Social Media Manager (Milton Keynes, ENG, GB, MK7 6AA)
Salary: £
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About the Role
The Social Media Manager will generate engaging creative content for the OU’s social channels. They will particularly focus on the OUs growing social channels and video content as part of delivering greater reach plan and reaching new key audiences.
The role will play a key creative part in contributing to OU external communications campaigns and will advise on channel engagement and campaign delivery.
They will work as part of a community of communications professionals alongside the nations, faculties and other units in encouraging their creation of ‘social ready’ content.
In addition, the role will advise key university practitioners, in other units and faculties, on social media best practice, policy and delivery.
Key Responsibilities
* Create, and share organic social media content, across core university accounts with a focus on communications objectives including delivering the greater reach plan and other key strategic plans.
* Daily management of the team of student content creators, ensuring content plans are kept up-to-date and there is a regular stream of content across our channels that aligns with the social media strategy.
* Leading on the generation and curation of video content for growth social media channels such as TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.
* Playing a creative role in developing campaigns in conjunction with colleagues across Marcomms, ensuring they are high impact, reach key audiences and deliver OU key messages.
* Keep abreast of new and emerging social media advancements, ensuring that best practice knowledge is spread throughout the communications community.
* Daily community management of core university social media channels, identifying opportunities for engagement, use of user generated content and potential reputational risks.
* Supporting, as part of the wider communications team, on reputational management issues.
* Work with the Senior Social Media Manager to continuously improve social media output and performance by capturing and analysing campaign and social media metrics, utilising insights derived to make recommendations and acting on information in a timely manner.
* Alongside another Social Media Manager, lead on the planning of social media activity, ensuring content aligns to the social media strategy and greater reach plan.
* Feeding back insights into the overall Marcomms evaluation processes.
* Manage the delivery of any campaigns and projects to time and budget adhering to team and unit processes and governance structures.
* Ensure social media toolkits, policies and processes remain up to date and reflect trends in social media tools, applications, channels, design and strategy.
About You
Essential Requirements
* Proven experience of working extensively with a brand or large organisation’s social media channels including, but not limited to, Instagram, TikTok. YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook, Bluesky and X, and creating multimedia content including short-form video.
* Prior experience of using social media channels for a brand/large organisation to build engagement with key audiences and develop highly engaged and affiliated communities.
* Extensive experience of planning, creating and implementing complex communications projects and campaigns, across a wide media mix and developing content for integrated campaigns including video assets, graphics and live social media events.
* Demonstrable experience of monitoring social media performance, providing analytics and measures for evaluating campaign performance, working with tools like social media scheduling and listening tools.
* Advanced skills in Adobe PhotoShop/Illustrator or similar, Adobe Premier Pro or similar video editing software and Canva.
* Expert knowledge and understanding of the core social media platforms and social media trends.
* Excellent copywriting skills – a proven ability to write clear, engaging copy for different audiences and platforms.
Desirable Requirements
* Experience of developing paid social media as part of social media campaigns.
* Experience of working in the higher education sector.
* Experience of working independently, hybrid and as part of a team, taking lead responsibility for tasks.
* Experience of working across an organisation with a range of people of different seniority levels.
Support with your application
If you have any questions, or need support or adjustments relating to your application, the recruitment process, or the role, please contact us on or email quoting the advert reference number.
What's in it for you?
At The Open University, we offer a range of benefits to recognise and reward great work, alongside policies and flexible working that contribute towards a great work life balance. Get all the details of what benefits we offer by visiting our Staff Benefits page (clicking this link will open a new window).
Flexible working
We are open to discussions about flexible working. Whether it’s a job share, part time, compressed hours or another working arrangement. Please reach out to us to discuss what works best for you.
Work location
It is anticipated that a hybrid working pattern can be adopted for this role, where you can work from home and the office. However, as this role is contractually aligned to our Milton Keynes office it is expected that you will attend the office at least twice per month, and in response to business needs such as unit-wide meetings and our degree ceremonies
Next steps in the Recruitment process
If shortlisted, we anticipate interviews taking place via MS Teams on 12th November.
Early closing date notification
We may close this job advert earlier than the published closing date where a satisfactory number of applications are received. We would therefore encourage early applications.
How to apply
To apply for this role please submit the following document(s):
* CV
* Supporting statement (this should be no more than 1000 words and tailored to the Job Description of the role, outlining how you meet the essential and desirable criteria listed above).
You can view your progress and application communications when you are logged into our recruitment system. Please check your spam/junk folders if you do not receive associated email updates.