(Hybrid) Social Media Specialist - Strategic Communications and Marketing

The Department of Strategic Communications and Marketing at West Virginia University is currently accepting applications for a Social Media Specialist.

About the Opportunity

The Social Media Specialist will conceptualize and create compelling content that helps tell the student story at WVU. They will balance a high level of writing, content creation, content development and editing with a savvy knowledge of social media monitoring, posting and engagement on a variety of platforms. The Social Media Specialist can produce high-quality social media posts and campaigns to support WVU Student Life and its efforts.

The Social Media Specialist should be a highly motivated self-starter who jumps at the chance to create fresh and engaging branded content daily. The Social Media Specialist will work across Student Life departments and closely with the University's marketing and communications teams to execute on-brand marketing initiatives but will also be encouraged and expected to execute original ideas.

They will manage the unit's social media platforms (Facebook, X, Instagram) on a day-to-day basis, which includes developing copy, 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.

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% 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 from the WVU Student Life account
  
• Daily posting/management/engagement on X from the WVU Student Life account
  
• Daily posting/management/engagement on Instagram from the WVU Student Life account
  
• Provide support of other social media accounts within Student Life (ex: WELLWVU, Student Engagement & Leadership, Adventure WV, etc.)
  
• 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 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 Life 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
• A minimum of one (1) year of experience in the following:
  
  
  
  • Developing and creating content
  • Engaging and expanding social media accounts
  
  
  
  
• 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

West Virginia University is a place of purpose and community. We take pride in our profound impact on the state of West Virginia and are committed to the personal and professional growth of our employees.

From the groundbreaking R1 research at our flagship campus in Morgantown to the career-oriented programs at WVU Potomac State in Keyser, and the technology-intensive programs at WVU Tech in Beckley, the contributions of WVU employees resonate across the state, touching lives and shaping futures.

At WVU, you will discover a supportive community that champions work-life balance and fosters a collaborative atmosphere. Our core values - service, curiosity, respect, accountability and appreciation - unite us as Mountaineers.

Join us at West Virginia University, where your work will make a lasting impact. To learn more about WVU, visit wvu.edu.

West Virginia University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We invite all qualified applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or Veteran status.