Social Media Officer

Permanent, full-time position – Guelph, ON

The Social Media Officer is responsible for developing the content marketing strategy for the University’s central social media accounts. In this role, you will also be responsible for leading all social media initiatives and training across campus to all stakeholders. You will work closely with the Communications & Marketing team to lead and develop all digital marketing campaigns, and use your ingenuity and analytical expertise to create content that supports the University’s strategic marketing and communication plans. You will run reports through analytics tools to analyze metrics and content performance to identify opportunities for optimization for the whole campus, and will manage the Social Media Ambassadors and guide them to produce content that aligns with the University’s social strategic plan.

As the Social Media Officer, you will act as the lead and first point of contact for our community and proactively identify and distinguish the severity of issues. You will collaborate with the Social Media & Marketing Manager and the wider team to ensure issues are addressed and escalated as necessary. You will also be responsible for community engagement and user retention by actively engaging with our audience, responding to queries using your knowledge of the institution and acumen for customer service.

Your key responsibilities will include:

1. Leading an annual communications and marketing calendar, soliciting content from University stakeholders, and actively promoting content in support of the institution’s reputation and recruitment goals.
2. As the lead and first point of contact for all social media engagements, triaging or responding and proactively communicating with the community.
3. Acting as the community manager, and serving as the gatekeeper responsible for online voice and tone, ensuring the University is represented in an appropriate and respectful manner.
4. Designing and creating content using various applications including InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, and Canva and video editing applications including Premiere Pro and CapCut.
5. Scheduling and monitoring content, researching and fact-checking to ensure accuracy, alignment, and brand standards.
6. Writing for various audiences, and synthesizing information into clear, concise and compelling stories.
7. Using data and analytics to optimize content for social channels; running reports to inform content updates and determine future content strategies.
8. Using social listening to report on activity related to the University and engaging in issues management by identifying issues and addressing or escalating as necessary.
9. Analyzing and evaluating concerns or questions using discretion and advising and providing oral and/or written information relating to university matters as appropriate.
10. Attending University events for live coverage, and actively posting content for emerging or ad hoc announcements.
11. In collaboration with the Marketing team, creating social media content and communications strategies and tactics to deliver on objectives.
12. Managing the University’s enterprise social media tool – Sprout Social, and providing training to campus partners.
13. Developing a digital community management strategy in coordination with stakeholders across campus.
14. Developing and managing the University content calendar, and ensuring content reflects and supports the entire campus and key initiatives/campaigns.
15. Remaining current on the trends, technologies, issues, demands and approaches of communicating through social media channels.
16. Monitoring effective benchmarks for measuring the growth of online communities, and analyzing, reviewing and reporting on the effectiveness of content and campaigns.
17. Providing updates and recommendations to the Manager, Social Media & Marketing to ensure social media results are on target to deliver on objectives.
18. Assisting with competitive analysis research and investigation of digital tools to meet emerging needs.
19. Developing the strategic overview for all content for the communication and marketing team as well as the campus.
20. Defining best practices for content creation such as video, photo and copy editing.
21. Leading the content creation for all paid ad campaigns.
22. Attending key University events to capture engaging content for social channels.
23. Managing a team of social media ambassadors to guide content that aligns with U of G brand and initiatives.
24. Collaborating with campus partners to create and/or curate social media content that align with the University’s strategic goals.

QUALIFICATIONS

To be considered for the role of Social Media Officer, you must be an exceptional communicator with a successful track record in social media development in a fast-paced environment, and whose profile includes:

1. An undergraduate degree in Marketing, Communications, or similar field of study, and three (3) years’ experience managing social media in an enterprise system, preferably in a post-secondary environment, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
2. Knowledge of local business community, and related issues and challenges.
3. Superior interpersonal communication skills, including effective relationship-building and experience working with individuals in positions of authority.
4. Ability to think and act quickly and effectively under pressure, exercising tact, diplomacy, discretion and good judgment.
5. Understanding of potential of social media, internet communications and web sites.
6. Strong design and video editing skills.
7. Experience managing social media sites and writing articles/blog posts.
8. Exemplary written and oral communication skills.
9. Ability to multi-task.
10. Excellent computer skills (word processing, spreadsheets, access databases, presentations, web, social media).

There will be an expectation that the successful candidate be able to work on site with the possibility of some remote work.

The University of Guelph (www.uoguelph.ca) is one of Canada’s leading research-intensive comprehensive institutions, with a record of outstanding scholarship in the arts, humanities, social sciences, life sciences, physical and engineering sciences, agriculture and veterinary sciences. This is your chance to join us in our endeavour to improve life.

To view a detailed posting for the role of Social Media Officer, please go to our website at www.uoguelph.ca/hr/careers.

At the University of Guelph, fostering a culture of inclusion is an institutional imperative. The University invites and encourages applications from all qualified individuals, including from groups that are traditionally underrepresented in employment, who may contribute to further diversification of our Institution.

Job Type: Full-time

Work Location: In person