Social Media Director

City University of New York; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 136,000 - 147,000; Full time

Job summary

City University of New York (CUNY) seeks a strategic Social Media Director to lead the University’s social media ecosystem. You will shape a comprehensive, data-driven strategy across multiple official channels, govern content standards, and collaborate with creative teams to deliver multimedia storytelling that advances branding, enrollment, and reputation.

Hybrid work arrangement eligible. The role requires a track record of managing social campaigns in complex organizations, strong

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• 8+ years related experience preferred.
• 4+ years of professional experience in social media, digital marketing, communications, or content strategy.
• Experience leading social media strategy for a complex organization or higher education institution.
• Demonstrated success managing social media campaigns, audience growth, and engagement strategies.
• Experience with analytics, advertising platforms, and social listening tools.
• Excellent writing, editing, storytelling, and presentation skills.
• Proven ability to lead teams and manage multiple stakeholders.
• Experience with Sprout Social, Hootsuite, or similar tools.

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead a comprehensive University-wide social media strategy across up to 10 accounts.
• Establish long-term vision, goals, and performance benchmarks for all channels.
• Create workflows, editorial calendars, content governance, and quality standards.
• Identify and develop strategic content opportunities highlighting student experiences and faculty achievements.
• Evaluate emerging platforms and trends to enhance engagement.
• Advise university leadership on social media best practices and digital communications trends.
• Collaborate with creative teams to produce high-quality multimedia content.
• Ensure content reflects brand standards and accessibility.
• Provide day-to-day leadership and supervision of the social media team.
• Provide social media training and guide campus staff.
• Analyze platform metrics, engagement trends, and campaign performance.
• Produce regular reports and recommendations for leadership.
• Develop and enforce university social media guidelines and governance.
• Oversee official account management, verification, and governance policies.
• Monitor channels for issues, reputation risks, and crisis communications.
• Lead social media crisis responses and develop monitoring and escalation protocols.

Skills

Social media strategy

Content strategy

Audience growth & engagement

Writing & storytelling

Team leadership

Analytics & reporting

Stakeholder management

Social listening tools

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Degree in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, or related field

Tools

Sprout Social

Hootsuite

Social listening tools

Job description

Social Media Director

POSITION DETAILS

The CUNY Office of Communications and Marketing (OCM) works in partnership with the University’s academic and administrative offices and the 26 colleges to promote CUNY’s unique mission and transformative role as an engine of social mobility. The office includes eight divisions: Communications, Creative, Marketing, Social Media, Multimedia, University Events, CUNY TV and Citizenship Now! Together, the teams manage all aspects of press and public relations, editorial content, art design, publishing, social media, advertisement, web development, TV, video and podcast production to tell the story of the premier urban public university in the United States.

The Social Media team within the Office of Communications and Marketing supports the University's strategic communications and marketing efforts through the coordination, creation, publication, and monitoring of content across official social media channels. The team collaborates with Central Office departments, the Chancellor's Office, and the colleges to promote University initiatives, academic programs, events, and institutional priorities; additionally, it engages audiences through digital storytelling, monitors platform performance and audience engagement, and helps ensure alignment with CUNY branding, messaging, and communications objectives.

Reporting to the Senior Vice Chancellor, the Social Media Director provides strategic leadership for the University's social media ecosystem, overseeing the vision, planning, execution, and measurement of social media communications across all institutional channels. This role is responsible for advancing the University's brand, enrollment, engagement, retention, and reputation through compelling storytelling, audience-focused content, and data-driven strategies.

The Director develops and implements an integrated social media strategy that supports institutional priorities and connects meaningfully with prospective students, current students, alumni, faculty, staff, and community and government partners. The position serves as the University's subject matter expert on social media trends, audience engagement, content innovation, and platform optimization while ensuring brand consistency and excellence across all digital channels. The ideal candidate is a strategic and creative communications leader who combines editorial expertise, analytical thinking, strong project management skills, and team leadership capabilities to drive measurable outcomes in a dynamic higher education environment.

