The Marketing and Communications Department is seeking an innovative, creative, and results-oriented Social Media Specialist to join the Marketing and Production unit.
Reporting to the Director, Marketing and Production, the Social Media Specialist serves as UPEI's dedicated institutional social media resource supporting the University's Strategic Enrolment Management (SEM) Plan. The position develops, implements, manages, and optimizes social media strategies and campaigns that support the student lifecycle from prospective student awareness and recruitment through inquiry, application, admission, enrolment, orientation, student engagement, persistence, and graduation.

What we offer: 

• Comprehensive Health and Dental Care Benefits
• Post Retirement Benefits
• Tuition Waivers
• Health and Wellness on Campus available to staff and their families
• Professional Development Opportunities

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Social Media Strategy and Planning

• Develop and implement institutional social media strategies that align with UPEI's Strategic Enrolment Management Plan.
• Develop annual and semester-based social media strategies supporting each stage of the student lifecycle, including prospective student awareness, inquiry generation, application, admission, enrolment, orientation, student engagement, persistence, career readiness, alumni advocacy, and graduation.
• Establish campaign objectives, performance measures, and key performance indicators jointly with Marketing and Production and Strategic Enrolment Management leadership.
• Monitor audience behavior, platform developments, higher education trends, and competitor activity to identify opportunities that improve recruitment, engagement, and campaign performance.

Content Development and Campaign Management

• Plan, develop, coordinate, and curate engaging social media campaigns and content that advances Strategic Enrolment Management objectives.
• Create authentic, student-centered storytelling that supports decision-making throughout the student lifecycle by showcasing academic programs, student services, campus life, experiential learning, research opportunities, career outcomes, alumni success, and the student experience.
• Develop and maintain semester-based campaign schedules and editorial calendars aligned with recruitment campaigns, and academic milestones such as: application deadlines, admission offers, registration, orientation, student success initiatives, campus events, wellness programming, career readiness, and graduation.
• Collaborate with Recruitment, Admissions, Student Supports and Services, Faculties, students, alumni, and campus partners to identify, develop, and amplify stories that support Strategic Enrolment Management objectives.
• Adapt, optimize, and publish accessible content across multiple social media platforms in accordance with UPEI's brand standards, accessibility requirements, privacy legislation, and editorial guidelines.
• Develop, monitor, and report on key performance indicators (KPIs) that measure the effectiveness of social media initiatives in supporting Strategic Enrolment Management objectives across the student lifecycle.

Brand Stewardship and Governance

• Maintain governance of institutional social media accounts, including account administration, access management, platform security, and adherence to institutional standards.
• Monitor institutional social media channels for emerging issues, reputational risks, audience sentiment, and sensitive communications, recommending or escalating responses in accordance with University communications protocols, and escalate them appropriately to Marketing and Communications leadership as needed.

Other Duties

• Perform other related duties consistent with the scope and purpose of the position

QUALFICATIONS:

• Degree or diploma in Marketing, Communications, Digital Marketing, Public Relations, Journalism, or a related discipline.
• Minimum of two years' professional experience developing and managing organizational social media strategies and digital content.
• Demonstrated experience developing integrated social media campaigns that support organizational goals, customer journeys, or student lifecycle marketing.
• Demonstrated understanding of integrated marketing communications principles and the role of social media within a coordinated marketing strategy.
• Strong content creation skills, including copywriting, photography, videography, graphic design, and short-form video production.
• Demonstrated proficiency with Adobe Creative Cloud, including Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Lightroom, Acrobat, and Premiere Pro or equivalent creative software.
• Experience using social media management platforms, analytics tools, scheduling platforms, and reporting dashboards.
• Knowledge of accessibility standards, digital content best practices, privacy legislation, and copyright requirements.
• Excellent written, verbal, organizational, project management, and relationship-building skills.
• Demonstrated collaboration, initiative, creativity, sound judgment, strategic thinking, and problem-solving ability.