Social Media Manager

Social Media Manager

ArtCenter College of Design is searching for an experienced Social Media Manager to join our team. The salary range for this position: $75,000.00 - 85,000.00 Exempt. Final salary is based on education, experience, skills relevant to the role, and internal equity.

Founded in 1930 and located in Pasadena, California, ArtCenter College of Design is a global leader in art and design education and has had an international reputation for its rigorous, transdisciplinary curriculum, faculty of professionals, strong ties to industry, and commitment to socially responsible design. ArtCenter is a private nonprofit fully accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC).

Every position at ArtCenter plays an important part in carrying out the cultural values, goals, strategic vision, and mission of the College. This includes upholding and cultivating an inclusive, respectful, and welcoming environment where everyone feels a sense of belonging.

Reporting to the AVP, Communications and Media, the social media manager collaborates with campus partners to maintain a consistent institutional presence across social platforms while supporting governance standards, workflows, and performance optimization. The incumbent will support the strategy and execution of institutional social media operations for Marketing and Communications. The role manages the college's primary social media channels, develops engaging audience-centered content, and supports brand visibility, recruitment, and community engagement goals.

This is a full-time in-region position. Normal business hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or as defined by the department. The position is eligible for flexible scheduling and can be performed hybrid with the expectation of at least 3 days in the office or required as a condition of employment. The demands of this work may include weekends or evenings. The college reserves the right to modify schedules as needed to meet the business needs with appropriate notice.

Social Media Management and Content Creation — 60%

• Develop and manage day-to-day social media content planning and calendar, publishing, scheduling, monitoring, and community engagement across institutional social media channels
• Prioritize and execute social media strategies aligned with institutional marketing, enrollment, and engagement goals
• Serve as a strategic partner to Admissions, Advancement, academic divisions, student affairs and other campus stakeholders by guiding social media strategies in support of recruitment objectives, key initiatives/events, and engagement opportunities; translating needs into timely content
• Create, curate, and publish written, graphic, photographic, and video content optimized for platform audiences
• Maintain a consistent institutional brand voice and visual identity across social platforms
• Coordinate social media coverage for campus events, exhibitions, academic initiatives, student showcases, and institutional announcements
• Develop content that showcases ArtCenter, student work, faculty expertise, staff and executive leadership accomplishments, alumni achievements, exhibitions, events and industry partnerships while supporting enrollment, engagement and institutional visibility goals.
• Collaborate with marketing, admissions, academic departments, student affairs, advancement, and other campus partners to support integrated campaigns and storytelling efforts
• Monitor social media trends, audience behavior, and emerging platforms to identify opportunities for engagement and growth
• Monitor institutional mentions, audience sentiment/chatter, and emerging issues across social platforms
• Manage student and freelance/contract content creators

Governance, Collaboration and Operations — 25%

• Support institutional social media governance, including account standards, workflows, and operational guidelines
• Maintain alignment with institutional branding, accessibility, and digital communication standards
• Conduct periodic reviews of affiliated social media accounts to support consistency and best practices
• Provide guidance and training to campus partners managing social media channels
• Support workflow coordination, content planning, and publishing schedules across platforms
• Assist with social media risk management and escalation procedures related to reputation or crisis communications

Analytics and Optimization — 10%

• Track, analyze, and report on social media performance metrics, audience growth, engagement trends, and campaign effectiveness
• Use performance insights to support content optimization and strategic recommendations
• Maintain reporting dashboards and summaries for leadership and campus stakeholders

Non-Essential Duties — 5%

• Maintain memberships and active involvement in applicable professional organizations
• Serve on educational or college-wide committees, work groups, task forces and/or councils
• Enforce and follow ArtCenter policies, including safety protocols and implement policies as needed for the role
• Other duties as assigned

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in communications, marketing, public relations, journalism, digital media, or related field from an accredited college or university or any equivalent combination of training and experience
• 4 or more years of professional experience in social media management, digital communications, or content marketing
• Experience managing organizational social media channels and content strategy across major platforms
• Strong writing, storytelling, and visual communication skills with experience pitching ideas, creating multimedia content for social media platforms
• Understanding of creative industries, visual storytelling, and artist-centered content development
• Familiarity with social media management, scheduling, and analytics tools
• Knowledge of social media best practices, audience engagement strategies, accessibility standards, and digital communication trends
• Strong organizational, project management, and problem-solving skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines
• Strong collaboration and relationship building skills across cross-functional teams
• Ability to maintain brand standards while identifying opportunities for innovation and process improvement
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and familiarity with project management tools preferred
• Ability to handle confidential information with tact and discretion and recognizes the confidential nature of ArtCenter business
• Demonstrated experience in cultivating an inclusive, respectful, and welcoming environment into workplace practices within ArtCenter's diverse communities of faculty, staff, students and visitors
• Ability to enforce, follow, and implement policies and procedures

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in higher education, arts and culture, nonprofit, or creative organizations
• Experience supporting enrollment marketing or student recruitment communications
• Experience with photography, videography, and short-form video content creation
• Familiarity with reputation management and crisis communication practices
• Exposure to paid social campaigns and performance reporting

ArtCenter is fully committed to fostering a culture that values diversity, equity, inclusion, access and belonging not only in vision but in practice. Our path forward is predicated on our belief that multiple points of view, life experiences, ethnicities, cultures and belief systems are essential to academic and creative excellence. We strive to learn more about difference while respecting the rich diversity in our world, attending to important questions about racial injustice and decolonizing our curriculum. Our campus environment must be vigilant in supporting the full participation of students, faculty, and staff of every race, color, ethnicity, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, marital status, religion, sexual orientation, age, disability, veteran status, socioeconomic status and political viewpoint.

ArtCenter is committed to a policy of equal employment opportunity and does not discriminate against its employees or applicants on the basis of race (including hair texture and protective hairstyle), color, religion (includes religious dress and grooming practices), sex/gender (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and/or related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, medical condition (genetic characteristics, cancer, or a record or history of cancer), military or veteran status, national origin, ancestry, disability (mental and physical, including HIV/AIDS, cancer, and genetic characteristics), genetic information, request for family care or medical leave, age (over 40), criminal background (Fair Chance Act), reproductive health decision-making, off-duty and off-premises cannabis use, or any other actual or perceived characteristic protected by applicable state or federal law. Equal employment opportunity is extended to all persons in all aspects of the employer-employee relationship, including without limitation, recruitment, hiring, upgrading, learning and professional development, promotion, compensation, benefits, leave of absence, transfer, discipline, layoff, recall and termination. This commitment applies to all persons involved in the operations of ArtCenter and prohibits unlawful discrimination by any employee of ArtCenter. Applicants who wish to request an accommodation for a disability may contact the Office of Employee Experience and Engagement at (626) 3