Social Media Specialist

Competition 1179

This competition is open to all applicants however; internal candidates and applicants who were former employees of the University of Alberta in the past 18 months will be given priority consideration before external candidates. Please log in to verify your internal candidate status.

This position is a part of the Non-Academic Staff Association (NASA).

This position offers a comprehensive benefits package which can be viewed at: Faculty & Staff Benefits.

Location - Work primarily takes place at Enterprise Square, Jasper Avenue, Edmonton. This role is hybrid with a mix of remote and in-person.

Working at the University of Alberta

The University of Alberta acknowledges that we are located on Treaty 6 territory, and respects the histories, languages and cultures of First Nations, Métis, Inuit and all FirstPeoples of Canada, whose presence continues to enrich our vibrant community.

The University of Alberta is a community of knowledge seekers, change makers and world shapers who lead with purpose each and every day. We are home to over 14,000 faculty and staff, more than 40,000 students and a growing community of 300,000 alumni worldwide.

Your work will have a meaningful influence on a fascinating cross-section of people —from our students and community members, to our renowned researchers and innovators, making discoveries and generating solutions that make the world healthier, safer, stronger and more just. Learn more.

Working for the Department

About the University of Alberta Marketing Department:

Stories teach us. They drive knowledge. Shape who we are and the way we understand the world. Teach us about our past. And help us imagine our future. Social media is a powerful storytelling platform. We share proactive and collaborative content on social media that engages our audience and demonstrates how we lead with purpose. We are One University telling the stories of change-makers, community builders, and world shapers leading with purpose—in pursuit of the public good.

Position 

Reporting to the Director of Brand, the Social Media Specialist will help to develop and execute the University of Alberta’s social media strategy to build brand awareness, drive acquisition (student, fundraising, revenue) and engagement, manage issues, and build an interactive social community.

As a Social Media Specialist, you will be responsible for tactical social media planning, content creation, and campaign activation for a variety of University programs and accounts. This role is ideal for someone who is well-versed in all major social media platforms and content management tools (including experience with design, copywriting, photography, and videography for social media).

Duties 

• Administers U of A social media accounts ensuring up-to-date and audience-focused content.
• Coordinates content, postings, comment responses and review responses on our social media platforms.
• Creates and schedules posts on various social media platforms, including Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok etc.
• Writes post copy, crafts social titles, and creates compelling graphics for each social post optimized by channel.
• Responds appropriately to social media comments and messages, in a timely manner and monitors audience engagement. 
• Provides on brand responses and assistance to community members.
• Helps to grow the University’s social media presence (grow # of followers, increase engagement, etc).
• Helps to harness the power of social media during difficult times to keep our communities informed and engaged.
• Provides additional community management support to the Media Strategy and Issues Management teams during times of crisis when needed.
• Regularly monitors channel metrics and delivers reporting to expert and non-expert audiences.
• Content Creation: use design, photo, and video tools both in-platform and out of platform to build content.
• Software Management: assist with the administration of institutional social media software tools like Sprout Social and Meta.

Minimum Qualifications 

• Bachelor’s degree, diploma, or certification in marketing or a related field (digital marketing preferred)
• 3+ years of experience working in professional social media marketing or content development
• 3+ years of experience using design, photo, and video tools both in-platform and out of platform to create social content (reels, TikToks,  Lumen5, Canva etc).
• Demonstrated success working with core social and video-sharing platforms for business (Meta/Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, TikTok)
• Demonstrated success collaborating with creative teams and contributing your own ideas to bring social strategies to life
• Demonstrated experience using social media management and reporting tools (Meta, Sprout Social, Hootsuite etc.) 
• Demonstrated ability in building target audiences on social media and creating content to meet audience interests
• Demonstrated understanding of social media KPIs and how to communicate them to larger stakeholder groups
• Demonstrated success writing online copy within a community engagement or management context
• Solid organization and time management skills; detail-oriented and ability to focus and work efficiently in a demanding, fast-paced team environment
• Strong interpersonal communication skills both written and oral and the ability to work with all levels of staff and management
• Ability to work on a flexible schedule as this position is directly connected to community needs which will sometimes require weeknight and weekend hours.

Preferred Qualifications 

• Experience in the post-secondary environment or a large, complex organization is considered an asset
• Knowledge of digital accessibility principles as they apply to social media is considered an asset