Social Media Manager - University Marketing and Communications

University of Tennessee, Knoxville; Knoxville (TN); Hybrid; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Retirement plans

Tuition benefits

Job summary

University Marketing and Communications at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, seeks a Social Media Manager to lead UTK’s social media program and manage the primary platforms (@UTKnoxville). The role partners with campus leaders to advance brand objectives and tell compelling campus stories.

The successful candidate will supervise staff, develop standards, monitor engagement, and advise partners on social storytelling across the university's accounts.

Qualifications

• Associate's degree or higher in communications, PR, journalism, marketing, or related field.
• Minimum 5 years of professional experience related to duties and responsibilities.
• Experience supervising and managing an institutional social media account.
• Ability to analyze analytics and report on content effectiveness.
• Excellent writing and editing skills; crisis management capability.

Responsibilities

• Sets annual priorities for primary social media platforms, defines how social media will support brand campaigns, and identifies campus partner collaboration opportunities.
• Oversees the execution of social media content across university’s primary platforms, leading the development of content that supports brand campaigns.
• Manages a shared content calendar to support news, events, milestones, and other opportunities to build, engage, and inform audiences.
• Develops and maintains the university’s social media standards, trainings, and other documentation to help campus communicators best represent UT across the network of university social media accounts.
• Manages university social media management platforms, tools, vendors, and contracts.
• Supervises a social media associate and social media interns.
• Organizes and leads discussions with social media content contributors across the division.
• Contributes to feature content development across the division, defining how stories will be told on social media.
• Serves as a strategic advisor to campus partners with regards to planning and execution of social media storytelling across the network of university accounts.
• Leads and facilitates the campus social media communicators group.
• Regularly monitors social media activity and engagement, working closely with colleagues to identify and elevate emerging issues.
• Supports issues management through monitoring, strategic advising, and content planning.

Skills

Social media strategy

Team leadership

Content development

Crisis communications

Education

Associate’s degree in communications, PR, journalism, marketing, or related field

Bachelor’s degree in communications, PR, journalism, marketing, or related field

Job description

Social Media Manager - University Marketing and Communications - UTK

Knoxville, TN, United States

Job Description

The university’s social media manager works as a member of the Office of Marketing and Brand Strategy within University Marketing and Communications. This position leads the university’s social media program and manages the university’s primary social media platforms (@UTKnoxville). The social media manager works closely with division leadership and campus partners to support the priorities of the university and advises, develops standards, and leads the execution of social media strategy.

Responsibilities

University’s Social Media Program

• Sets annual priorities for primary social media platforms, defines how social media will support brand campaigns, and identifies campus partner collaboration opportunities
• Oversees the execution of social media content across university’s primary platforms, leading the development of content that supports brand campaigns
• Manages a shared content calendar to support news, events, milestones, and other opportunities to build, engage, and inform audiences
• Develops and maintains the university’s social media standards, trainings, and other documentation to help campus communicators best represent UT across the network of university social media accounts
• Manages university social media management platforms, tools, vendors, and contracts

Supervision and Collaboration

• Supervises a social media associate and social media interns
• Organizes and leads discussions with social media content contributors across the division
• Contributes to feature content development across the division, defining how stories will be told on social media
• Serves as a strategic advisor to campus partners with regards to planning and execution of social media storytelling across the network of university accounts
• Leads and facilitates the campus social media communicators group

Monitoring and Issues Management

• Regularly monitors social media activity and engagement, working closely with colleagues to identify and elevate emerging issues
• Supports issues management through monitoring, strategic advising, and content planning

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Education: Associate’s degree in communications, PR, journalism, marketing, or related field
• Experience:
  • At least 5 years of professional experience directly related to duties and responsibilities specified
  • Experience supervising
  • Experience managing an institutional or organizational social media account
• Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
  • Advanced knowledge of various social media platforms
  • Demonstrated understanding of social media best practices, ability to execute them, and ability to train others on them
  • Advanced knowledge of marketing and communications strategies
  • Demonstrated judgment and ability to manage the university’s reputation
  • Advanced knowledge of emerging web and social technologies
  • Ability to evaluate analytics and create reports summarizing effectiveness of content
  • Ability to lead direct reports and set strategy for peers
  • Excellent short burst writing and editing skills
  • Ability to think quickly and willingness to be clever
  • Ability to meet deadlines and adapt to changing priorities
  • Ability to stay calm and work well in a crisis

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis without need now or in the future for sponsorship for employment-based visa status.

