Crunchyroll

Crunchyroll is the world’s most popular anime brand, connects anime and manga fans across 200+ countries and territories with 360-degree experiences. We’re an international business focused on creating both online and offline experiences for fans through content (licensed, co-produced, originals, distribution), merchandise, events, gaming, news, and more. Visit our About Us pages for more information about our collection of brands and companies. 

About the team:

The Crunchyroll content team sits at the core of our business. It is over 20 people strong and spread across three offices -- San Francisco, Tokyo and Europe. The team oversees Content Acquisition, Content Investment, Partner Management, Strategic Alliances and Programming. The market is highly competitive -- acquiring the right content under the right deal terms is essential to driving the growth of our business. 

The market for anime content is highly competitive and becoming more so - acquiring and/or producing the right content (under the right deal terms) is essential to driving the growth of our business. Our content team is at a pivotal point in its evolution; we need to move quickly to leverage our strong foundation as a leader in content acquisition into a truly defensible position as the preferred (and indeed, the only) partner for anime’s most respected publishers, producers, studios and creators.

Location: San Francisco

About the role:

The Senior Director of Global Content Strategy will help lead the Programming and Content Strategy team to create and disseminate the company’s programming, acquisition and upstream strategy, ensuring that we target, secure, invest in and produce the best content and the most impactful content partnerships to super-serve our passionate audience. He/she will bring experienced insight into the trends in the anime marketplace - as well as where there may be gaps in Crunchyroll’s portfolio of licensed content - to inform Crunchyroll’s overall content strategy. 

The Senior Director will guide and advise on all aspects of content strategy globally including content licensing, investment, co-production and originals, and will also identify new and unique ways to build Crunchyroll’s brand as the premier/preferred partner throughout the anime industry. The team also sits at the strategic center of how content is displayed and presented to users, including content windowing strategy, on-and-off site curation and programming, etc. 

Content is at the heart of Crunchyroll and the Content Team works closely with almost every team in the company.  As such, the Senior Director will be a highly collaborative person who has extensive experience successfully working cross-functionally (e.g. with product, engineering, finance, business development and marketing teams). In this role, they will also interface closely with the Head of Originals and the Head of Studio to ensure our Original Content strategy grows in parallel with our acquired programming strategy. 

This individual will report directly to the Head of Programming and Content Strategy and act as a de facto Chief of Staff, helping to guide all strategic decisions as they relate to content and content partnerships globally. He/she will have deep knowledge of the anime space and a passion for content, deal-making, and relationship building. He/she will be seasoned, creative and entrepreneurial in spirit and carry a positive, company-first (and team-first!) attitude. He/She will be fully bilingual (English and Japanese) ideally has worked in the Anime industry in multiple capacities including strategy, production, business development and games, and should come with a built-in rolodex of high-level talent, studios and content providers in the industry.

A day in the life of the Senior Director, Global Content Strategy:

• Develop and direct the content acquisition, distribution, production investment, partner management, strategic alliances and programming strategy globally
• Mentor and lead a team of content analysts and strategists, and influence and guide a team of 20+ people (including content licensing, production and content investment) across three time zones: San Francisco, Japan and Europe
• Leverage existing data and develop new and unique ways to use and interpret data to ensure our leadership in the space. Continue to solidify our position with content partners as the knowledge center for anime globally.
• Disseminate and champion content analytics to drive product decisions (including but not limited to: windowing strategy, advertising load, content curation, content release and cadencing, etc).
• Establish/build on trusted relationships and open dialogue with existing partners and other key players in marketplace, frequently communicating priorities, direction and other useful information; keep an ear to the ground and ensuring Crunchyroll is in a position to quickly react to fast-breaking marketplace activity
• Inform strategies to transform traditional licensing partnerships into forward thinking strategic partnerships and move traditional acquisition approaches upstream to ensure the longevity and security of the content pipeline.
• Monitor, analyze and interpret industry and content trends to guide global strategy
• Review sales/royalty and financial data to determine how actual results and projected trends align with expectations, make recommendations on adjustments 
• Work with the Head of Content Strategy & Programming on team structure and processes to optimize for speed and innovation, with a strong focus on collaboration and cross-company transparency
• Attract and secure top-tier talent
• Collaborate across the organization w/heads of product, marketing, BD, Finance, International, Originals and others and socialize vision and strategy company-wide
•  Determine, track and manage content budget; work closely with FP&A to evolve success metrics. Monitor pacing, investment scenarios and potential impacts to the LRP
• Encourage internal collaboration and cross-departmental information sharing

Requirements:

• 10+ years in the anime industry with direct experience in anime production, anime consortiums, business development, strategy and games. 
• Strong rolodex of contacts at and equally strong reputation with major publishers, studios, producers and content companies in the anime industry in Japan
• Experience at major Japanese media company and/or top-tier OTT service
• English/Japanese bilingual and able to break-down and understand nuances of the languages to build and translate strategy across cultures
• Proven business development maven with a track record of striking large-scale, innovative partnerships with Japanese companies within media or otherwise
• Strong negotiator; understands the specifics of anime rights and can structure and negotiate licensing, co-production, investment, IP and partnership deals
• Track record of implementing processes to improve results around content programming, licensing, deals, etc.

• Excellent persuasive presentation, verbal and written communication skills
• Highly collaborative team player with consistent success in cross-functional organizational structures
• Willingness to travel overseas frequently

Benefits and Perks: San Francisco Office

• Competitive salary
• “Use What You Need” time away from work policy
• Medical, dental, vision, STD, LTD, and life insurance
• Health care and dependent care FSA
• 401(k) plan with employer match
• Employer paid commuter benefit
• On-site gym, showers, yoga, and wellness classes
• Support program for new parents
• Catered lunch 4 days per week
• Fun, passionate and skilled co-workers
• Pet friendly - pet insurance and dog friendly office

Questions about Crunchyroll's hiring process? Please check out our FAQ

About Crunchyroll

Crunchyroll, a WarnerMedia company (as a subsidiary of Otter Media) and the world’s most popular anime brand, connects anime and manga fans across 200+ countries and territories with 360-degree experiences. 

Fans have access to the largest collection of licensed anime through Crunchyroll, Anime Digital Network (in partnership with Citel, a subsidiary of Média-Participations), and Anime on Demand video streaming services, translated in multiple languages for viewers worldwide. Viewers can also access simulcasts — top series available immediately after Japanese broadcast. Crunchyroll's services also extend to licensing of theatrical, TV, home video, and consumer product rights. 

Fans engage further with events (including owned events Crunchyroll Expo, Anime Awards, Crunchyroll Movie Nights, KAZÉ Movie Nights), consumer products through eCommerce and retail partners (Crunchyroll, KAZÉ, AV Visionen), Crunchyroll Games, KAZÉ Games, and manga (KAZÉ Manga, Crunchyroll Manga app, Crunchyroll Manga Store).

Crunchyroll was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in San Francisco, with offices in Los Angeles, Tokyo, Paris, Lausanne, Berlin (AV Visionen) and Chisinau (Ellation). VRV (U.S.) and Eye See Movies (Germany) are also Crunchyroll brands.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at Crunchyroll. Pursuant to applicable law, we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.