[Hiring] Freelance Video Content Strategist @Octave

Role Description

We're hiring a freelance Video Content Strategist whose primary focus is turning our SEO topic strategy into YouTube videos people actually finish watching — you'll own the briefs and scripts, and serve as editorial reviewer once our production team delivers cuts. Secondarily, you'll own the operational health of our YouTube channel and help us extend content onto Instagram, ensuring uploads, metadata, and performance reporting are tight. As a tertiary goal consideration - every concept should have a clear path to Reels cutdowns before we ever shoot.

• Primary — YouTube content strategy & scripting (majority of scope)
  • Strategic POV.
  • Have an understanding of what works well within the mental health video content space, with a focus on YouTube content creators. Surface those trends to the team, and proactively raise recommendations on improving content briefs.
  • Concept development.
  • Translate our SEO content map (topic clusters, target queries, search intent) into video briefs that are both searchable and watchable.
  • Scriptwriting.
  • Write tight scripts with strong hooks, retention beats, and clear CTAs. Optimize for the algorithm and channel without sounding algorithmic. Expected video lengths range between 9-15 minutes.
  • Editorial review.
  • Review cuts from our external production team and provide clear, actionable feedback on pacing, structure, tone, and fidelity to the original brief. Your notes should be specific enough that a good editor doesn't need to ask follow-up questions.
  • Clip strategy.
  • Flag Reels and TikTok moments in the script at the concept stage — not after the fact — so the production team captures them in the shoot.
  • Packaging.
  • Develop titles, thumbnail concepts, and metadata that drive both clicks and search ranking.
• Secondary — Channel management (YouTube primary, Instagram secondary)
  • Publishing & scheduling.
  • Own the upload workflow: titles, descriptions, tags, cards, end screens, and scheduled publish times on YouTube. Coordinate corresponding Instagram Reels posts.
  • Performance reporting.
  • Pull a monthly report from YouTube Studio covering views, watch time, click-through rate, and search traffic sources.
  • Channel health.
  • Keep playlists organized, flag content that needs updating, and stay current on algorithm or policy changes that affect our content.

Deliverables (per video)

• SEO-aligned briefs 4-5 (1 page: hook, angle, target query, viewer takeaway)
• Full scripts with B-roll notes, on-screen text cues, and timing
• Clip callouts in the script flagging Instagram and TikTok moments
• Written editorial feedback on each cut delivered by the production team
• Title, thumbnail direction, and metadata for publish
• Published and scheduled on YouTube and Instagram per agreed cadence
• Monthly performance report (YouTube Studio): views, watch time, CTR, search traffic sources, and a short "what to adjust" note

Qualifications

• 3+ years developing concepts and writing scripts for YouTube content (brand or creator side — please share examples)
• Demonstrated SEO/discovery results — show us a video that ranks for its target query
• Experience reviewing and giving feedback on video edits — you've been the editorial voice in a production workflow, not just a writer
• Working knowledge of short-form repurposing; you've built content that travels from long-form to vertical without a separate shoot
• Hands-on experience managing a YouTube channel: upload workflow, metadata, scheduling, and YouTube Studio analytics
• Comfort briefing or coaching non-professional on-camera talent (therapists, subject matter experts)
• Be able to travel to one of these office locations (NYC, SF, or LA) once per month

Requirements

• Experience in behavioral/mental health content. You understand why compliance-aware language matters
• Comfortable owning an Instagram presence at a basic operational level (scheduling Reels, writing captions)

Contract Details

• Rate: $8,000/month retainer covering 4–5 videos (concept + script + clip callouts + editorial review + packaging + publishing per video, plus monthly performance report)
• Term: 3-month trial, with intent to extend to month-to-month contract if it’s a fit
• IP: All work product is owned by Octave

Octave's Company Values

• We’re human beings first.
• We operate with empathy and kindness – with our clients, with our collaborators, and with ourselves.
• People deserve better than status quo.
• No bystanders. No stars. No tourists.
• Partnership paves the path ahead.
• Quality is crucial at scale.
• Progress is a process.
• There are people behind every data point.

Physical Requirements

• Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Must be able to frequently communicate with others through virtual meeting applications such as Zoom and Google Meet.
• Must be able to observe and communicate information on company provided laptop.
• Move up to 10 pounds on occasion.
• Must be eligible to work in the United States without sponsorship now or in the future.

Application Instructions

Please complete the following application. Please note that the U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment Information questions below are used for the purposes of EEOC reporting and are optional to complete. Octave is unable to change these questions and we acknowledge that many of the U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment Information questions are not inclusive or affirming of all aspects of cultural identity. Octave is committed to an inclusive workplace environment, and this information will not inform how we approach hiring or employment.