Penn State’s Office of Strategic Communications (the University’s central public relations and marketing division) is looking for an Assistant Director of Social Media to join its team. This person will help plan and execute short- and long-term strategy for Penn State’s main social media accounts, curate and create content for social media platforms, and use social listening tools to compile performance analytics and evaluate content.

This role has the potential to be performed remotely; however, on-site working will be required on a regular basis. This position also involves occasional evening and weekend hours.

The individual in this role will spend approximately 25 percent of their time on cross-functional initiatives, including contributing to the University’s impact campaign, developing a YouTube strategy, and driving integrated connective tissue on key projects between the divisions’ marketing and social teams. There will also be an opportunity to build a paid social strategy (i.e., for top tier media placements, leadership initiatives, etc.). In addition, the successful candidate will assist with researching social media trends to help shape content and monitor social media platforms for ways to engage with and respond to audiences.

The assistant director of social media will:

• Oversee and contribute to daily content production, including writing, editing, and curation

• Engage in long-term planning to support strategically directed, comprehensive communications initiatives and campaigns on multiple digital platforms

• Proactively engage with key stakeholders across the University to compile great moments for storytelling on social platforms

• Assist with producing monthly reports that analyze platforms and provide recommendations for content optimization

• Assist with campaigns to reach diverse audiences, including prospective and current students, alumni, donors, faculty, staff, and affiliated and unaffiliated friends, advocates, sponsors, and partners

• Use social media tools (e.g., Twitter Analytics, Hootsuite, and Talkwalker) and applications to monitor trends, develop content strategy, and create analytics reports

• Work with Strategic Communications’ core issues team when issues arise

• Act as a consultant and liaison to communicators throughout Penn State (over time, helping to build a paid PR social approach and opportunities to engage with influencers/ambassadors)

The ideal candidate will have:

• Excellent writing, proofreading, and verbal communications skills

• An understanding of and familiarity with a wide range of social media platforms and management/listening tools

• Experience with organic and paid social media campaigns and strategies

• The ability to present a holistic view of paid and owned social media posts that showcase audience reactions and engagement and shape social-media strategies

• The ability to translate current and emerging trends into the Penn State voice in a timely and effective manner

• A keen attention to detail and strong organizational/project management skills

The person in this position also needs to be resourceful and proactive and have demonstrated success using visual storytelling to drive engagement. Flexibility, a balance of creative and analytical skills, and the ability to work individually and with a team are essential.

Education and Experience:

Typically requires a Bachelor`s degree or higher plus six years of related experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. A degree in advertising, communications, English, marketing, public relations, or related field is preferred.

More about Penn State’s Office of Strategic Communications:

As Penn State’s central public relations and marketing division, Strategic Communications is a fully integrated, award-winning, best-in-class marketing and public relations division defined by innovative strategy and breakthrough creative driven by measurable goals. We advance the University by strengthening and protecting the institution’s reputation in regional, national, and international spheres of influence in ways that serve recruitment, resource, and leadership goals.

Spanning Penn State’s large-scale enterprise—including 20 campuses across Pennsylvania, more than 90,000 students, and an alumni base exceeding 700,000—Strategic Communications’ work encompasses all forms of communications and engagement, ranging from branding, marketing, and trademark and event management to internal communications, proactive and social media, research communications, and crisis and issues management. We’ve attracted talented and diverse team members from private and public sectors at all levels of our division, giving us the ability to build a strategic program of excellence recognized throughout the University.

Strategic Communications values and reflects Penn State’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), and our DEI committee is actively involved in providing staff programming that helps incorporate DEI principles into the fabric of our communications.