We are looking for a Head of Social Media to manage our presence across platforms including (but not limited to) Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube.

We see this as a key editorial, strategic and managerial position within the organisation and hope to attract an exceptional candidate who understands the importance and potential of the role.

Social media is a crucial editorial output, often perceived as our ‘voice’. It is how we get articles, audio and video content to our existing audience and how we reach new ones. It is also increasingly how we respond first to breaking news and fill gaps in our coverage.

The successful candidate will ultimately be equal to the heads of articles, audio and video in terms of editorial input and seniority within Novara Media (NM). It is a new role, and as such, you will play a key part in shaping it. This means a constructive and flexible approach is crucial, as well as a willingness to innovate.

You will be expected to integrate into existing teams, working closely with section heads to develop workflows and intelligent, bespoke strategies to optimise their content.

You will also be responsible for creating a strategy to grow our audience on each existing and any important emergent social media platform. This will involve commissioning and creating social-first content. Eventually we would like you to expand and develop the social media team, including by making new hires, working with freelancers and handling budgets.

You will need excellent copywriting skills and experience in journalism; a keen political sense and active engagement with current affairs; impeccable attention to detail and a thorough understanding of different social platforms and how they can be used to reach new audiences, including those we may currently be neglecting.

You will be able to balance day-to-day content demands with planning ahead to successfully create, implement and monitor growth strategies. You will be able to work well with existing teams and to manage your own, but also to make autonomous decisions about editorial and strategic priorities, resource allocation and section development. You will be unflappable, ‘always on’, tapped into what’s happening and willing to work flexible hours to fulfil the needs of a growing media organisation.

We particularly encourage women and BAME applicants.

Key Responsibilities

• Run all of NM’s social media channels (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, YouTube).
• Have ultimate editorial oversight and social media sign-off – including gathering, accepting and rejecting content ideas from other staff as appropriate.
• Be confident embodying the voice of NM across social media channels.
• Ensure all social copy is to a high standard and free of errors.
• Integrate into existing teams and create efficient workflows.
• Create strategies to optimise articles, video and audio content.
• Create platform-specific assets derived from our articles, video and audio content.
• Gain an understanding of NM’s content, talent and production capacity and know how to efficiently use our existing resources to their best potential.
• Create breaking news social media content.
• Coordinate original social-first reporting, eg protest coverage.
• Identify evergreen content and work on repackaging it.
• Increase our social media following on all platforms.
• Be obsessed with metrics and confident suggesting improvements.
• Research best practice, trends and platform developments, eg algorithm changes, emerging platforms/audiences.
• Manage a small team of social media producers and develop the foundations and strategy for a larger team.
• Manage a budget to commission freelancers and license content.
• Participate in NM business and/or editorial strategy meetings as required (upon completion of probationary period).

Person Specification

Essential

• Experience in journalism and/or a relevant degree/diploma (NCTJ, MA in Journalism).
• Experience in a social media role at a relevant organisation.
• Knowledge of media law.
• Interest in news, current affairs, British politics and the global left.
• Strong editorial judgement.
• An excellent written and verbal communicator.
• Excellent copywriting skills.
• Meticulous attention to detail.
• Very organised.
• Passionate about social media.
• Flexible, resilient and switched on; good at problem-solving; constructive; able to plug gaps and to impose order onto chaos.

Desirable

• Graphic design skills.
• Video editing skills.
• Newsroom experience.
• Your own established social media presence.

 

Location: You will be expected to work primarily in our London offices – although partial remote working is possible and exceptions can be made for the right candidate.

Hours: 32 hours per week, with the expectation that you will work flexibly including evenings and weekends as required.

Pay: £31,616 per annum (actual)

 

Applicants should prepare a CV and a supporting statement of up to 400 words explaining why they’re a great hire for this role, and for NM. Shortlisted applicants will be contacted for interviews to be held at the NM offices in Bermondsey or remotely on 13 December.

Send your application in a single email to [email protected] with HEAD OF SOCIAL MEDIA in the subject line.

Closing date: 7 December 2022