Social Media Coordinator

Northwestern University; Evanston (IL); On-site; USD 58,000 - 68,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, vision insurance

Tuition benefits for employee and/or/+

Paid vacation and holidays

Retirement savings options

Wellness programs

Job summary

The Social Media Coordinator at Northwestern University’s Office of Global Marketing and Communications supports day-to-day publishing and content across Northwestern’s social channels. Reporting to the Director of Marketing, this role helps showcase research, student experiences and institutional priorities through engaging storytelling while maintaining Northwestern’s online voice.

Responsibilities include social listening, analytics, and crisis communications support, and collaborating across

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, marketing, PR, journalism or related field.
• 1–3 years of professional social media, communications or marketing experience.
• Experience publishing content across major social platforms.
• Strong writing, editing and proofreading skills.
• Knowledge of social media platforms and engagement best practices.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines.
• Experience with social media management platforms (Sprinklr preferred).
• Familiarity with analytics and reporting tools and ability to identify basic performance trends.
• Collaborative across teams and departments.
• Self-motivated and eager to learn trends and tools.
• Willingness to support monitoring during events or crises.

Responsibilities

• Draft, schedule and publish content across Northwestern’s social media channels.
• Assist in maintaining the social media calendar and tracking content requests.
• Monitor social channels and support social listening to identify engagement opportunities and emerging issues.
• Flag potential reputational concerns and support crisis communication efforts.
• Assist with planning and execution of social media campaigns aligned with institutional priorities.
• Contribute creative ideas for content, formats and storytelling approaches.
• Support administration of Sprinklr and other social media management tools.
• Compile performance data and assist with preparing reports on social media performance.
• Support documentation and coordination for the cross-campus Northwestern Social Media Workgroup.
• Assist in coordinating with campus partners to source content and amplify university stories.
• Collaborate with OGMC colleagues to ensure content aligns with university voice, tone and brand standards.
• Manage the social media inbox and internal request channels, routing inquiries and requests appropriately.
• Stay current on evolving social media platforms, tools and best practices.

Skills

Social media management

Content publishing

Writing & editing

Analytics & reporting

Collaboration

Crisis communication

Trend awareness

Project management

Education

Bachelor's degree (relevant field)

Tools

Sprinklr

Social listening tools

Job description

Department: Global Marketing/Communication

Salary/Grade: EXS/6

Job Summary

The Social Media Coordinator supports the execution of social media strategy for Northwestern University within the Office of Global Marketing and Communications (OGMC). Reporting to the Director of Marketing, this role assists with day-to-day publishing and content across primary social channels, helping maintain Northwestern’s online voice and presence.

Working closely with OGMC colleagues and university partners, the Social Media Coordinator helps showcase research, student experiences, major university moments and institutional priorities through engaging storytelling. The role assists with social listening, reporting and analytics, and supports timely communications during high-profile events.

This position is ideal for a creative, detail-oriented communicator who enjoys creating content, staying on top of social media trends and collaborating across teams to elevate compelling stories.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, marketing, public relations, journalism or related field
• 1–3 years of professional social media, communications, marketing or related experience
• Experience supporting content publishing across major social platforms
• Strong writing, editing and proofreading skills
• Knowledge of social media platforms and audience engagement best practices
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines
• Experience with social media management platforms (Sprinklr preferred)
• Familiarity with analytics and reporting tools and ability to identify basic performance trends
• Collaborative approach and ability to work effectively across teams and departments
• Self-motivated and eager to learn emerging social media trends and tools
• Willingness to support social media monitoring during major events or crises

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting active social media accounts for an organization or brand
• Prior experience in higher education, nonprofit organizations or other public-facing institutions
• Familiarity with mobile-first content creation and video editing tools (e.g., CapCut, Adobe Premiere)
• Exposure to paid social media, Google Analytics or SEO is a plus

Responsibilities

• Draft, schedule and publish content across Northwestern’s social media channels
• Assist in maintaining the social media calendar and tracking incoming content requests
• Monitor social channels and support social listening efforts to identify engagement opportunities and emerging issues
• Flag potential reputational concerns and support crisis communication efforts
• Assist with planning and execution of social media campaigns aligned with institutional priorities
• Contribute creative ideas for content, formats and storytelling approaches
• Support administration of Sprinklr and other social media management tools
• Compile performance data and assist with preparing reports on social media performance
• Support documentation and coordination for the cross-campus Northwestern Social Media Workgroup
• Assist in coordinating with campus partners to source content and amplify university stories
• Collaborate with OGMC colleagues to ensure content aligns with university voice, tone and brand standards
• Manage the social media inbox and internal request channels, routing inquiries and requests appropriately
• Stay current on evolving social media platforms, tools and best practices

Target hiring range for this position will be between $58,000-$68,000 per year. Offered salary will be determined by the applicant’s education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.

Benefits

At Northwestern, we are proud to provide meaningful and competitive benefits. The available benefits package for this position will include health, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance; paid vacation and holidays; paid medical/sick and parental leave; tuition benefits for the employee and dependents; pre-tax and flex spending accounts for commuting and dependent care; generous retirement savings options; and wellness programs. For a comprehensive overview of available benefits, including eligibility details, visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/index.html to learn more.

Professional Growth & Development

Northwestern supports employee career development in all circumstances whether your workspace is on campus or at home. If you’re interested in developing your professional potential or continuing your formal education, we offer a variety of tools and resources. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/learning/index.html to learn more.

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics, including disability and veteran status. View Northwestern’s non-discrimination statement. Job applicants who wish to request an accommodation in the application or hiring process should contact the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance. View additional information on the accommodations process.

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics, including disability and veteran status. View Northwestern’s non-discrimination statement. Job applicants who wish to request an accommodation in the application or hiring process should contact the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance. View additional information on the accommodations process.