Social Media Manager

The Open University UK; Milton Keynes; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

The Open University in Milton Keynes is hiring a Social Media Manager to create and manage engaging content across the OU’s social channels, with a focus on reaching younger audiences. This hands-on role requires experience filming and editing for social-first formats and end-to-end campaign delivery across Meta, TikTok, Snapchat, LinkedIn and YouTube.

You will collaborate with students, academics and teams across faculties and nations, guide social media best practices, manage day-to-day

Qualifications

• Proven experience managing social media channels for a brand or organisation.
• Hands-on filming, editing and producing social-first content (video, photography and simple design).
• Experience creating short-form video content tailored to different platforms.
• Ability to identify trends, cultural moments and online conversations for timely content.
• Experience working with contributors to capture authentic content with varying on-camera experience.
• Experience managing communities and addressing reputational risk responsibly.
• Strong copywriting with clear, engaging, platform-appropriate content.

Responsibilities

• Create and publish organic social content across core university channels to reach younger audiences.
• Film, edit and produce social-first content for Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn and YouTube.
• Attend events to capture behind-the-scenes content for social channels.
• Develop timely content around cultural moments and conversations.
• Work with students and academics to capture authentic perspectives for content.
• Build and manage a network of student content creators.
• Collaborate with Marketing to shape ideas into social-first executions.
• Coordinate with paid media to align organic and paid campaigns.

Skills

Social media management

Video content creation

Short-form video

Copywriting

Content strategy

Collaboration

Community management

Analytics & insights

Tools

Adobe Premiere Pro

CapCut

Photoshop

Illustrator

Canva

Job description

Job Location: Milton Keynes, Remote/Hybrid

Department: External Communications

Closing Date: 5 October 2026

Weekly Working Hours: 37

Contract Type: Fixed Term Contract

Fixed Term Contract: End Date: 2 years from start date

Welsh Language: Not Applicable

Change your career, change lives

The Open University is the UK's largest university, a world leader in flexible part-time education, combining a mission to widen access to higher education with research excellence, transforming lives through education. Find out more about us and our mission by watching this short video (you will be taken to YouTube by clicking this link).

About the Role

The Social Media Manager will create and manage engaging content across the OU’s social channels, with a particular focus on reaching and growing our younger audience base. This is a hands‑on role, requiring experience in filming and editing for social-first formats.

They will play a key role in delivering the OU’s marketing and communications activity, supporting brand reputation and driving student recruitment and retention. The role is responsible for end-to-end campaign delivery across Meta, TikTok, Snapchat, LinkedIn and YouTube - from producing platform‑specific creative and publishing content, through to community and performance management, optimisation and reporting.

As part of a wider external communications team, they will collaborate with social media colleagues, students, academics and teams across faculties, nations and the central marketing unit to create content that is relevant, timely and social‑ready.

They will also provide guidance across the organisation on social media best practice, improving the quality, consistency and impact of our output.

Key Responsibilities

• Create and publish organic social content across core university channels, with a focus on reaching younger audiences and supporting key strategic plans.
• Film, edit and produce social-first content - including video, photography and simple design - optimised for platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn and YouTube.
• Attend degree ceremonies, larger video productions, and other events to capture behind‑the‑scenes content and real moments for social channels.
• Identify and respond to cultural moments, events, trends and conversations, creating timely content that helps the OU show up in relevant and engaging ways.
• Work with students, academics and contributors to capture real stories and perspectives, supporting a range of on‑camera abilities to create authentic, relatable content.
• Manage and develop a network of student content creators, ensuring a consistent flow of content aligned to the social media strategy.
• Play an active role in campaign development, working with colleagues across Marketing and Communications to shape ideas into social‑first executions.
• Work closely with the paid media team to amplify content, ensuring organic and paid activity are aligned and delivering maximum reach and impact.
• Manage day‑to‑day community engagement across social channels, identifying opportunities to interact, amplify user‑generated content and manage reputational risk.
• Monitor performance and optimise content in real time, using insights and platform data to improve reach, engagement and effectiveness.
• Work with the Senior Social Media Manager to continuously improve social media output, capturing and analysing activity metrics to make recommendations.
• Support wider social media activity across the team as required, contributing to other channels, campaigns and priorities beyond the core younger audience focus.
• Share social media insight, best practice and emerging advancements across the organisation, helping to improve the quality and consistency of social content.
• Support on reputational issues as part of the wider communications team.
• Ensure all activity is delivered to time and budget, following agreed processes, policies and governance.