Key duties include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Develop and lead a comprehensive University-wide social media strategy, content planning, and community engagement efforts across up to 10 CUNY social media accounts, including the Chancellor’s social media channels, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities, enrollment goals, and branding.

• Establish long-term vision, goals, and performance benchmarks for all University social media channels.

• Establish workflows, editorial calendars, content governance processes, and quality standards.

• Identify and develop strategic content opportunities that showcase and support student experiences, faculty achievements, research impact, and university reputation.

• Evaluate emerging social media platforms, technologies, and trends, to enhance audience engagement and visibility.

• Serve as a strategic advisor to university leadership on social media best practices and digital communications trends.

• Collaborate with creative teams to produce high-quality multimedia content, including video, photography, graphics, and interactive media.

• Ensure content reflects institutional messaging, brand standards, accessibility requirements, and audience needs.

• Provide day-to-day leadership and supervision of the social media team, including a Social Media Coordinator and interns as needed, overseeing workflow management, content development, and performance tracking to support strategic communications objectives.

• Provide social media training and guide campus social media staff to maintain consistency and effectiveness across platforms.

• Analyze platform metrics, engagement trends, audience behaviors, and campaign performance.

• Produce regular reports and recommendations for University leadership.

• Develop, maintain, and enforce university social media guidelines, standards, and best practices.

• Oversee official social media account management, verification processes, and governance policies.

• Monitor social media channels for emerging issues, reputation risks, and community concerns.

• Serve as the lead social media representative on University crisis communications.

• Coordinate social media responses during critical incidents and emergency situations.

• Develop monitoring, escalation, and response protocols for crisis communications.

NOTE:

Until further notice, this position is eligible for a hybrid work schedule.

QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum:

Bachelor’s degree and eight years’ related experience required.

Preferred:

• Degree in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, or related field.

• 4+ years of professional experience in social media, digital marketing, communications, or content strategy.

• Experience leading social media strategy for a complex organization or higher education institution.

• Demonstrated success managing social media campaigns, audience growth, and engagement strategies.

• Experience with social media analytics, advertising platforms, and social listening tools.

• Excellent writing, editing, storytelling, and presentation skills.

• Proven ability to lead teams and manage multiple stakeholders.

• Experience with content management systems such as Sprout Social, Hootsuite, or similar tools.

CUNY TITLE OVERVIEW

Develops, implements, and oversees University-wide marketing plans to achieve institutional goals.

• Designs and executes a comprehensive strategic plan for marketing, advertising and communications.

• Develops overall advertising and media strategies to achieve image, awareness, enrollment, recruiting, and/or fundraising goals.

• Oversees University web site, other major communications vehicles, such as publications, digital communications and social media outlets.

• Provide professional and managerial oversight of a broad range of marketing programs and tools, including digital, print, mail, broadcast, social networking, and other media.

• Manages and develops internal staff and external resources.

• Develops and analyzes key metrics of marketing effectiveness, as well as budgets and costs related to marketing programs and campaigns.

• Identifies and leverages opportunities to promote the visibility and reputation of the University.

• Performs related duties as assigned.

CUNY TITLE

Higher Education Officer

FLSA

Exempt

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

The salary range is $136,040- $146,601 , commensurate with credentials, education, and experience.

CUNY's benefits contribute significantly to total compensation, supporting health and wellness, financial well-being, and professional development. We offer a range of health plans, competitive retirement/pension benefits and savings plans, tuition waivers for CUNY graduate study and generous paid time off. Our staff also benefits from the extensive academic, arts, and athletic programs on our campuses and the opportunity to participate in a lively, diverse academic community in one of the greatest cities in the world.

CLOSING DATE

December 04, 2026.

JOB SEARCH CATEGORY

CUNY Job Posting: Managerial/Professional

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

CUNY encourages people with disabilities, minorities, veterans and women to apply. At CUNY, Italian Americans are also included among our protected groups. Applicants and employees will not be discriminated against on the basis of any legally protected category, including sexual orientation or gender identity. EEO/AA/Vet/Disability Employer.

Job ID: 33019

Location: Central Office

Job Type: Full-Time