Senior Specialist, Social Media Strategy

University of Ottawa; Ottawa; On-site; CAD 90,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Ottawa seeks a Senior Specialist in Social Media Strategy to enhance its digital presence and manage reputation. This role is pivotal in creating engaging content, strategic planning, and monitoring public issues while advising various departments. A bachelor's degree and five years of experience are required for this full-time position.

Qualifications

• Requires a bachelor’s degree related to communication or marketing.
• Five years’ experience in managing public issues and social media strategies.
• Bilingualism in English and French is essential.

Responsibilities

• Monitors and manages reputational risks on social media.
• Advises departments on social media best practices.
• Develops innovative digital communication strategies.

Skills

Crisis management

Strategic planning

Community engagement

Platform mastery

Data-driven insights

Proactive problem-solving

Creative campaign development

Education

Bachelor’s degree in communication, public relations, marketing or a related field

Tools

Google Analytics

Social media management software

Job description

Senior Specialist, Social Media Strategy page is loaded

Senior Specialist, Social Media Strategy

Apply locations Ottawa, ON Main Campus time type Full time posted on Posted Today time left to apply End Date: June 23, 2025 (10 days left to apply) job requisition id JR25109

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Job Type:

Employee

Duration in Months(for fixed-term jobs):

N/A

Job Family:

Digital Marketing

# of Open Positions:

1

Faculty/Service - Department:

Manager, Content Marketing

Campus:

Main Campus

Union Affiliation:

SSUO

Date Posted:

juin 12, 2025

Applications must be received BEFORE :

juin 23, 2025

Hours per week:

35

Salary Grade:

SSUO Grade 11

Salary Range:

$90987,00 - $114932,00

Position Purpose
As a key member of Communications and Public Affairs and a close adviser to the Office of Communications and Government Relations and its team, plays a critical, multifaceted role in reputation management for the University and attainment of uOttawa strategic objectives. Whether through daily monitoring of emerging public issues, proactive management of ongoing issues, management of University social media accounts (including that of the Office of the President), creation of engaging, strategic content or advising senior managers and their teams across the campus, serves as both champion and defender of the University’s reputation. Relying on own judgement, experience and expertise, oversees implementation of strategies, recommends possible solutions while considering their potential consequences and elicits community engagement on social media.

In this role, your responsibilities will include:

• Public issue oversight: Monitors issues that represent a risk to the University’s reputation and proposes relevant solutions to senior management. Produces data on general feelings about the University as expressed on various platforms. Monitors social media to ensure brand awareness.
• Consultant services: Provides expert advice to members of the faculties and services, to guide them in managing their own accounts. Shares social media best practices and trends to ensure that content is of high quality and complies with relevant policies and procedures. Monitors performance indicators, identifies opportunities and offers solutions. Offers faculties and services advice, tools or training on social media. Manages stakeholder expectations and works with members of different teams to achieve competing priorities in a dynamic, rapidly evolving environment.
• Strategic planning: Develops and implements innovative digital communication strategies and marketing campaigns related to University objectives and works with faculties and key services on implementation. Creates a monthly social media strategy to support and enhance the University’s initiatives and image. Uses social media to amplify key messages and encourage organic content marketing through strategic, creative communication.
• Client relations management: Serves as main contact person for clients, particularly Communications and Government Relations. Strengthens these relationships by providing outstanding service and advice.
• Content design, creation and production: Designs University of Ottawa social media strategy (including for the president’s account) and ensures it is implemented on various platforms (X, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, etc.). Plans, creates, publishes and distributes new content daily (text, images, videos) and designs marketing campaigns to advance University strategic objectives and meet University priorities.Oversees content design, drafting and graphics for social media, co-ordinates and produces graphic layouts (documents, videos, photos, collages, etc.), and creates and programs engaging content on different platforms. Helps manage communication needs (photoshoots, newsletters, promotional material creation, videos, etc.).
• Community and social media management: Co-ordinates daily social media activities. Manages social media communities (monitoring comments, answering user questions, creating and leading conversations) in a timely manner, with tact and good judgement. Maintains editorial rigour (image selection, copywrite, sharing and permission rights, etc.). Identifies issues of interest for the University, as well as reputational risks, to inform management.
• Performance analysis and improvement process: Analyzes content performance to evaluate strategy effectiveness and make recommendations. Monitors the University’s brand and similar brands on social media. Develops social media performance indicators, assesses them and produces monthly reports. Co-ordinates potential improvements for maximum effectiveness.
• Policies and procedures: Develops and implements internal guidelines, procedures and processes to promote compliance with standards and best practices in digital communication.
• Documentation: Archives information for future reference. Drafts and updates internal documents about the procedures, processes and systems used in updating social media content.