Preferred Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in communications, PR, journalism, marketing, or related field
• Experience: Experience managing higher education social media accounts

Work Location

• Knoxville, TN
• This is an onsite position with some hybrid work schedule flexibility

Compensation and Benefits

• UT market range: Market Range 12
• Find more information on the UT Market Range structure here

The university offers a highly competitive benefits package that includes health insurance and retirement plans through the State of Tennessee, generous annual and sick leave accruals, longevity pay, tuition waivers and discounts, and more. Find more information on UT Benefits here

Application Instructions

For full consideration, applicants must apply electronically and submit:

• Cover letter
• Resume

About The College/Department/Division

University Marketing and Communications is dedicated to advancing the university’s reputation. Staff members support the institution’s mission and goals, promote its successes and achievements, inform and engage its stakeholders, and ensure the integrity of its brand. We craft audience-focused communications based on data, best-practices, and emerging trends.

The division comprises several cross-functional teams, employing professionals with expertise in design, development, video production, content strategy, feature writing, editing, marketing, media relations, internal communication, and special events.

About Us

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has shaped leaders, changemakers, and innovative thinkers since its founding in 1794. The university is home to more than 38,000 students and 10,000 statewide employees—the Volunteers—who uphold the university’s tradition of lighting the way for others through leadership and service.

UT Knoxville offers over 900 programs of study across 14 degree-granting colleges and schools. As Tennessee’s flagship land-grant university, its footprint spans the entire state. The university holds the highest Carnegie classification for research activity and has deep partnerships with industry leaders and the US Department of Energy’s largest multidisciplinary laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

The Knoxville campus serves and recruits for UT Knoxville, including the Institute of Agriculture and the Space Institute, as well as the UT Institute of Public Service.

UT Knoxville considers its employees its number one asset. With values that focus on work‑life balance, compensation, and innovation leadership, all Vols are supported to advance professionally. Employees have access to career development and coaching, continued education, and an extensive list of development and training possibilities. The Volunteer employee experience implements structures and practices to attract and retain top‑tier talent, fostering a strong staff community and supporting a culture of involvement and engagement for everyone.

The university holds a strong commitment to its land‑grant mission of learning and engagement, with a tradition of service and leadership that carries that Volunteer spirit throughout the state and around the world. It has been ranked nationally as “Best Employer for New Graduates,” “One of America’s Best Large Employers,” and “Best Workplace for Women,” and has been designated as “Best Place for Working Parents” by Forbes Magazine.

Apply today and join the Tennessee Volunteer community!

Job Info

• Job Identification
• 10620
• Job Category
• Communication & Mktg
• Posting Date
• 11/03/2026, 06:13 AM
• Job Schedule
• Full time
• Locations

1345 Circle Park, Knoxville, TN, 37996, US

EEO/AA STATEMENT / NON-DISCRIMINATION STATEMENT

The University of Tennessee is an EEO/AA/Title VI/Title IX/Section 504/ADA/ADEA institution in the provision of its education and employment programs and services. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to, and will not be discriminated against on the basis of, race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, or covered veteran status.

Inquiries and charges of violation of Title VI (race, color, national origin), Title IX (sex), Section 504 (disability), ADA (disability), ADEA (age), sexual orientation, or veteran status should be directed to the (EEO). Requests for accommodation of a disability should be directed to the ADA Coordinator at the EEO office.