Location
Hybrid: 1–2 days at our Support Centre in Coleshill, Birmingham.
Contract
12‑month fixed‑term contract – maternity cover.
Why The Works
We don’t just sell products. We inspire reading, learning, creativity and play. We unlock imagination and make creativity accessible to everyone. This role will shape our brand’s social presence and deliver measurable results.
Role Overview
As a commercially minded, insight‑driven Social Media Manager, you shape how our brand shows up in the world. You will lead our organic, paid and influencer channels, growing engaged communities and delivering content and campaigns that inspire and move the needle on performance.
Your Mission
You will bring our brand to life across every platform, growing engaged communities and delivering content and campaigns that not only inspire but also move the needle on performance. You’ll translate audience insight into action, champion bold ideas that elevate our storytelling, and deliver measurable results that support both brand visibility and trading priorities.
Responsibilities
Organic Social Strategy & Execution
* Evolve and deliver our organic social strategy with a clear focus on building brand fame, driving customer engagement and accelerating community growth.
* Develop weekly and monthly content plans shaped by audience insights, product launches, cultural moments and priority campaigns.
* Oversee day‑to‑day management of all social channels, particularly Instagram, TikTok and Facebook – ensuring consistent growth across reach, engagement and channel KPIs.
* Partner with the Brand Campaign team to bring our brand evolution to life through creative storytelling and innovative formats.
* Ensure all organic social activity is aligned with our brand campaigns, trading priorities and the wider marketing calendar.
* Collaborate with retail colleagues to shape local social media initiatives that bring our stores closer to their communities.
Paid Social Strategy & Performance
* Build and execute paid social strategies across Meta, TikTok and Pinterest, balancing brand fame with commercial performance.
* Lead campaign planning, audience targeting, creative briefing (with UGC creators and the internal design studio) and budget allocation.
* Identify top‑performing organic content and scale it through paid boosting strategies.
* Optimise campaigns continuously to improve ROAS, CPA, media efficiency and brand metrics including reach, awareness and engagement.
* Lead A/B testing across creative, copy, placements and audience segments to drive growth and improve efficiency.
* Monitor and report on performance using Meta Ads Manager, TikTok Ads Manager and GA4.
* Stay ahead of platform updates, algorithm shifts and emerging best practices, while managing relationships with platform representatives.
* Troubleshoot feed and technical issues, working collaboratively with development teams to drive digital performance forward.
* Provide insights and recommendations that influence broader channel strategy and support campaign execution across the full marketing mix.
Content Creation & Creative Collaboration
* Collaborate with the Creative Studio and external agencies to develop high‑performing, social‑first content.
* Oversee paid social content production, ensuring UGC creators deliver best‑in‑class, performance‑driven assets that drive consideration and conversion.
* Ensure all creative is insight‑led, platform‑relevant and aligned with brand direction.
Insights, Reporting & Competitor Analysis
* Lead analytics, reporting and KPI setting across organic social, paid social, influencers and affiliates.
* Deliver actionable insights and performance updates to key stakeholders across the business.
* Conduct ongoing competitor and market analysis to spot opportunities and inform future strategy.
* Proactively identify emerging social trends and work collaboratively across teams to activate timely and culturally relevant content.
Leadership
* Align goals with values to ensure the team’s goals clearly connect to the company’s purpose.
* Communicate expectations and provide regular updates, encouraging open dialogue and check‑ins.
* Lead by example, demonstrating punctuality, responsibility and brand ambassadorship.
* Provide constructive feedback and recognise achievements while addressing areas for improvement.
* Delegate tasks to build confidence and promote professional growth.
* Address conflicts promptly and fairly, fostering an environment for open discussion.
* Show empathy and understanding of team members’ perspectives.
Essential Experience
* 3+ years’ experience in Paid Social & Organic Social with hands‑on execution, performance optimisation and budget ownership.
* Proven success managing paid social campaigns across multiple platforms, ideally including Meta, TikTok and Pinterest.
* Strong understanding of audience segmentation, targeting strategies and full‑funnel campaign planning.
* Proficient with Meta Ads Manager, TikTok Ads Manager, Pinterest Ads Manager and their associated Business Suites.
* Experience working with affiliate platforms and managing relationships with agency account management teams.
* Demonstrated ability to manage and grow organic social channels through content strategy, community building and engagement initiatives.
* Experience managing influencers, creators or affiliate programmes, with an understanding of how each drives reach, consideration and conversion.
* Working knowledge of pixel implementation, server‑side tracking and attribution models.
* Experience building yearly budgets, forecasting performance and managing spend against targets.
Technical & Analytical Strengths
* Strong analytical mindset, with experience using GA4, Looker or similar tools to evaluate performance and identify opportunities.
* Ability to translate data into clear insights and actionable recommendations for both brand and performance channels.
* Experience with conversion APIs, offline events or server‑side tracking is beneficial.
* Comfortable developing and testing creative variations to understand what drives engagement and conversion across platforms.
Behavioural Strengths
* A creative storyteller who understands what resonates with audiences and how to express a brand in compelling, social‑first ways.
* Highly collaborative, working seamlessly with brand, creative, digital, buying and retail teams to deliver integrated activity.
* Passionate about social culture, platform innovation and emerging trends, with a natural instinct to spot opportunities early.
* A clear, confident communicator with strong organisational and project‑management skills.
* A motivating and positive leader who inspires trust, encourages experimentation and brings out the best in others.
Perks
* 25% Colleague Discount – plus exclusive double discount days.
* MyWorks – Access exclusive online discounts across hundreds of retailers, holidays, utilities and tech.
* Family Friendly Leave – enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay.
* Holiday – 33 days including bank holidays.
* Holiday Purchase – purchase an additional 5 days.
* Can-Do Academy – grow your skills and career with instant access to further training and development.
* Stream – claim early access to 50% of your wages as you earn them.
* Share Scheme – ownership opportunity in The Works.
* 24/7 support – Employee Assistance Programme and additional benefits.
* Healthcare Cash Plan – support everyday healthcare costs.
* Long Service Awards, pension, life assurance, Cycle to Work and optional charity giving.
Our Purpose
To inspire reading, learning, creativity and play.
Our Values
* Crafty – Smart with what we've got.
* Caring – Heart in every action.
* Can‑do – Energy that gets it done.
* We Listen. We Care.
Promoting Diversity, Inclusion and Reasonable Adjustments
At The Works, we are proud to have an inclusive culture where everyone truly feels able to be themselves. Our roles are open to all, including under‑represented groups such as ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, carers and members of the LGBTQ+ community. We are open to discussions around working hours and flexible working and, where possible, will support this. If you need reasonable adjustments for an interview you might attend with us, let us know in your application and we’ll be happy to help.
E‑mployment Equality
We do not discriminate on the basis of any protected characteristic – we value diversity and strive for equality in employment.
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