Social Strategy Director

VML South Africa; Dubai; On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

A dynamic agency is seeking a Social Strategy Director to lead social media initiatives across clients in the EME region. The selected candidate will ensure social strategies align with global standards while fostering local engagement. Responsibilities include managing social briefs, overseeing content creation, and collaborating with various departments to ensure integration of social efforts. Ideal candidates should have a strong background in social media management with 12+ years of experience, especially within FMCG markets, and a proven track record of overseeing large-scale campaigns.

Qualifications

• 12+ years of experience in social media management or a similar role, preferably within a large, multi-market organization.
• FMCG Social Experience.
• Experience working in the EME market or other culturally diverse environments.

Responsibilities

• Drive the social agenda across client brands while ensuring alignment with global social strategies.
• Oversee the development and execution of a connected social strategy across paid, organic, and influencer channels.
• Lead efforts to grow social performance within the category.

Skills

Strategic Vision

Cross-functional Collaboration

Creative Excellence

Project Management

Analytical Insights

Financial Acumen

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Communications, Business, or related field

Job description

At VML, we are a beacon of innovation and growth in an ever-evolving world. Our heritage is built upon a century of combined expertise, where creativity meets technology, and diverse perspectives ignite inspiration. With the merger of VMLY&R and Wunderman Thompson, we have forged a new path as a growth partner that is part creative agency, part consultancy, and part technology powerhouse.

Our global family now encompasses over 30,000 employees across 150+ offices in 64 markets, each contributing to a culture that values connection, belonging, and the power of differences. Our expertise spans the entire customer journey, offering deep insights in communications, commerce, consultancy, CRM, CX, data, production, and technology. We deliver end-to-end solutions that result in revolutionary work.

SUMMARY OF THE ROLE

Social media is not just a touchpoint for advertising, it's a two-way street to engage and build brand love with our consumers on their favorite channels. Ambition is to deliver best in class social media capabilities for the client.

TheSocial Strategy Director is responsible for driving the social agenda across client brands within the EME region, ensuring alignment with global social strategies and delivering social-first content that elevates brand visibility and engagement.

The role will be the main point of contact for the Client Social Lead and wider team, managing incoming social briefs and coordinating with internal departments including Creative, Integration, Media, and Production. The Director will oversee the development and execution of a connected social strategy across paid, organic, and influencer channels, ensuring alignment with brand goals and local nuances.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Act as the primary point of contact for the Client Social Lead, Cluster Leads and broader Social team.
• Manage incoming social briefs and work closely with internal departments (Creative, Integration, Media, Production) to ensure consistent social integration within charters.
• Facilitate communication and collaboration across departments to drive excellence in social content delivery.
• Stakeholder management is crucial for the success of this role

Strategic Oversight & Social Integration

• Drive social consistency and creative excellence across all social touchpoints, ensuring all content aligns with overarching brand strategies.
• Oversee and implement holistic social strategies that integrate paid, organic, and influencer channels.
• Ensure local market nuances are considered and integrated into evergreen social strategies for enhanced regional relevance.

Social-at-the-Core Strategy

• Ensure deliverables align with a "social-at-the-core" strategy.
• Maintain brand consistency by overseeing day-to-day charter management, execution, and governance of social strategies.

Strategic Planning & Social Transformation

• Create and deliver comprehensive social-first strategies for brands, working closely with subject matter experts (SMEs) to deliver on social transformation objectives.
• Provide paid, influencer, and social recommendations, backed by insights, to drive business objectives.

Collaboration with Integration Teams

• Partner with the Integration Team and cluster directors to ensure the successful delivery of toolkits.
• Oversee the global and other charters, ensuring they fit within the full-year social calendar, especially for legendary brands.

Social Planning & Cross-Functional Integration

• Lead the Social Planning Taskforce to integrate social, influencer, and paid strategies.
• Ensure alignment between various disciplines (creative, influencer, media) for seamless execution.

Performance Growth & Financial Oversight

• Lead efforts to grow social performance within the category.
• Be responsible for financial planning, budget oversight, and documentation related to social campaigns.
• Work closely with finance teams to monitor, track, and report on social budget spend and ROI.

KEY SKILLS & CAPABILITIES:

• Strategic Vision: Ability to drive long-term social strategies while managing day-to-day operations.
• Cross-functional Collaboration and Stakeholder Management: Experience working with multiple departments and leading cross-functional teams to ensure alignment and seamless project execution.
• Creative Excellence: Proven track record in delivering creative, engaging, and innovative social content.
• Paid, Organic & Influencer Expertise: Deep understanding of social ecosystems across paid, organic, and influencer channels, and how they intersect with brand strategy.
• Social-first Mindset: Ability to shape and influence a “social-at-the-core” approach in all campaigns and deliverables.
• Project Management: Strong organizational and project management skills to oversee multiple campaigns and ensure timely delivery.
• Analytical Insights: Ability to translate data and insights into actionable recommendations for ongoing optimization.
• Financial Acumen: Experience with budget planning, financial management, and ensuring campaigns deliver ROI.

EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

• FMCG Social Experience
• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Communications, Business, or a related field.
• 12+ years of experience in social media management or a similar role, preferably within a large, multi-market organization.
• Experience working in the EME market or other culturally diverse environments.
• Proven track record in managing large-scale social campaigns and cross-functional teams across multiple markets

Not sure if you have what it takes? We encourage you to apply if you think you’d be a great candidate for this position—even if you may not have all the desired qualifications

We believe the best work happens when we're together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection. That's why we’ve adopted a hybrid approach, with teams in the office an average of four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process.

WPP (VML) is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to characteristics. We are committed to fostering a culture of respect in which everyone feels they belong and has the same opportunities to progress in their careers.

When you click "Submit Application", this will send any information you add below to VML. Before you do this, we think it's a good idea to read through ourRecruitment Privacy Policy . California residents should read ourCalifornia Recruitment Privacy Notice . This explains what we do with your personal data when you apply for a role with us, and, how you can update the information you have provided us with or how to remove it.

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When you click "Submit Application", this will send any information you add below to VML. Before you do this, we think it's a good idea to read through our Recruitment Privacy Policy . California residents should read our California Recruitment Privacy Notice . This explains what we do with your personal data when you apply for a role with us, and, how you can update the information you have provided us with or how to remove it.