About You

• Proven experience managing social media channels for a brand or organisation, including platforms such as but not limited to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn.
• Strong content creation skills, with hands‑on experience filming, editing and producing social‑first content (video, photography and simple design) in line with brand guidelines.
• Experience creating short‑form video content optimised for different platforms, with a clear understanding of what drives engagement.
• Ability to identify and respond to social media trends, cultural moments and online conversations, creating timely and relevant content.
• Experience working with contributors (e.g. students, creators or colleagues) to capture authentic content, with confidence directing people with varying levels of on‑camera experience.
• Experience working with contributor permissions, including content release forms and usage rights, ensuring content is captured and shared responsibly.
• Demonstrable experience building engagement and growing audiences through organic social activity.
• Experience managing social media communities, including monitoring and responding to comments, with a strong awareness of reputational risk and duty of care to contributors.
• Experience monitoring performance and using insights to optimise content, including familiarity with social media management, scheduling and analytics tools.
• Strong understanding of social media formats and best practice.
• Excellent copywriting skills, with the ability to write clear, engaging and platform‑appropriate content.
• Proficiency in creative tools such as Adobe Premiere Pro, CapCut, Photoshop/Illustrator (or similar), and Canva.
• Contribute to a high‑performing, inclusive culture, with a focus on continuous improvement and innovation.
• Confidence appearing on camera, including self‑filming, presenting and creating live content as a visible voice to represent the OU brand.
• Experience working with paid social media teams and media agencies in an integrated way to promote content and amplify campaigns.
• Experience working in a large or complex organisation.
• Experience in the higher education sector or working with younger audiences.
• Experience of working independently, hybrid and as part of a team, taking lead responsibility for tasks.
• Experience collaborating across teams and with stakeholders of varying seniority.
• Experience working in fast‑paced or reactive content environments, with the ability to develop new ideas and social‑first content formats.

Support with your application

If you have any questions, or need support or adjustments relating to your application, the recruitment process, or the role, please contact us on 01908 541111 or email [e-mail] quoting the advert reference number.

What's in it for you?

At The Open University, we offer a range of benefits to recognise and reward great work, alongside policies and flexible working that contribute towards a great work life balance. Get all the details of what benefits we offer by visiting our Staff Benefits page (clicking this link will open a new window).

We are open to discussions about flexible working. Whether it’s a job share, part time, compressed hours or another working arrangement. Please reach out to us to discuss what works best for you.

Work location

It is anticipated that a hybrid working pattern can be adopted for this role, where you can work from home and the office. However, as this role is contractually aligned to our Milton Keynes office it is expected that you will attend the office at least once per week (Tuesdays) and with additional travel to scheduled shoots and graduation ceremonies in response to business needs.

Next steps in the Recruitment process

Early closing date notification

While most roles will remain open until the advertised closing date, applications may be reviewed on an ongoing basis. In some cases, vacancies may close earlier if a sufficient number of suitable applications have been received and equality impacts have been appropriately considered. All roles will remain advertised for a minimum of one week before any early closure is implemented.

If you have started an application or were in the process of applying when the advert closed, we encourage you to get in touch. We are committed to understanding individual circumstances and can offer further support where needed, including reasonable adjustments for applicants with protected characteristics.

Looking for Associate Lecturer (AL) roles?

Please use our AL home page to find AL vacancies.

The Open University is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion which is reflected in our mission to be open to people, places, methods and ideas. We aim to foster a diverse and inclusive environment so that all in our OU community can reach their potential. We recognise that different people bring different perspectives, ideas, knowledge, and culture, and that this difference brings great strength.We strive to recruit, retain and develop the careers of a diverse pool of students and staff, and particularly encourage applications from all underrepresented groups. We also aspire to make The Open University a supportive workplace for all through our policies, services and staff networks.