Social Media Associate Director

Aspire; Marlow; On-site; GBP 56,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Disability Confident Committed

Job summary

Aspire is seeking a Social Media Associate Director on a 12-month maternity cover basis, based in Marlow. The role involves leading social media strategy across a varied client portfolio and working closely with the Head of Social to drive departmental growth and client satisfaction.

The successful candidate will combine strategic thinking with strong leadership and client management skills, thriving in a fast-paced agency environment and shaping high-performing teams.

Qualifications

• Significant leadership experience in social media or integrated marketing communications.
• Proven ability to manage senior client relationships and lead teams.
• Strong strategic, analytical and commercial thinking with a proactive mindset.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership across a portfolio of client accounts.
• Support the Head of Social with departmental leadership and development.
• Mentor and develop social team members to sustain high performance.
• Develop social strategy aligned to marketing objectives and measurable client value.
• Identify opportunities for account growth within existing client relationships.
• Collaborate with internal teams to deliver integrated campaigns.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Analytical thinking

Client relationship management

Mentoring and coaching

Stakeholder management

Communication skills

Commercial awareness

Proactive problem solving

Team collaboration

Job description

Social Media Associate Director (12-Month Maternity Cover)

Salary: £65,000 (full-time) | £56,000 (4 days per week)
Location: Marlow, Buckinghamshire
Working Pattern: Full-time or part-time 4 days per week
Contract: 12-Month Maternity Cover
Start Date: October 2026

Social Media Associate Director Opportunity

We're partnering with a well-established integrated marketing agency to recruit a Social Media Associate Director on a 12-month maternity cover contract.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced social media leader to step into a senior role, working closely with the Head of Social to provide strategic direction across key client accounts while supporting the continued development of the wider social team.

The successful candidate will combine strategic thinking with strong commercial awareness and excellent client leadership skills. They will be comfortable operating in a fast-paced agency environment, proactively identifying challenges, solving problems and ensuring both clients and internal teams receive exceptional support.

The Role

As Social Media Associate Director, you will play a key role in shaping social media strategy across a varied client portfolio while supporting the day-to-day leadership of the department.

Working closely with senior stakeholders, you will ensure social activity is aligned to broader marketing objectives and delivers measurable value for clients. You'll also mentor and develop team members, helping to foster a high-performing and collaborative culture.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership across a portfolio of client accounts.
• Support the Head of Social with departmental leadership and development.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with senior client stakeholders.
• Lead social strategy, ensuring recommendations are insight-led and commercially focused.
• Support, mentor and develop members of the social team.
• Identify potential challenges and implement solutions proactively.
• Collaborate closely with internal teams to deliver integrated campaigns and projects.
• Maintain high standards of client service and work quality.
• Support account growth and identify new opportunities within existing client relationships.
• Help ensure the smooth and effective running of the wider social department.

About You

• Significant experience within social media, digital marketing or integrated communications.
• Previous agency experience.
• Strong strategic and analytical capabilities.
• Experience leading, mentoring and developing people.
• A proven ability to manage senior client relationships confidently.
• Strong commercial awareness and business acumen.
• A proactive, solutions-focused mindset.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• The ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience supporting senior leadership teams and contributing to departmental success.

Working Arrangements

The role is based in Marlow, with an expectation of 3 days per week in the office.

Additional flexibility may be available after the first few months in role. Due to the urgency of the requirement, there may also be some flexibility for exceptional candidates commuting from London.

We Are Aspire Ltd are a Disability Confident Committed employer