Senior Social Media Manager

TorchLight; Arlington (TX); Hybrid; USD 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Full benefits

Job summary

TorchLight Hire seeks a Senior Social Media Manager to join the marketing team for a DC-based client, leading social strategy and performance across channels. You will work with the Social Media Editor and report to senior marketing leadership.

The role demands data-driven decision-making, strong editing skills, and comfort in a right‑of‑center editorial environment. In-office 4 days/week in Arlington, VA, with flexible hours.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in social media, digital media, audience development, or digital marketing.
• Proven ability to grow social performance with data-informed strategy.
• Strong writing and editing for editorial content and headlines.
• Familiarity with political/news contexts and right-of-center environments.
• Comfort with AI-assisted tools for content, analytics, and reporting.

Responsibilities

• Own social media strategy, analytics, and reporting across Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, TikTok, LinkedIn, and emerging platforms.
• Build out the organic and paid social funnel—from audience growth through to site traffic and subscriptions—including paid social campaigns.
• Directly own and manage a subset of priority social channels and guide the Social Media Editor on content execution.
• Benchmark and track content performance, audience growth, and platform trends; turn insights into actionable recommendations.
• Manage boosted and paid social budgets and evaluate performance against campaign objectives.

Skills

Social strategy

Analytics & reporting

Paid social campaigns

Editorial judgment

AI-assisted tools

Content writing/editing

Tools

Meta Business Suite

X/Twitter ads

GA/GA4

Job description

Seeking Senior Social Media Manager for a Leading Opinion Journalism Organization

TorchLight Hire is seeking a Senior Social Media Manager to join the marketing team of our DC-based client—a prominent, longstanding opinion journalism and commentary organization. This is a strategic, hands‑on opportunity to lead social strategy and performance across the organization’s channels, working alongside an established Social Media Editor and reporting directly into senior marketing leadership.

This is a highly visible, public-facing brand role. The ideal candidate has demonstrably grown a social presence through smart, data-informed strategy—not just content posting—and is comfortable operating within a right‑of‑center editorial environment. Strong interest in candidates coming from media organizations.

Location

Arlington, VA — in-office 4 days/week; flexible hours as needed

Employment

• Direct hire, full-time, permanent opportunity
• In-office 4 days/week; flexible hours
• Occasional evening/weekend availability expected around major news and political moments (e.g., election night), with coverage shared across the social team

Role Responsibilities

• Own social media strategy, analytics, and reporting across Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, TikTok, LinkedIn, and emerging platforms
• Build out the organic and paid social funnel—from audience growth through to site traffic and subscriptions—including paid social and sequential ad campaigns
• Directly own and manage a subset of priority social channels while providing strategic direction to the organization’s Social Media Editor on day-to-day content execution
• Benchmark and track content performance, audience growth, and platform trends, and turn insights into actionable recommendations
• Manage boosted and paid social budgets and evaluate performance against campaign objectives
• Collaborate with Editorial, Video, and Marketing teams to prioritize stories and content for social distribution
• Contribute hands‑on writing and editing, including occasional live coverage of major news and political moments

Skills and Experience

• 5+ years of experience in social media, digital media, audience development, or digital marketing
• Strong analytics and reporting skills (e.g., Meta Business Suite, X/Twitter ads, conversion tracking)
• Paid social experience and a solid understanding of the full social-to-conversion funnel
• Strong content and editorial judgment, with excellent writing, editing, and headline skills
• Strong understanding of news, politics, commentary, and current events; comfortable working within a right‑of‑center editorial environment
• Comfortable using AI-assisted tools for content, analytics, and reporting

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary range: $100,000–$125,000, depending on experience
• Full benefits
• Outcomes-focused, flexible culture