(Hybrid) Social Media Specialist - Marketing and Brand Strategy

The Marketing and Brand Strategy Department at West Virginia University is currently accepting applications for a Social Media Specialist.

About the Opportunity

Strategic Communications & Marketing at West Virginia University is seeking applicants for a talented and enthusiastic Social Media Specialist who will focus on current student communications. The Social Media Specialist will develop high-quality social media content and campaigns that strengthen student engagement, foster a sense of belonging, and support student retention and success across the University.

The Social Media Specialist will conceptualize and create compelling content that tells the student story at WVU. Supporting the Division of Student Life, and other University departments and initiatives that serve current students, this position will combine strong writing, content creation, development, and editing skills with expertise in social media monitoring, publishing, and engagement across a variety of platforms.

The Social Media Specialist is a highly motivated self-starter who creates fresh, engaging branded content daily. This role collaborates with Student Life, campus partners, and University marketing and communications teams to execute on-brand initiatives while developing and implementing original ideas.

They will manage WVU Student Life social media platforms (Facebook, X, Instagram) on a day-to-day basis, which includes developing copy and campaigns, taking/editing photographs, shooting/editing video, and more. This person will also manage and/or provide strategic support for various additional social media accounts within Student Life, as needed, which include Housing, Dining, Adventure WV, Campus Rec, etc.

The Social Media Specialist brings a high level of talent to the Strategic Communications & Marketing and Student Life teams, along with a solid background built on years of experience creating content on social media for a variety of purposes and organizations. The Social Media Specialist is the key storyteller for these units, in that they speak to/with constituents on a day-to-day basis.

We strongly believe in work-life balance and keeping time for things we love outside our work. WVU offers generous benefits, including:

• 37.5-hour work week
• 13 paid holidays (staff holiday calendar)
• 24 annual leave (vacation) days per year (employee leave)
• 18 sick days per year (for when you’re ill, for when you need time to care for sick family, for your own, or your family’s, regularly scheduled medical appointments. Who is family for the purpose of this leave? A lot of people in your life including immediate relatives and in-laws as well as others considered to be members of your household living under the same roof)
• WVU offers a range of health insurance and other benefits
• 401(a) retirement savings with 6%25 employee contribution match, eligibility to continue health insurance, and other retiree perks. Looking for more retirement benefits information? Check out retirement health insurance benefits, retirement income, and FAQ’s.
• Wellness programs

What You'll Do

• Identify ways to build WVU's visibility and enhance its reputation through innovative use of social media platforms.
• Daily posting/management/engagement on Facebook, X, and Instagram from the WVU Student Life account.
• Provide support of other social media accounts within Student Life (ex: Housing, Dining, Adventure WV, Campus Rec, WELLWVU, SEL, etc.)
• Identify additional content, stories, resources, etc. from campus partners who support current students and promote it across channels.
• Identify key topics for current students to promote and key timing for campaigns that helps students foster a sense of belonging, strengthen student engagement, and supports student retention and success across the University.
• Maintain the quality on all social media platforms this position oversees or manages on a day-to-day basis.
• Provide customer service via the available social media platforms, reacting quickly with other Student Life staff to resolve potential issues with student experience.
• Fully integrate social media into already existing Student Life communications and marketing plans.
• Actively engage on social media accounts to build WVU's visibility, enhance reputation, and build relationships with key audiences.
• Coordinate with Student Life staff to provide relevant updates around topics like university student support, student retention, and University student programming.
• Showcase and celebrate student successes.
• Design, create and manage promotions any social advertising campaigns for Student Life purposes.
• Fully understand the University’s mission, vision, values, goals, and brand.
• Understand the culture of social media for target audiences and student audiences.
• Proficient with photography and comfortable to take occasional video; work with others on the Strategic Communications & Marketing team (videographers, designers, and photographers) to develop high-quality visual content.
• Design creative in-brand graphics for social platforms such as Instagram stories.
• Comfortable to take video and photo as needed; work with others on the Strategic Communications & Marketing team (videographers, designers, and photographers) to develop high-quality visual content
• Execute social media goals developed by the Assistant Director of Marketing
• Actively represent the Strategic Communications & Marketing and Student Life teams in meetings, project teams, presentations, etc.
• Monitor trends in marketing and social media to help strategize whether it is appropriate for a University function; leverage competitive intelligence to provide leadership on how WVU should innovate and evolve

• Bachelor’s Degree in marketing, public relations, journalism, or related field
• A minimum of one (1) year of experience
• Any equivalent combination of related education and/or experience will be considered.
• All qualifications must be met by the time of employment.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Demonstrated excellence of all popular social media platforms and trends, with demonstrated ability to analyze trends and create strategic social media content plans accordingly
• Demonstrated excellence in writing social media posts
• Demonstrated experience interviewing, editing, videography, and photography, including the ability to distill and clarify ideas under pressure
• Familiarity with, and the ability to, become an expert on the University’s social media guidelines and personality
• Demonstrated ability to provide the highest quality of digital customer service
• Demonstrated ability to deal with sensitive and sometimes confidential issues appropriately, and work as a team in a crisis; skill in establishing and maintaining cooperative working relationships
• Skill in organizing tasks, documents and materials with efficiency and accuracy
• Ability to meet multiple deadlines and manage priorities and projects effectively
• Ability to work outside the traditional workweek when needed