The Senior Social Media Manager will play a crucial role in leading Alzheimer's Research UK's social media function, driving supporter growth, brand awareness, engagement, and income; as well as significantly advancing our influencing and advocacy goals. This role is a key investment in transforming our social media output, aligning with the broader Digital, Data and Technology and Strategic Marketing plans that are developing our future operating model.
You will be responsible for developing and implementing a compelling, integrated, proactive and reactive organic social media strategy that positions Alzheimer's Research UK as the leading voice in dementia research in the UK. This role will ensure our social media presence consistently reflects the highest standards of quality and creativity, while driving our strategic roadmap across platforms. Beyond responding to conversations and trends, this role will help the charity contribute to discussions, shape narratives, and influence public dialogue in ways that support our mission and values. You will lead a talented and passionate team, continuing to build a high-performing environment and acting as a visible ambassador for our socials both internally and externally.
Main duties and responsibilities of the role:
Strategic Leadership
* Social Media Strategy Development:
Build on an existing comprehensive, integrated social media strategy aligned with our fundraising, brand, communication, influencing, and advocacy goals, ensuring it contributes to our organisational strategy.
* Team Leadership & Management:
Provide strong leadership and line management to the Social Media Manager, continue to build a high-performing social team of five others, setting clear objectives, and supporting their professional development.
* Cross-Organisational Integration:
Work closely with senior colleagues across the organisation to integrate social media into wider marketing and organisational objectives, ensuring a fully prioritised, holistic 'engagement-first' approach.
* Future-Proofing & AI Adoption:
Lead the strategic exploration, development, and implementation of AI tools within the social media function, identifying opportunities for AI while ensuring human guardianship for brand consistency and strategic alignment.
* Performance Reporting:
Be accountable for social media performance, providing detailed and accurate reporting to senior stakeholders, using data and insights to drive optimisation and inform future strategies.
Operational Excellence & Innovation
* Content Strategy & Oversight:
Oversee the development and delivery of proactive social media content that resonates with a range of audiences across multiple platforms (e.g. people with dementia/carers, decision-makers, supporters, wider public). This content should come from multiple teams and sources; and this role will focus on ensuring the highest levels of quality.
* Breaking News & Responsiveness:
Ensure the team can react quickly and appropriately to breaking news and channel-specific trends, developing and executing robust processes and protocols for rapid, impactful responses.
* Community Management Excellence:
Champion and oversee best-in-class community management, ensuring empathetic, timely, and on-brand interactions with our supporters, stakeholders and the public.
* Target Audience Engagement:
Work with teams across the organisation to develop and manage processes to engage with key target audiences including celebrities, influencers, politicians and fundraisers.
* Out-of-Hours Coverage:
Implement and manage a formalised structure for out-of-hours cover, ensuring consistent responsiveness and shared responsibility across the social team.
Collaboration & Empowerment
* Internal Training & Upskilling:
Drive internal digital and social literacy by providing expert guidance, training, and support to other teams across the organisation, enabling greater shared ownership of social media best practices.
* External Partner Management:
Provide strategic oversight and guardianship for any outsourced social media support, ensuring high standards of service, brand alignment, and value.
* Stakeholder Influence:
Influence and collaborate at the highest levels with senior stakeholders across the organisation, advocating for social media's critical role in achieving campaign and organisational goals.
Other Important Areas
* Continuous Improvement:
Proactively identify opportunities for innovation, experimentation, and optimisation across all social media activities.
* Passion for the Cause:
Demonstrate a genuine interest in dementia research and a commitment to our mission, enhancing motivation and engagement within the team and with supporters.
* Trend Monitoring:
Stay updated on social media trends, tools, and best practices to enhance content strategy and performance.
* Organisational Ambassador:
Act as a visible ambassador for Alzheimer's Research UK's values and mission, representing the organisation at internal and external events.
* Out of Hours Cover:
Prepared to provide pro-active support during weekends and evenings at key launch times for major initiatives, stories, and campaigns as required.
What we are looking for:
* Proven experience in developing and delivering comprehensive social media strategic plans within a complex organisation.
* Extensive experience in managing social media functions across multiple platforms, with a strong understanding of platform-specific nuances and best practices.
* Expertise in social media listening, data analysis, and reporting, with the ability to derive actionable insights to inform strategy and optimisation.
* Experience in managing and optimising social media management platforms and analytics tools.
* Excellent communication, presentation, and senior stakeholder management skills, with a proven ability to influence and collaborate at the highest levels.
* Experience in developing and delivering social media training and upskilling initiatives for non-specialist teams
* Strategic thinker with the ability to develop and implement effective social media strategies that align with organisational goals.
* Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with a data-driven approach to decision-making.
* Exceptional attention to detail and strong organisational skills, capable of managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
* Proactive, results-oriented, and able to drive change and innovation.
* Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to build strong relationships and foster collaboration across diverse teams.
* Demonstrates flexibility and adaptability, able to shift approach in an appropriate, respectful, and supportive manner. Prepared to work outside of traditional working hours when required.
* Ability to lead and inspire a team, developing them into trusted experts.
* A visible ambassador for the organisation, promoting Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion both internally and through social media.
Additional Information:
Ways of working:
As part of our Agile ways of working you will be required to work approximately 2 days a week from the office, which is subject to the requirements of the role and the business needs. Flexibility on where you work can be split between working from home and our office.
Roles that are classed as part of the Agile ways of working are not able to claim any costs for Mileage/Travel on Public Transport, Accommodation and/or Meals. This includes when attending the office for various meetings/events.
Our Office
: Our office is at 3 Riverside, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge, CB21 6AD.
Salary
: Circa £53,000 per annum, plus benefits.
Please download the Vacancy Pack on our website for more information.
The closing date for applications is the
7th September 2025
, with interviews being arrange once shortlisting has been completed. Please indicate in your covering letter if you are unable to attend an interview on a certain date. We would encourage you to submit your application at the earliest opportunity, as on occasion we may have to bring forward the interview date and/or the closing date based on the needs of the business. Although a possibility, this will only happen in exceptional circumstances. Please indicate in your covering letter if you are unable to attend an interview on a certain date.
We value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive culture where everyone can be themselves and reach their full potential. We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and cultures, in particular those from ethnic minority backgrounds who are currently under-represented. Any offer of employment is however subject to you having the right to work in the UK.
As part of our commitment to being an inclusive employer and ensuring fairness and consistency in our selection process, we will handle your CV and application with the utmost confidentiality. While we strive to anonymise your CV where possible, there are certain sections, such as the application question, that cannot be fully anonymised. We kindly ask that you remove any personal information, including your name, when answering the application question. The hiring panel will not have access to your personal details, such as your name and address, until you are invited for an interview. Should you require any adjustments at either the application or interview stage, please contact us at
How to apply:
Please create an online account using our Online Recruitment Platform which can be accessed through our Job Vacancies page. You will be able to attach your CV to your application and track the status of your application.
To view further details about working for us and the benefits we offer, please visit Alzheimer's Research UK