What you will bring:

• Bachelor’s degree in communication, public relations, marketing or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and work experience
• Five years’ experience in monitoring and managing public issues, and in implementing and evaluating social media strategies
• Bilingualism (essential, with advanced second official language skills)
• Crisis management expertise: Demonstrated experience managing and mitigating social media crises, including developing contingency plans and providing timely, appropriate responses to sensitive issues.
• Strategic planning: Proven ability to design and implement long-term social media strategies that align with organizational goals and elevate uOttawa’s digital presence.
• Community engagement: Ability to foster authentic, interactive connections with diverse audiences, building a loyal community across platforms.
• Platform mastery: In-depth knowledge of key social media platforms (e.g., LinkedIn, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, X, YouTube), including their algorithms, audience preferences and emerging trends.
• Data-driven insights: Proficiency in using performance tools (Google Analytics, social listening platforms, social media management software) to analyze data, evaluate campaign effectiveness and optimize strategies.
• Content oversight: Ability to guide the production of platform-specific social media content, ensuring consistency in brand tone and alignment with university goals.
• Cross-functional collaboration: Ability to work across departments, building partnerships with faculties, key services and external stakeholders to execute integrated social media campaigns.
• Proactive problem-solving: Strong initiative in identifying potential risks or opportunities on social platforms and recommending actionable solutions.
• Web and accessibility knowledge: Familiarity with web accessibility standards and social media guidelines, ensuring inclusive, accessible content for diverse audiences.
• Leadership and influence: Ability to establish credibility and influence peers, offering expert guidance to enhance the University’s social media strategies.
• Creative campaign development: Ability to design and execute innovative social campaigns, integrating video, live streaming, polls and other interactive formats.
• Cultural sensitivity and diplomacy: Strong understanding of cultural nuances in communication, ensuring messages are respectful, inclusive and meaningful to various audiences.
• Bilingual communication: Exceptional English and French writing skills, with the ability to adapt voice and tone for varied content and audiences.
• Efficiency under pressure: Proven ability to manage multiple priorities, meet tight deadlines and remain composed in high-pressure situations.
• Project management skills: Experienced in planning, organizing and executing complex social media projects, balancing competing priorities to deliver high-quality results.

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Key Competencies at uOttawa:
Here are the required competencies for all or our employees at uOttawa:

Planning: Organize in time a series of actions or events in order to realize an objective or a project. Plan and organize own work and priorities in regular daily activities.
Initiative: Demonstrate creativity and initiative to suggest improvements and encourage positive results. Is proactive and self-starting. Show availability and willingness to go above and beyond whenever it is possible.
Client Service Orientation: Help or serve others to meet their needs. This implies anticipating and identifying the needs of internal and external clients and finding solutions on how to meet them.
Teamwork and Cooperation: Cooperate and work well with other members of the team to reach common goal(s). Accept and give constructive feedback. Able to adjust own behaviour to reach the goals of the team.

The University of Ottawa embraces diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We are passionate about our people and committed to employment equity. We foster a culture of respect, teamwork and inclusion, where collaboration, innovation, and creativity fuel our quest for research and teaching excellence. While all qualified persons are invited to apply, we welcome applications from qualified Indigenous persons, racialized persons, persons with disabilities, women and LGBTQIA2S+ persons. The University is committed to creating and maintaining an accessible, barrier-free work environment. The University is also committed to working with applicants with disabilities requesting accommodation during the recruitment, assessment and selection processes. Applicants with disabilities may contact [e-mail] to communicate the accommodation need. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.

Note: if this is a union position: The hiring process will be governed by the current collective agreement related to the union affiliation noted above; you can click here to find out more.

If this is a front-line position with responsibilities to interact with students, selected candidates must be rated at the Low Advanced proficiency level or higher for both oral comprehension and reading comprehension in their second official language. The rating is determined by a proficiency test designed by the Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute.

Prior to May 1, 2022, the University required all students, faculty, staff, and visitors (including contractors) to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 as defined in Policy 129 – Covid-19 Vaccination. This policy was suspended effective May 1, 2022 but may be reinstated at any point in the future depending on public health guidelines and the recommendations of experts.

About us

The University of Ottawa is a dynamic community of students, professionals and academics pursuing great things. Our vision for the university of tomorrow is one that reflects the diversity of our people, their ideas and their lived experiences. We believe in the power of representation and in increasing the diversity of our faculty and staff to support this objective.

We’re committed to an inclusive workplace that acknowledges and celebrates all voices, fosters personal and professional development and challenges you to reach new heights.

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