Social Media and E-Communications Specialist

Purpose of Position:

Macalester College seeks to hire a full-time Social Media and E-Communications Specialist to work in its Communications and Marketing department. This position utilizes social media and broadcast messaging tools to share the stories of Macalester students, alumni, faculty, and staff, and to promote college-sponsored events and programs. The Social Media and E-Communications Specialist builds connections between major constituent groups and the college and works to strengthen the college brand. This position monitors trends in social media and e-communication, analyzes and reports on relevant metrics, collaborates with campus departments to provide guidance for social media initiatives, and coordinates messaging across multiple departments and channels. The Social Media and E-Communications Specialist serves as a member of the web services team in Communications and Marketing and reports to the Director of Web Services.

Responsibilities:

• Plans, prepares, and posts content to the college’s social media properties. Works to ensure consistency of messages across multiple channels. Assists in the development, planning, and implementation of social media strategy that supports Macalester’s web and digital communications efforts. 
• Manages and promotes Macalester’s social media aggregator. Monitors aggregator content to ensure messaging is consistent with established guidelines and standards. 
• Establishes metrics, tracks social media influence measurements, and adjusts strategy based on those insights. Prepares reports to update staff on social insights. Continuously monitors social media properties and track relevant conversations, responding as needed or alerting colleagues to issues needing attention. 
• Researches new channels for relevance and identifies trends in social media tools and content. 
• Collaborates and partners with college departments to ensure proper messaging and relevance for social media properties. Provides training, coordination, and guidance for departments considering new social media initiatives. 
• Produces broadcast email messages including monthly alumni e-newsletter and provides consultation and guidance to colleagues who manage broadcast email messages to ensure effectiveness, quality, and consistency of messages across multiple departments. 
• Consults with college leadership and Communications staff on messaging around crisis communication.

Qualifications:

• At least 3-5 years of experience managing social media properties in a non-profit, agency, or corporate role. Expertise in writing content for a variety of channels including social networking sites, broadcast email, blogs, forums, websites. 
• Solid understanding of the social media landscape. Expert knowledge of social media channels and procedures for maintaining content on social networking sites, broadcast email, blogs, forums, websites. 
• Ability to embrace change and rapidly adapt to emerging trends in online communications. 
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills including proofreading. 
• Demonstrated experience in writing for the web and for social channels. Ability to adapt voice and style to message type and social channel. 
• Ability to analyze metrics and prepare reports to track social media impact, e-communication effectiveness, and constituent engagement in social media spaces. 
• Demonstrated ability to work both cooperatively and independently in a team-based work setting. 
• Proven success in managing multiple projects, meeting deadlines, adapting quickly to changing priorities, creative problem solving, and attention to detail and accuracy. 
• Strong web production skills preferred including understanding of and experience with HTML, XHTML, and CSS. Experience in video and audio editing and digital imagery desirable. 
• Ability to work creatively and collaboratively with faculty, staff, students, parents, and alumni from diverse ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds. 
• Proficient office technology skills, including web page maintenance and experience with digital marketing and newsletter tools, such as Exact Target or Vertical Response. 
• Bachelor’s degree is required. 
• An appreciation of the value of a liberal arts education. 
• Ability to work respectfully with sensitive and confidential information. 
• Demonstration and promotion of positive, professional relationships across campus that underscores confidence in Advancement among colleagues, and with our constituents.

Macalester employees enjoy a fantastic benefits package and working environment that is second to none.