Social Media Specialist

City of Barrie; Barrie; Hybrid; CAD 83,000 - 111,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Extended health and dental benefits

OMERS pension plan eligibility

Prorated paid sick time

Prorated vacation time

EFAP

City Fitness Membership discounts

Transit Passes discounts

Perkopolis Perks program

Job summary

The City of Barrie is seeking a Social Media Specialist within the Communications and Community Services Division to lead digital content and strategy for the City's social media channels.

Under the Supervisor of Digital Communications, you will craft campaigns, manage content, monitor trends, and protect the City's reputation while advising on how best to present information to residents and stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Three (3) year College Diploma in Communications, Public Relations, Marketing, Media Studies, or related discipline.
• Four (4) years of experience performing duties related to the mentioned major responsibilities of the position.
• Managing a corporate image/brand through development of creative design and multimedia solutions, communications campaigns for social media channels and/or websites.
• Leading the development and creation of marketing and communications campaigns (including copywriting, photography, videography, etc.) for social platforms and adapting to various channels.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the City's corporate and business-development-related social media channels with respect to communications content, design, and strategy.
• Explore new ways to build the City's social media presence and promote/protect the City's image through creative campaigns.
• Advise on presenting information to residents and stakeholders via social platforms.
• Act as gatekeeper for the corporation's reputation on social media, directing and flagging inquiries.
• Monitor trending topics or breaking news that influence communications messaging.

Skills

Social media management

Content strategy

Brand management

Copywriting

Digital marketing

Crisis communications

SEO knowledge

Adobe Creative Suite

Education

Three year College Diploma in Communications, Public Relations, Marketing, Media Studies, or related discipline

Four years of experience performing duties related to the mentioned major responsibilities

Tools

SharePoint

Adobe Creative Suite

HTML/CSS

Job description

Job Type: Temporary Full-time, Up to14 Months, Non-Union

Salary Range: $83,165.82 to $111,460.53per year

Posted: Thursday, October 8, 2026

Application Deadline: Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 11:59 pm

The Opportunity

The Communications and Community Services Division creates communications strategies, providing leadership on the development of communications programs, community engagement, crisis communications, managing the City’s digital communication tools including social media, overseeing media relations, managing the corporate brand, multimedia development, graphic design, and sponsorship development. This strategic portfolio reflects the importance and need for the City to champion Customer Service and to align people and systems to support citizen-centric service.

Under the general guidance of the Supervisor of Digital Communications, the Social Media Specialist is responsible for overseeing the City's corporate and business-development-related social media channels with respect to communications content, design, and strategy. This position actively explores new ways to build the City's social media presence and promotes and protects the City's image through the development of creative communication campaigns specific to social media channels. With consideration to both digital content strategy and graphic design, this position advises on the most effective way to present information to residents and stakeholders via social media platforms, while furthering the strategic marketing and communication goals of the corporation. The Social Media Specialist acts as gatekeeper for the corporation's reputation on social media, directing and flagging customer service inquiries, communicating directly with and educating stakeholders, and being on the lookout for trending topics or breaking news that influence the City's communications messaging.

Our Culture and Qualifications of the Job

Corporate Culture: Your workplace values align with our corporate values of Strive, Share and Care and you want to join us in providing exceptional services and programs to build a prosperous, growing and sustainable community.

Equally important to what we do is how we do it - your actions reflect our core accountabilities of Personal Awareness, Teamwork and Collaboration, Respect and Inclusion, Innovation, and Service Excellence, which define how we work together to succeed.

Education (degree/diploma/certifications)

• Three (3) year College Diploma in Communications, Public Relations, Marketing, Media Studies, or related discipline.
• Four (4) years of experience performing duties related to the mentioned major responsibilities of the position
• Managing a corporate image/brand through development of creative design and multimedia solutions, communications campaigns for social media channels and/or websites
• Leading the development and creation of marketing and communications campaigns (including copywriting, photography, videography, etc.) for social platforms and adapting to various channels

Knowledge/Skill/Ability

• General knowledge of the following legislation, regulations, or requirements: Occupational Health and Safety Act
• Working knowledge of the following legislation, regulations, or requirements: Canadian Anti-Spam Law Regulations
• General knowledge of the following principles and standards: Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Brand Management
• Thorough knowledge of the following principles and standards: Social Media Marketing
• Demonstrated Ability to:
  
  • communicate information in both technical and user-friendly languages;
  • disseminate, promote, and adapt corporate messaging via appropriate channels/platforms to reach and appeal to a diverse audience base;
  • develop, cultivate, and maintain effective working relationships across various stakeholder groups;
  • exercise discretion and judgment in order to make sound decisions under tight timelines and/or while managing multiple and/or conflicting priorities; when monitoring and managing online discussions/forums, and when handling confidential, sensitive, and/or controversial information;
  • maintain a high standard of public relations at all times;
  • deal with difficult customers; diffuse emotionally-charged situations; and resolve customer issues in a diplomatic and professional manner
  • think and act strategically in a political and community service environment;
  • maintain website content using a content management system (i.e. SharePoint)
• Advanced skills include: Analytical; Attention to Detail; Decision Making; Judgment; Multitasking; Problem Solving; Time Management; Written Communication
• Intermediate computer literacy using the following systems and software: social media channels/platforms, best practices and methodologies marketing and communication processes, tools and analytics corporate websites, intranets, and corporate social media channels/platforms with respect to content, design and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Adobe Creative Suite multimedia software Solid understanding of web software and languages, including but not limited to content management systems, HTML, CSS, and responsive web design.
• Availability, as assigned, to assist with after-hours questions, concerns, or emergencies

Conditions of Employment

• Valid Ontario Class "G" Driver's Licence in good standing
• Satisfactory Criminal Record Check *

*Please note that this is a requirement for any new employees to the City of Barrie in accordance with the Police Record Check Policy. Existing employees who have met this criteria will be exempt from this requirement.

Location: City Hall, 70 Collier Street, Barrie, Ontario *

*Please note that the City has a Hybrid Work Program Policy in place that may allow a hybrid work arrangement of one (1) remote day per week for employees who meet eligibility requirements.

Hours: The normal hours of work are 35hours per week; however, some non-standard hours may apply

Wage: This is a temporary full-time non-union position with the following pay level and 2026 pay range:

• Yearly Salary: $83,165.82 to $111,460.53
• Hourly Pay Rate : $45.70 to $61.24

What We Offer: This position includes extended health and dental benefits, optional enrollment in the OMERS Primary pension plan, prorated paid sick time based on the expected duration of employment, and prorated vacation time based on calendar year and in accordance with the Employment Standards Act, access to the Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP), discounted rates for City Fitness Memberships and Transit Passes, and access to the Perkopolis Perks program, which provides exclusive access to discounts on a wide range of products and services available to all City employees.

Why Barrie?

The City of Barrie is a vibrant, progressive, and growing community with deep connections to our heritage, to nature and to the opportunities surrounding us.

Our community values quality of life; the ability to play year-round with 300 hectares of park space, our beautiful waterfront, our lively downtown core and the nearby hills, wetlands, and forests. We also value connections; to our neighbours and the community, to our road and rail network, and to the opportunity Barrie provides to enjoy life.

Everything Barrie has to offer, from the water we drink to the roads we travel on, has one thing in common - municipal workers. Joining a municipality is one of the most rewarding, engaging, and exciting careers you could choose. It is a career you can take pride in knowing that every day you make a positive impact on an entire community. We are one team, with one goal and we all work together to continue making our community great.