Storytelling and Engagement Strategist (India)

A Note Before You Read I'm Sohrab. I'm 28, and I've spent the last five years working deep inside India's food and beverage industry — flavour manufacturing, supplying to some of the country's largest beverage and FMCG companies. I know this world from the inside — how flavours are made, why your favourite drink tastes the way it does, what nobody ever sees behind the products you consume every day. Now I'm bringing that world to the internet. I'm building a video podcast, a short-form content engine, and an occasional restaurant and food exploration series — something fun, credible, and genuinely different from anything in the Indian food and beverage content space today. I'm not a corporation. I'm a 28-year-old with real industry knowledge, real stories, and a genuine desire to build something exciting. I just need the right person to build it with me. What I'm Building Phase 1 — Build the Base With Short-Form Content First Since I'm starting from zero on social media, the smart move is to build an audience before launching the podcast. The first few months will be focused entirely on establishing a presence through short-form content — fun, engaging, and shareable posts on Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts that introduce me and my world to people. Food and beverage hacks, myth-busting, behind-the-scenes clips from the flavour industry, and restaurant outings — content that builds a following organically before we bring a full podcast to that audience. Launching a podcast to zero followers is hard. Launching it to an engaged audience of even 5,000 to 10,000 people who already know and like you is a completely different game. We build the foundation first, then we bring the podcast. The Video Podcast — Core Content (Phase 2) Once the base is built, we launch the long-form video podcast on YouTube — conversations about food, beverages, the F&B; industry, and the culture around what India eats and drinks. Blind taste tests, myth-busting, insider conversations with chefs, drink entrepreneurs, food scientists, and FMCG founders. My insider perspective is the differentiator — your job is to find the right guests and shape every episode into something unmissable. Short-Form Content — The Reach Engine (Ongoing) Consistent Reels and YouTube Shorts throughout both phases — food and beverage hacks, experiments, and shareable formats that continuously grow the audience. Restaurant & Food Exploration — The Fun Layer (Ongoing) This won't be the main pillar — I'm not trying to be another food reviewer. But the restaurant scene in India right now is genuinely electric and I want to be part of that conversation in my own way. Occasionally I'll go out with the team to new openings, hidden gems, and places doing something unusual — and capture it in a way that feels real. My angle will always be different because I understand what's actually happening with the flavours and ingredients on the plate. What Your Role Actually Is You will be the person who makes this whole thing work. I bring the industry knowledge, the stories, and the on-camera presence. You bring the strategy, the structure, the guest research, and the execution discipline that turns all of it into a brand people actually follow. Strategy Build and own our content strategy across all phases — brand voice, content pillars, audience positioning, and a rolling 90-day roadmap. Decide what short-form content we lead with, when we introduce the podcast, and how we balance all three content pillars into one cohesive brand. Guest Research & Outreach — Critical Part of This Role I'm early in building my public profile and don't yet have a large network of guests knocking on my door. You will actively research, identify, and reach out to the right people — food entrepreneurs, beverage founders, chefs, food scientists, FMCG professionals, nutritionists, restaurant owners, and F&B; investors. Write personalised outreach that actually gets responses, manage every relationship from first contact to recording day, and maintain a confirmed guest pipeline so we're never scrambling last minute. Ideation & Production Generate a constant stream of content ideas across all three formats. Prepare detailed briefs before every podcast episode. Manage and brief the video editor on every deliverable. Scout restaurant experiences for our outings. Plan how every long-form episode eventually gets broken into reels, carousels, and clips. Growth & Performance Monitor performance across platforms, bring clear insights to weekly sessions, and spot collaboration and brand partnership opportunities — handling the outreach yourself. Day-to-Day Responsibilities - Own and maintain a 4-week rolling content calendar across Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn at all times — covering short-form content, restaurant outings, and eventually podcast episodes simultaneously - Develop and pitch a minimum of 8 to 10 short-form content ideas every month — food and beverage hacks, myth-busting, industry insider