish at scale.

What You'll Own & Drive

Attention mapping & calendar ownership

• Own and continuously evolve the global social content calendar across TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, X/Twitter, Facebook, Twitch, and emerging formats, ensuring alignment with campaigns, product launches, esports, and creator initiatives.
• Build and maintain a living "attention map" that shows where we're winning, where we're behind, and which content pillars need more or less investment.

Real-time analytics actionable direction

• Monitor performance data daily (engagement, reach, watch time, CTR, retention curves, saves/shares, follower growth) and rapidly translate signals into clear instructions: "do more of this," "kill/adjust this," "test these 3 variants next."
• Run lightweight experiments on hooks, formats, posting cadences, and thumbnails; track results and socialize learnings quickly so the team can iterate in days, not quarters.
• Lead post-mortems on campaigns and tentpoles, turning results into sharp, 1-2 page debriefs with specific, prioritized changes for next time.

Planning, briefing & cross-team navigation

• Develop and present clear campaign briefs, content themes, and daily/weekly posting plans that are rooted in data but written in plain language for creators, editors, and stakeholders.
• Serve as a core strategic partner to the Social Media Director, Community Director, and Esports & Influencer Managers-helping them decide where to put their creative and time, and what to scale across EMEA, APAC, and the Americas.
• Support cross-functional initiatives (product launches, esports events, sponsorships, creator programs) with meticulous planning, attention-led prioritization, and tight coordination.

Systems, templates & speed

• Build repeatable systems-templates, calendars, playbooks, dashboards-that increase the team's content output without sacrificing quality.
• Maintain a library of content templates, recurring formats, asset checklists, and posting playbooks that make it faster and easier for the Video Editor and rest of the team to execute.
• Ensure content plans comply with platform guidelines, brand safety, copyright, and accessibility requirements.

Reporting & storytelling with data

• Create concise monthly and quarterly reporting for leadership that connects channel performance to business and brand outcomes, with clear recommendations on what to do next.
• Tell a compelling story with data-showing not only what happened, but why, and what we'll do differently going forward.

What We're Looking For

Experience & skills

• Proven track record in social media strategy, content planning, or digital marketing with heavy analytics ownership-ideally 4-7+ years in gaming, entertainment, or consumer tech.
• Strong proficiency in social analytics tools (native platform analytics, Sprinklr, Sprout Social, Hootsuite, or similar) and comfort working directly in platform UIs.
• Demonstrated ability to turn data into clear content roadmaps, calendars, and prioritized test plans that drive measurable engagement and growth.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; able to simplify complex insights into sharp recommendations for cross-functional partners and executives.
• Detail-oriented with strong project management skills: you hit deadlines, keep multiple campaigns straight, and communicate proactively.
• Familiarity with content operations, asset management, and workflow processes that keep small teams moving quickly.

Mindset & behaviors

• You treat attention as the most valuable, constantly shifting asset in marketing and understand that winning requires relentless experimentation and native content on each platform.
• "Fire in the belly" (Ownership) owner mentality: you thrive in a small team, take full responsibility for the numbers, and never say "that's not my job."
• Bias for speed and shipping: you'd rather run three smart tests this week than wait for a perfect brief next month.
• Deep curiosity about gaming culture, memes, platform updates, and niche communities; you're immersed in the same feeds as our audience.
• Comfort guiding others: you enjoy telling editors, designers, and influencers what's working, what to double down on, and where to pivot-backed by data but delivered with empathy and clarity.

Bonus points

• Experience with content calendar tooling and asset management systems.

• Background in gaming or tech brands, live events, sponsorships, or creator/partner programs.

• Strong storytelling ability-pairing data with compelling narratives that get leaders to act
  

Expectations:
- Full-time position (Monday - Friday), 40 hours/week

- Hybrid position with preferred onsite collaboration 3 - 4 times a week

- Chicago area candidates (preferred)

• Candidates are encouraged to share portfolios, content samples, or relevant campaign work.*