Social Media Manager

The social media manager implements Denison’s organic social media strategy, managing the University’s presence across all organic social platforms. This role is both strategic and highly creative, playing a central role in shaping how the world sees the university, and thrives at the intersection of brand storytelling, digital culture, and audience engagement.

Content management is a major responsibility of this role, specifically planning, creating, and publishing compelling content tailored for each platform, with support from creators within University Communications & Marketing (UCM). From showcasing student life and academic excellence to amplifying alumni success and major institutional milestones, the social media manager ensures Denison’s story is told with clarity and imagination. The person in this role will translate the university's brand into a dynamic digital experience that resonates with prospective students, families, alumni, donors, and national audiences.

The social media manager is an effective collaborator and project manager, routinely partnering with UCM colleagues as well as campus partners. The role serves as a thought leader on social media, influencing process, brand representation, and content development across campus. The role effectively uses performance data to improve content reach and engagement over time and produces monthly insights reports.

The social media manager implements Denison’s organic social media strategy, managing the University’s presence across all organic social platforms. This role is both strategic and highly creative, playing a central role in shaping how the world sees the university, and thrives at the intersection of brand storytelling, digital culture, and audience engagement.

Content management is a major responsibility of this role, specifically planning, creating, and publishing compelling content tailored for each platform, with support from creators within University Communications & Marketing (UCM). From showcasing student life and academic excellence to amplifying alumni success and major institutional milestones, the social media manager ensures Denison’s story is told with clarity and imagination. The person in this role will translate the university's brand into a dynamic digital experience that resonates with prospective students, families, alumni, donors, and national audiences.

The social media manager is an effective collaborator and project manager, routinely partnering with UCM colleagues as well as campus partners. The role serves as a thought leader on social media, influencing process, brand representation, and content development across campus. The role effectively uses performance data to improve content reach and engagement over time and produces monthly insights reports.

Essential Functions

• Manage and implement the University’s social media strategy, ensuring alignment with Denison’s strategic priorities, brand characteristics, and key messages.

• Plan and develop a social media content calendar, capture and create the content, both individually and with partner support, and publish the content to Denison’s channels.

• Serve as a brand ambassador across platforms by expressing Denison’s priorities in ways that are authentic, inspiring, and compelling to key audiences.

• Create and direct high-quality content including short-form video, TikTok/Reels, photography, and editorial/post copy.

• Curate a social feed that feels vibrant, modern, and unmistakably Denison — pushing creative boundaries while upholding brand excellence.

• Monitor conversations, respond thoughtfully, and engage communities in real time to foster trust, belonging, and a sense of campus energy.

• Partner with storytellers across UCM and campus to spot emerging narratives and elevate stories of student success, academic innovation, faculty leadership, and alumni accomplishments.

• Provide social media leadership for major university announcements, events, brand campaigns, and rankings releases.

• Evaluate performance through analytics and make data-informed recommendations for optimization, growth, and engagement.

• Use analytics tools to develop monthly reports that provide content performance updates and useful insights for

• Maintain social governance and support campus partners in running Denison-branded accounts with consistency and strategic alignment.

• Hire, train, and mentor student content creators to extend Denison’s reach with authentic student perspectives.

• Stay current on digital trends, platform updates, creative best practices, and the competitive higher ed landscape.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, marketing, digital media, or a related field.

• 3-4 years of professional experience managing an organization’s social media accounts.

• Expertise with video-first content creation, editing, and social storytelling formats.

• High-level writing, copyediting, and visual storytelling skills and work examples.

• Experience with analytics tools and data-informed content planning.

• Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends as events require.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in higher education, nonprofit, or mission-driven brand marketing.

• Experience managing student employees or early-career creatives.

• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud, Canva, or similar creative tools.

• Proficiency using HubSpot, SproutSocial, or HeyOrca.

Compensation & Benefits

The salary range for this role is $65,000 - $72,000 annually. Denison offers a generous comprehensive benefits package, including healthcare coverage, retirement contributions, and paid vacation. This position requires on-campus content gathering, including occasional nights and weekends, but is eligible for hybrid work.