Manager, Social Media

Job Overview:

Under the general guidance of the Associate Vice President of Communications and in close alignment with the Associate Vice President of Marketing, the Social Media Manager will lead paid and organic social media campaign strategies for Adler University’s three-campus system. This position will also be responsible for producing compelling creative content to drive meaningful results across the University’s social platforms, including Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. The Social Media Manager provides thought-leadership to the university while leveraging industry knowledge and best practices to promote the mission and vision of the communications and marketing department and the institution. Supports culture development and management efforts.

Education/Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in marketing, advertising, digital media, design, or related discipline is required.
• Minimum of five (5) years of organic and paid social media campaign management and optimization experience is required.
• Minimum of five (5) years of experience designing, developing, and executing comprehensive digital assets for social media campaigns is required.
• Experience in higher education, non-profit institutions, or agencies is preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes

• Editorial mindset with an understanding of how to create content appropriate for social platforms and their specific audiences.
• Working knowledge of social media management platforms.
• Strong demonstration of alignment with Adler’s social justice mission and vision.
• Documented experience developing and implementing effective paid and organic social media strategies with solid understanding of advertising optimization and content performance metrics.
• Demonstrated ability to develop conceptual visual ideas and execute against them as social media campaign.
• Proficient and functional knowledge of M.S. Office and Adobe creative suite (Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator).
• Basic understanding of videography and photography preferred but not required.
• Experience coordinating with creative agencies, videographers, and photographers.
• Ability to consistently identify opportunities for improvement and make recommendations based on observations.
• Strong demonstration of alignment with Adler’s social justice mission and vision.
• Strong critical thinking, problem-solving and visioning acumen.
• Ability to proactively identify challenges and barriers to stated objective and employ assistance in addressing these.
• Strong collaboration acumen and abilities.
• Demonstration of Emotional Intelligence and professional maturity.
• Strong research acumen and abilities.
• Strong communication acumen including written, oral, and listening.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

Strategy Development & Reporting:

• Develop paid and organic social media strategies and content calendars for Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
• Research, report, and provide recommendations based on best practices and the latest social trends, including platform updates, advertising formats, creative execution, and the tools and technologies needed to elevate social efforts and improve performance.
• Implement and maintain performance reports to highlight areas of growth and opportunity, specifically for paid content performance against KPIs for optimization and testing as needed to improve results.

Content Development:

• Lead the creation of social content for lead generation that engages various audiences, including prospective students and University donors.
• Develop static and motion content using Adobe Creative Suite or similar, or through coordination with outside creative agencies, designers, videographers, or photographers
• Ensure all content adheres to the University’s brand and editorial style guides.
• Generate new ideas to increase engagement and grow target audiences.

Collaboration:

• Cross-functional collaboration across Communications & Marketing, faculty and staff across the three campuses, and external agencies to develop creative, strategic content and campaigns.
• Partner with the Associate Vice President of Marketing to execute paid social strategy and content development.
• Serve as social media adviser to Adler University community, helping people use their social media presence to benefit the University.

Work Environment (Physical Demands): The usual and customary methods of performing the jobs functions require the following physical demands: some lifting, carrying, pushing, and/or pulling and significant fine finger dexterity. Generally, the job requires 80% sitting, 10% walking, and 10% standing. This job is performed in a generally clean and healthy environment.

The Social Media Manager is a full-time position in Chicago with a hybrid schedule, working on campus and remotely.

Universal Core Behaviors:

Communication:

• Effectively expresses oneself in all oral and written communications.
• Exhibits good listening and comprehension skills.
• Keeps others informed, as well as responds, in a timely manner.
• Demonstrates match between words and actions.
• Responds with tact, diplomacy, respect, and composure when dealing with others.
• Promotes the spirit and essence of the School’s Vision, Mission, Values, and Key Strategies through both verbal and written communication.

Teamwork and Collaboration:

• Cooperates with others toward the achievement of common goals.
• Seeks consensus and win-win solutions to problems and conflicts.
• Contributes actively and participates fully in team initiatives.
• Puts success of the team above own interests.
• Builds and maintains constructive work relationships.

Responsive to Change:

• Supports changes in the work environment.
• Displays a proactive, problem-solving approach toward work.
• Committed to life-long learning by continuously increasing skills, knowledge and effectiveness.
• Actively seeks and initiates creative and innovative solutions.
• Exercises sound, accurate, and informed independent judgment when needed.

Quality-Driven and Accountable:

• Results-oriented and committed to quality through continuous process improvement.
• Eliminates ineffective activities and closes performance gaps.
• Anticipates and responds to customer needs.
• Monitors own performance, accept responsibility for actions, and actively seeks feedback.
• Meets deadlines and completes projects and activities in a professional, timely manner.
• Seeks opportunities to increase productivity and/or reduce costs while maintaining highest quality standards (fiscally responsible).

Support of Vision, Mission, Values, Key Strategies:

• Supports and models the School’s Values of: social interest, compassion, justice, respect for the individual, honors diversity and difference, intellectual rigor, optimism and collaboration.
• Articulates the School’s Vision, Mission, and Key Strategies in a way to educate others.
• Demonstrates active commitment in advancing the School’s Vision, Mission, and Key Strategies.
• Exhibits personal integrity, honesty, zeal, and compassion.
• Aligns work processes to advance the School’s strategic plan and key strategies.

Equal Opportunity Employer

It is the policy of Adler University that all persons are entitled to Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) protection. The University does not discriminate against any individual for employment because of age, religion, race, color, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, marital status, physical or mental disability, military status (including unfavorable discharge from the military), or any other category protected by federal, state, or local law.

As part of the Adler's equal employment opportunity policy, Adler will also take affirmative action to ensure that minority group individuals, females, disabled veterans, recently separated veterans, other protected veterans, Armed Forces service medal veterans, and qualified disabled persons are introduced into our workforce and considered for promotional opportunities.