facts, and fun formats that work as standalone Reels and Shorts - Research and scout restaurant and food experiences for our outings — identifying new openings, unusual concepts, and interesting food experiences in Mumbai that fit our content angle, and planning the shoot approach for each visit - Research and maintain an active pipeline of future podcast guests — identifying the right people in the food and beverage world, crafting personalised outreach, following up, and confirming guests well before the podcast launches - Run weekly strategy sessions — you bring the agenda, performance data, and new ideas every single time - Brief and manage the video editor on every deliverable across all content formats — short-form clips, restaurant outing videos, and eventually full podcast episodes — with clear instructions on cuts, pacing, captions, music, and platform formatting - Coordinate all logistics for restaurant outings — location scouting, scheduling, shoot planning, and ensuring the content captured can be edited into engaging short and long-form posts - Write or supervise all captions, hooks, titles, and descriptions across every platform — every word on our channels must be intentional and scroll-stopping - Monitor platform trends, algorithm shifts, and what other food, beverage, and restaurant creators are doing — bring relevant findings proactively, not when asked - Manage community engagement across all platforms — responding to comments, building relationships with early followers, and making the audience feel like they're part of something from day one - Prepare a detailed brief before every podcast episode — guest background, suggested questions, key talking points, and episode structure — so I walk in fully prepared every time - Deliver a monthly performance report with transparent takeaways and strategic adjustments for the month ahead What I'm Looking For Experience: - 2 to 3 years of hands-on experience in social media management, content strategy, or digital marketing with a strong portfolio - Experience in the food and beverage industry strongly preferred — F&B; brand, beverage startup, restaurant group, food media platform, or food-focused creator. Strong candidates from lifestyle, health, or FMCG backgrounds considered if content instincts are excellent - Demonstrated experience with guest or talent research and outreach — finding the right people and building relationships from zero - Proven experience managing Instagram and YouTube as primary growth platforms - Experience building or supporting a personal brand for an individual is a strong advantage Skills: - Sharp content ideation across short-form, restaurant, and podcast formats - Strong research skills — shortlist of ideal podcast guests with contact details within 48 hours - Strong written communication — outreach, briefs, and captions are all specific and compelling - Deep understanding of short-form video — you know what stops a scroll and what kills retention - Organised and deadline-driven — comfortable managing a founder, editor, restaurant logistics, and guests simultaneously Mindset: - A genuine self-starter who comes to every meeting with ideas, not just questions - Curious about food, beverages, and the restaurant world — interested enough to go deep - A natural researcher and networker — you enjoy finding people and building relationships from scratch - Comfortable with early-stage ambiguity — the first 90 days will involve building and iterating, and that excites you - Takes real ownership — if the brand isn't growing, you feel it personally First 90 Days Days 1–30: Learn my world, audit the Indian food and beverage content landscape, and deliver a Personal Brand Strategy Document covering the phased approach — short-form and restaurant content first, podcast second — with a clear timeline for when we make that transition. Begin building the podcast guest pipeline in the background even while Phase 1 content is being developed. Nothing goes live in Month 1. Days 31–60: First content goes live. Short-form Reels and YouTube Shorts launch on Instagram and YouTube. First restaurant outing planned, shot, and published. Full operational rhythm established. Podcast guest pipeline actively being built behind the scenes. Days 61–90: We have real data on what content is resonating. Adjust the short-form strategy based on performance. Present the podcast launch plan — timing, first guests confirmed, episode format finalised — ready to execute in Month 4 once the base audience is in place. How to Apply Send the following to with the subject line: "Content Strategist — Sohrab" 1. Your portfolio or work samples — social media accounts, YouTube channels, campaigns, or personal brand content you've directly worked on 2. A short note of 200 to 300 words — tell me why this interests you, and pitch me one short-form content idea AND one guest you'd invite on the podcast eventually 3. Your current and expected CTC Applications without a portfolio will not be reviewed. The pitches tell me more about you than your resume ever will.