Global Social Media Manager

McLaren Automotive Ltd; Woking; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days holiday + bank holidays

Discretionary annual bonus

Private medical insurance

Life assurance

Pension scheme

Wellbeing initiatives

Job summary

McLaren Automotive is seeking a proactive social media leader to drive global strategy within the Global Brand & Client function, transforming luxury storytelling across channels. You will own editorial calendars, lead influencer programs, oversee agencies, and report on KPIs to senior stakeholders, enabling brand desirability and commercial growth.

This senior, global role requires 7+ years in luxury social media, exceptional creative briefing and storytelling, and a passion for delivering

Qualifications

• 7+ years' experience leading global social media for luxury, premium or performance brands.
• Proven track record developing social strategies that increase brand awareness, engagement and audience growth.
• Deep expertise in platform-native formats, algorithms, audience behaviours and publishing best practice across multiple platforms, with familiarity with emerging platforms advantageous.
• Strong understanding of social analytics, content performance and channel optimisation.
• Experience managing agencies, creators and production partners.
• Excellent copywriting, editorial judgement and creative briefing skills.
• Experience supporting executive social media and thought leadership programmes.

Responsibilities

• Develop and own McLaren Automotive's global social media strategy aligned to business, brand and commercial objectives.
• Define the role, audience and content strategy for all social media channels and support regions with in-market channel strategy.
• Own the global editorial calendar, integrating product launches, racing activity, partnerships, retailer campaigns and brand storytelling.
• Champion best-in-class creative and social-first storytelling, continuously evolving formats, video output and platform innovation.
• Develop executive thought leadership strategies, primarily across LinkedIn, supporting senior leaders with content planning and reputation building.
• Partner with the Campaigns Manager and media teams to ensure organic and paid social activity works as one integrated ecosystem, supporting campaign objectives, audience development, traffic, retargeting and qualified lead generation.
• Lead influencer, creator and ambassador strategies globally.
• Develop community management principles that strengthen engagement, advocacy and customer relationships.
• Own social media performance reporting across all global channels, establishing clear KPIs for brand awareness, reach, engagement, audience growth, video performance, traffic and qualified leads; translate data into actionable insights, optimisation plans and regular updates for senior stakeholders.
• Lead social listening and cultural intelligence across markets, using audience conversations, sentiment, competitor activity and emerging cultural behaviours to identify opportunities, inform content and channel strategy, and provide early warning of reputational risks.
• Work with regional teams to provide governance, retailer guidance and localisation support, including adaptable content packages for market requirements and Chinese social platforms that remain culturally relevant and aligned to global brand standards.
• Lead external agencies, contractors, creators and production partners from scoping and briefing through to delivery, managing budgets, timelines, resource planning, quality and supplier performance while ensuring all activity meets McLaren brand standards.
• Maintain organised content libraries, source files, usage rights, music licensing, approvals, embargoes and publishing records, ensuring current and approved assets can be located quickly and all content meets legal and brand requirements.
• Support Media Communications during issues and crisis communications across owned social channels.

Skills

Global social media leadership

Social strategy development

Analytics & insights

Executive social media support

Job description

Reporting to the Head of Brand Marketing & Communications, this is an exciting opportunity for a proactive, dynamic and creative social media leader to join the Global Brand & Client function at McLaren Automotive.

This role will own McLaren Automotive's global social media strategy, transforming the brand's social presence into a world-class luxury storytelling platform that builds brand desirability, deepens audience engagement and supports commercial growth.

You will define the vision for McLaren's global social ecosystem across all social channels, ensuring every platform has a clear role whilst delivering one consistent brand experience.

Working closely with the wider Brand Marketing and Communications team, Client Insights and regional marketing teams, you will develop channel strategies, lead editorial planning, oversee creative output and champion social-first storytelling that positions McLaren amongst the world's leading luxury brands.

This role will establish a new global social strategy, driving increased brand awareness, follower growth, engagement, qualified lead generation and client advocacy.

