Executive Director, Social Media

Apply now - Job no: 528335Work type: Staff Full TimeLocation: UMass AmherstDepartment: News and Media RelationsUnion: Non-Unit ExemptCategories: Public Relations, Marketing, CommunicationsAbout UMass AmherstThe flagship of the Commonwealth, the University of Massachusetts Amherst is a nationally ranked public land‑grant research university that seeks to expand educational access, fuel innovation and creativity, and share and use its knowledge for the common good.Founded in 1863, UMass Amherst sits on nearly 1,450 acres in scenic Western Massachusetts and boasts state‑of‑the‑art facilities for teaching, research, scholarship, and creative activity. The institution advances a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community where everyone feels connected and valued—and thrives, and offers a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees across 10 schools and colleges, and 100 undergraduate majors.Job SummaryThe Executive Director of Social Media is a strategic leadership role responsible for overseeing the development, implementation, and optimization of highly strategic and innovative digital content across various social media and online platforms for the university and the Chancellor. The position plays a lead role in reputation management for the institutional social channels and the Chancellor’s social platforms, ensuring alignment with values, goals, and overall brand image. The role is responsible for leading the social media team, fostering a collaborative and innovative work environment through regular onsite engagement, including in‑person team meetings, coaching, and mentoring.Essential FunctionsEstablish, implement, and manage a social media strategy for the university’s primary social channels that aligns with the university’s mission, goals and strategic plan, elevates its visibility and reputation, and attracts diverse student populations.Develop quantifiable goals for social media channels, conduct ongoing evaluation and analysis to drive optimal outcomes.Develop, implement, and manage a comprehensive strategy for the Chancellor that aligns with their goals, values and personal brand; engage audiences authentically and analyze performance to drive growth, brand awareness, and engagement.Direct social media listening, monitoring and engagement; play a lead role in reputation and issues management with appropriate stakeholders, responding to debates and controversies in a data‑informed, deadline‑sensitive manner.Lead campus‑wide collaborations by being regularly present on campus to identify and share social content, strengthen relationships with faculty and staff, and promote unified campus messages; provide hands‑on support on social media opportunities and challenges.Collaborate closely with the University Relations MarCom team to develop strategy, identify projects and plan content, and facilitate in‑person meetings with stakeholders.Lead, coach, and mentor a team of social media specialists to foster an innovative culture that supports cohesive, compelling content aligned with campus objectives.Coordinate with the news content team to enhance storytelling on social channels and across the university’s web pages.Develop a mobile‑first video content strategy that produces trending, attention‑grabbing short‑form video to build new audiences and improve engagement.Coordinate with key stakeholders to establish a social media content calendar for all channels, allowing flexibility for breaking news, crisis or spur‑of‑the‑moment events.Implement a project management methodology for the team to provide structure, organization, transparency and increased productivity.Serve as the first point of contact to direct social media communications to the appropriate team or individual.Serve on the Emergency Operations Team focusing on social media, the university home page and related websites; work onsite during critical situations to deliver accurate, timely campus‑wide emergency notifications.Other FunctionsPerform other duties as assigned.Minimum QualificationsBachelor’s degree in Journalism, Public Relations, Communication or a related field.7 (seven) years of related experience in communications, journalism, public relations or a related field, including a background in social media content creation on a variety of channels.Experience with social media management software (e.g., Sprout).Knowledge of strategies and tactics employed by critics and advocates on social media.Social media‑related reputation management experience.Writing, video, photography and other multimedia news editing skills.Experience working with content management systems.Ability to exercise judgment and discretion.Exceptional communication, presentation and interpersonal skills.Ability to think quickly and work under pressure; strong time‑management abilities.Strong desire to work collaboratively with a multi‑disciplinary team.Understanding of the value of a cohesive brand framework reflected through storytelling on social channels.Ability to work outside normal business hours, including nights, weekends, and holidays.Preferred QualificationsInfographic skills.Physical Demands/Working ConditionsTypical office environment activity.Work ScheduleMonday – Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. with some nights and weekends required as business needs dictate.Application ProcessSubmit a resume and cover letter. References will be checked at the finalist stage. Please be prepared to provide contact information for three (3) professional references.EEO StatementThe University of Massachusetts Amherst welcomes all qualified applicants and complies with all state and federal anti‑discrimination laws. #J-18808-Ljbffr