SEASONAL - YouTube Thumbnail Designer
Summary
Design eye-catching YouTube thumbnails for a women’s 3v3 basketball league, optimizing for clicks and brand consistency while collaborating with video teams.
ABOUT UNRIVALED
Unrivaled is a premier professional women’s 3v3 basketball league showcasing the top players in the sport. Our mission is to elevate the profile of women’s basketball through exceptional talent, groundbreaking partnerships, and unparalleled fan experiences.
JOB OVERVIEW
Unrivaled is seeking a highly creative and detail-oriented Seasonal YouTube Thumbnail Designer to help drive audience growth and elevate our visual identity during the 2026–2027 season. The engagement is expected to begin on December 14, 2026, with onsite production activities in Miami, Florida beginning on or around December 26, 2026, and continuing through approximately mid-March 2027, subject to completion of the agreed scope of services.
This role is critical in shaping first impressions—designing bold, scroll-stopping thumbnails that reflect the energy, athletes, and storytelling of Unrivaled.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Design compelling, high-performing thumbnails for Unrivaled’s YouTube videos, including game recaps, player features, podcasts, and original series
- Collaborate closely with video editors, producers, and the social/content team to align thumbnails with video narratives and brand goals
- Develop and iterate on thumbnail concepts that optimize for click-through rate (CTR) while maintaining brand consistency
- Apply strong visual hierarchy, typography, color theory, and photo compositing techniques
- Adapt designs quickly for breaking news, game-day content, and tight turnaround timelines
- A/B test thumbnail styles and incorporate performance insights to continuously improve results
- Maintain organized design files and templates for efficient workflows
QUALIFICATIONS
- 2+ years of experience designing thumbnails or digital graphics for YouTube, sports media, or entertainment brands
- Strong proficiency in Photoshop (or equivalent design tools)
- Deep understanding of YouTube best practices, trends, and audience behavior
- Experience working with athlete photography and high-energy sports visuals
- Ability to take creative direction while also pitching original ideas
- Comfortable working in a fast-paced, collaborative environment with tight deadlines
- Experience working with sports leagues, athletes, or media startups
- Familiarity with YouTube analytics and CTR optimization
- Motion or animated thumbnail experience
- Passion for women’s sports and emerging leagues
- Must be located in the Miami, FL area or be willing to move there during the season (relocation expenses are not provided).
Unrivaled is an equal opportunity organization. All qualified individuals will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, ancestry, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other basis protected under applicable federal, state or local law.