Director of Social Media Storytelling

Summary:

Under the direction of the Assistant Vice President of Content and Storytelling, the Director of Social Media Storytelling will be responsible for leading the institution's social media strategy across platforms to showcase VCU’s distinct brand personality. This is a key leadership position for the University Relations division.

The Director is responsible for bringing the brand personality to life across all social channels and integrating organic social efforts seamlessly with paid, earned and owned efforts. The Director will collaborate with colleagues within the university, health system and the Division of University Relations to share institutional initiatives, and implement best practices to launch multifaceted social media strategies and tactics to meet marketing and communication goals. The Director will lead a team committed to showcasing the brand story in ways that engage audiences, drive enrollment growth and retention; boost reputational awareness and protect the reputation of the institution.

As VCU’s integrated communications and marketing office, the Division of University Relations is energized by diversity and inclusion and thrives on collaboration and innovation. We reflect the culture of the university and health system community in our work. We leverage the power of our institutional knowledge to deliver results, foster an equitable and supportive work environment to empower our talent and work hard to tell impactful stories about VCU and VCU Health.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Develop a communication and engagement strategy for all primary university social media channels to effectively meet institutional and division goals for audience affinity, growth and engagement.
  
  
• Supervise a team of social strategists and cultivate an intern program; develops and fosters staff growth; promotes a culture of collaboration that ignites creativity across the division.
  
  
• Lead the team to generate, edit, plan, publish and share engaging content regularly, including creating and curating stories, photos/images, video/clips, graphics and more.
  
  
• Develop campaigns and initiatives across each social media channel to reach, engage and grow diverse audiences, including prospective and current students and alumni, employees and patients.
  
  
• Maintain an engaging and consistent voice that aligns with VCU’s brand.
  
  
• Collaborate with other units across the institution to ensure brand consistency (i.e., personality, voice and aesthetics) across all channels and platforms.
  
  
• Manage social communities and platforms, to include designing content that facilitates social conversation; monitoring discussions, listening, and responding to user queries.
  
  
• Alert senior leadership about emerging issues and crises. Monitor social channels during emergencies, advise senior leadership about the need to respond and collaborate on a response when necessary.
  
  
• Suggest and implement new features and functionality to grow brand affinity and support business goals.
  
  
• Establish key performance targets; track and analyze campaign, content and platform performance; assess and translate data into recommendations and plans for modifying and informing future storytelling efforts.
  
  
• Partner with the Executive Director for Executive Communications to develop and maintain the president’s social media strategy to represent the President as a thought-leader in higher education, an engaged president and a promoter and influencer of the VCU brand.
  
  
• Establish institution-wide best practices, social media guidelines and processes.
  
  
• Monitor, report and advise on trends in social media tools, applications, channels, design, and strategy.
  
  
• Lead an institution-wide group of social media communicators to promote social media opportunities and provide guidance on strategy.
  
  
• Perform other related duties as assigned.
  
  

Minimum Requirements:

• Demonstrates a track record in fostering a diverse and inclusive environment through communications/marketing work, operations and interpersonal relationships.
  
  
• Bachelor's degree, preferably in communications, journalism, marketing, similar field, or equivalent experience. Master's degree preferred.
  
  
• Five (5) years of related experience in social media management and content development with a demonstrated proficiency across strategic planning, implementation and creativity in social media.
  
  
• One to three (1-3) years supervisory experience.
  
  

Required Competencies:

• Ability to attend university-related events/activities as needed for social media coverage (including evenings and weekends as necessary)
  
  
• Ability to effectively balance and lead social marketing strategies and creative brand storytelling; and implement social media tactics seamlessly across platforms
  
  
• Excellent copywriting and copy-editing skills
  
  
• Highly effective communicator with the ability to deliver creative content (text, image, and video) for diverse audiences
  
  
• Understanding of content strategy, copywriting, graphic design, layout, and publishing best practices and principles.
  
  
• Strong knowledge of communication and marketing principles
  
  
• Collaborative, with experience with online community building
  
  
• Proficiency with social media tools and software
  
  
• Solid knowledge of SEO, keyword research, and Google Analytics
  
  
• Experience with social media reporting and analysis
  
  
• Strong attention to detail
  
  
• A problem solver
  
  
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
  
  
• Ability to handle and prioritize multiple tasks in a fast-paced team environment
  
  
• Strong organizational and project management skills with the ability to prioritize and follow through effectively, a track record of achievement in meeting deadlines
  
  
• Proficient in visual storytelling (photos)
  
  
• Experience in creating and deploying video and digital content
  
  
• Current with the latest digital technologies and social media trends
  
  
• Ability to effectively lead a team, and plan, delegate, and supervise the work of others
  
  

*Please include portfolio with your application

*Diversity statement required



Salary Range:$85,000-$100,000

Position Details:

Communications Administrator 1-3

Department: University Relations
Exemption Status: Exempt