Location: Manhattan Beach, California | Hybrid (in office Tuesday through Thursday) Temporary contract assignment, 3–6 months

Reports to: Brand Marketing Director

Focus: on AI-assisted content development, workflow design and team enablement

Welcome to the world of Sanuk. We’re an unconventional footwear brand on a mission to be the outfitter for the journey to your happy place. In 1997, we were founded with one simple goal: to make people smile...and pass it on. In the world of Sanuk, smiles are always wider...every step of the way to your happy place…

Our VISION: To inspire fun seekers to spread smiles far and wide.

Our MISSION: To create damn comfy product, reach new consumers, protect the planet, cultivate

community, and be the party for your feet.

The assignment

Sanuk is hiring a hands-on AI Content Specialist for a 3–6 month contract engagement to help build, test and operationalize a new AI-assisted content capability. This role sits at the intersection of creative thinking, emerging technology, visual storytelling and production.

You will take ideas from concept through final execution—creating brand-right stills, short-form video, motion and content adaptations across social, paid, ecommerce and marketplace channels. The goal is not to make content that looks “AI generated.” The goal is to make unmistakably Sanuk content that could not have existed without AI.

What you'll do:

AI-Assisted Creative Development

• Concept, generate, edit and deliver AI-assisted still imagery, short-form video, animation, motion and audio.
• Build social-first content for TikTok, Instagram Reels and Stories, YouTube Shorts, paid social, ecommerce and emerging platforms.
• Extend existing Sanuk product photography, campaign assets and creator content into new formats, environments and narratives.
• Develop imaginative “real product, unreal world” concepts that protect product accuracy while making the surrounding story unexpected.
• Create rapid creative variations for organic and paid-media testing.

Production + Brand Stewardship

• Own assigned projects from brief and storyboard through prompt development, editing, finishing and platform-ready delivery.
• Partner with Brand, Creative, Social, Ecommerce, Paid Media and outside creators to combine human-shot content with AI-generated environments, effects and motion.
• Maintain accurate footwear silhouettes, materials, construction, logos, colors and product claims across every execution.
• Follow responsible-use, disclosure, copyright, likeness and data-privacy guidance; flag risk before content enters review or publication.

Workflow + Team Enablement

• Evaluate and recommend the right AI tool stack for Sanuk’s priority use cases and production needs.
• Build organized prompt libraries, templates, source files, naming conventions and repeatable production workflows.
• Document what works, what does not and when traditional production remains the stronger solution.
• Train Brand and Content team members on approved tools, workflows and responsible AI practices.
• Create a practical handoff plan so the capability can continue after the contract period.

Performance + Learning

• Partner with Social, Ecommerce and Paid Media teams to evaluate content performance and creative efficiency.
• Use engagement, completion rate, saves, shares, traffic and conversion signals to refine creative output.
• Compare AI-assisted creative with traditional and creator-led content to identify where the approach adds measurable value.

Contract Deliverables:

By the end of the engagement, the specialist is expected to leave Sanuk with a usable creative capability—not simply a collection of experiments.

• A defined, approved AI content tool stack and production workflow.
• A pilot library of platform-ready assets across social, paid, ecommerce and marketplace use cases.
• Two to three repeatable AI-enabled content franchises or storytelling formats.
• A prompt, template and source-file library organized for ongoing team use.
• Responsible AI and product-accuracy guidelines tailored to Sanuk.
• Team training, documented best practices and a final recommendations roadmap.
• A concise performance readout covering output, efficiency, learnings and next-step investment priorities.

What you bring:

• Three or more years of experience in content creation, creative production, design, social content, video, motion or a related discipline.
• A strong portfolio demonstrating visual storytelling, creative experimentation and finished work—not only prompts or concepts.
• Hands-on experience with generative image and/or video tools such as Midjourney, Runway, Adobe Firefly.

Photoshop Generative Fill or comparable platforms.

• Proficiency in short-form video editing and Adobe Creative Cloud, especially Photoshop, Premiere Pro and/or After Effects.
• Strong understanding of TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, paid social, ecommerce content and internet culture.
• The ability to move quickly from concept to prototype to polished, brand-ready deliverable.
• Excellent visual judgment, attention to detail, organization and communication.
• Experience in footwear, apparel, lifestyle, action sports, music, entertainment or youth-oriented brands is a plus.

Working Model:

This is a hybrid contract role based in Manhattan Beach, California. The specialist will work remotely and on-site as project needs require, including collaborative working sessions, product reviews, content capture and team training. The exact weekly cadence will be established at the start of the engagement.

How we'll work together:

• Experiment with purpose. New technology matters only when it makes the idea or outcome better.
• Communicate openly and early. Share progress, risks, needs and learnings directly.
• Protect the product and the people. Accuracy, consent and responsible use are non-negotiable.
• Build for handoff. Leave behind systems the team can understand, repeat and improve.

To Apply:

Please submit a resume or professional profile, a portfolio of relevant work and two to three examples that show your role, process, tools and final output. A traditional AI or engineering background is not required; we are looking for an exceptional creative practitioner who understands what these tools make possible and how to apply them with taste.