What You'll Do

• Develop and own McLaren Automotive's global social media strategy aligned to business, brand and commercial objectives.
• Define the role, audience and content strategy for all social media channels and support regions with in-market channel strategy.
• Own the global editorial calendar, integrating product launches, racing activity, partnerships, retailer campaigns and brand storytelling.
• Champion best-in-class creative and social-first storytelling, continuously evolving formats, video output and platform innovation.
• Develop executive thought leadership strategies, primarily across LinkedIn, supporting senior leaders with content planning and reputation building.
• Partner with the Campaigns Manager and media teams to ensure organic and paid social activity works as one integrated ecosystem, supporting campaign objectives, audience development, traffic, retargeting and qualified lead generation.
• Lead influencer, creator and ambassador strategies globally.
• Develop community management principles that strengthen engagement, advocacy and customer relationships.
• Own social media performance reporting across all global channels, establishing clear KPIs for brand awareness, reach, engagement, audience growth, video performance, traffic and qualified leads; translate data into actionable insights, optimisation plans and regular updates for senior stakeholders.
• Lead social listening and cultural intelligence across markets, using audience conversations, sentiment, competitor activity and emerging cultural behaviours to identify opportunities, inform content and channel strategy, and provide early warning of reputational risks.
• Work with regional teams to provide governance, retailer guidance and localisation support, including adaptable content packages for market requirements and Chinese social platforms that remain culturally relevant and aligned to global brand standards.
• Lead external agencies, contractors, creators and production partners from scoping and briefing through to delivery, managing budgets, timelines, resource planning, quality and supplier performance while ensuring all activity meets McLaren brand standards.
• Maintain organised content libraries, source files, usage rights, music licensing, approvals, embargoes and publishing records, ensuring current and approved assets can be located quickly and all content meets legal and brand requirements.
• Support Media Communications during issues and crisis communications across owned social channels.

What You'll Bring

Knowledge, Skills & Experience

• 7+ years' experience leading global social media for luxury, premium or performance brands.
• Proven track record developing social strategies that increase brand awareness, engagement and audience growth.
• Deep expertise in platform-native formats, algorithms, audience behaviours and publishing best practice across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook, X, Threads and Reddit, with familiarity with WeChat and Weibo advantageous.
• Strong understanding of social analytics, content performance and channel optimisation.
• Experience managing agencies, creators and production partners.
• Excellent copywriting, editorial judgement and creative briefing skills.
• Experience supporting executive social media and thought leadership programmes.

Personal Attributes

• Creative and dynamic thinker who can operate under pressure.
• Inspirational communicator with exceptional stakeholder management skills.
• Commercially minded with a passion for luxury brands and digital culture.
• Highly organised with exceptional attention to detail.
• Curious, innovative and constantly seeking new social opportunities.
• Confident influencing senior stakeholders.
• Collaborative, resilient and comfortable in a fast-paced global environment.
• A genuine passion for the McLaren brand, products and heritage.

What We'll Do for You

We offer a wide – ranging benefits package, which includes:

• Structured career development framework
• 25 days’ holiday, plus bank holiday. Annual buy & sell up to five days
• Enhanced company pension scheme
• Discretionary annual bonus award
• Private medical insurance and health cash plan
• Life assurance benefit
• Ability to apply for a sabbatical of up to one year after only two years’ service
• Benefits you can adapt to your lifestyle, such as discounted shopping
• Generous parental leave policies
• A range of wellbeing initiatives, such as employee assistance programme and free financial & mortgage advice

Who Are We?

No restraints. No limitations. We don’t simply push boundaries. We completely rethink them. McLaren Automotive exists to create breath-taking performance road cars.

It takes a community to do what we do. A diverse group of people with many areas of expertise, united by their passion to deliver visionary products and set new benchmarks.

McLaren Automotive commits to equal opportunity for all. Diversity, Equality and Inclusion is at the heart of our impact, it drives our innovation and enables us to truly create something special. Join us on our journey.