Social Media Lead

Summary/Objective: The Social Media Lead is a senior, integrative role that owns the full social media function for assigned client accounts — combining platform strategy, day-to-day channel management, client relationship ownership, and project coordination into one accountable seat. This is not a narrow specialist role. The Social Media Lead is simultaneously a strategic thinker, a platform expert, a trusted client partner, and an operational owner — responsible for making sure the right content reaches the right audience on the right platform, on time and on budget. This role operates at the intersection of strategy and execution — translating brand and business objectives into social media plans that deliver measurable results, while managing the day-to-day rhythms of content calendars, platform performance, client communication, and cross-functional coordination. The Social Media Lead also brings working knowledge of print and traditional media materials, enabling seamless collaboration on integrated campaigns where social and offline executions must work together cohesively. The ideal candidate is as comfortable presenting a quarterly social strategy to a senior client as they are reviewing a content calendar, flagging a trending moment, or managing a multi-deliverable project timeline. They lead from the front — setting the strategic direction, owning the client relationship, and driving the team toward results. Essential Duties and Responsibilities: Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Strategy & growth Own social media strategy per client — platform by platform Define KPIs and connect social performance to business outcomes Identify cultural trends and real-time content opportunities Lead influencer and creator strategy recommendations Contribute to new business pitches and strategic proposals Management & operations Own day-to-day client communication and account management Manage content calendars, publishing schedules, and approvals Coordinate cross-functional project timelines and deliverables Monitor platform performance and optimize in real time Oversee print and integrated material coordination Social media strategy Develop and own the social media strategy for assigned client accounts — defining platform roles, content priorities, KPI frameworks, and cultural relevance guidelines. Design platform-specific content strategies adapted to the behavior, algorithm, and audience of each channel. Produce monthly Culture + Category Insights reports that feed editorial calendars and creative briefs. Respond with agility to real-time trends and cultural moments — providing same-day or next-day go/no-go recommendations for brand participation. Conduct competitive analysis and identify format and narrative innovation opportunities per client. Platform & channel management Own and manage the content calendar for assigned accounts — prioritizing, sequencing, and adjusting based on strategy, performance, and cultural signals. Monitor platform algorithm updates, feature rollouts, and format best practices; translate findings into actionable guidance for content and creative teams. Oversee content publishing schedules in coordination with the Community Manager and Social Content Creator. Monitor live content performance and make real-time optimization recommendations. Track and report on social KPIs across the full business funnel: awareness, consideration, engagement, traffic, conversion, and loyalty. Client management Serve as the primary social media point of contact for assigned clients — owning the relationship with professionalism, responsiveness, and strategic depth. Lead client meetings, strategy presentations, and performance reviews — communicating clearly and confidently at all levels of the client organization. Develop and present monthly performance reports and quarterly strategic recommendations to clients. Manage client expectations, feedback cycles, and approval workflows efficiently and diplomatically. Build trusted, multi-level client relationships that position the agency as a strategic partner, not just a vendor. Project management Own the project management of all social media deliverables for assigned accounts — from brief to final delivery. Develop and maintain project timelines, status documents, and workflow trackers across concurrent campaigns and content cycles. Coordinate cross-functional teams — Creative, Content, Design, Paid Media, and Production — ensuring all deliverables are on time, on brief, and on budget. Flag risks, bottlenecks, and scope changes proactively, with proposed solutions rather than just problems. Manage asset delivery, approval documentation, and content records with accuracy and organization. Print & integrated materials Collaborate on integrated campaigns where social and print or traditional media executions must work together — ensuring message consistency and visual alignment across channels. Review and provide input on print materials, OOH, and traditional media assets to ensure cohesion with the social content strategy. Coordinate with production and design teams on the preparation and delivery of print-ready materials as part of integrated client campaigns. Apply working knowledge of print specifications, production timelines, and material requirements to support integrated workflow management. Analytics & performance Define, monitor, and own the KPI framework for each assigned client — going beyond vanity metrics to connect social performance to business outcomes. Partner with the Social Analyst on data pulls, dashboard management, and reporting cadence. Translate performance insights into strategic and creative recommendations for content, format, and calendar adjustments. Co-own monthly and quarterly performance reports with clear recommendations: double-down, stop, or test. Other Duties: Recommend and shape influencer and creator collaboration strategies — defining fit, tiers, and archetypes aligned to brand objectives and platform behavior. Contribute to new business pitches and agency proposals by bringing social strategy expertise, platform intelligence, and client relationship capital. Stay current on platform changes, digital trends, AI tools, and emerging social formats — proactively sharing relevant observations with clients and internal teams. Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice. Essential Functions Daily Monitor platform performance, trending conversations, and competitor activity across assigned client accounts. Flag real-time cultural opportunities to the content team with a clear go/no-go recommendation. Manage day-to-day client communication — responding to queries, flagging updates, and keeping accounts running smoothly. Review in-progress content to ensure alignment with platform best practices and brand guidelines. Weekly Attend and lead studio standups covering pipeline, capacity, and prior week's performance. Review weekly KPI dashboards with the Social Analyst and flag needed strategy or content adjustments. Prioritize and re-sequence the content calendar based on strategy, performance data, and cultural relevance. Sync with creative and content teams on in-flight campaign executions and upcoming deliverables. Update project trackers and client status documents to reflect current workflow status. Monthly Deliver the Culture + Category Insights report per assigned client. Develop and present the monthly platform performance summary against KPIs to clients. Co-develop next month's content plan with the Sr. Content Manager and content team. Finalize channel strategy briefs and project timelines for the upcoming production cycle. Review and coordinate any print or integrated material deliverables within the monthly campaign calendar. Quarterly Update and present the channel strategy playbook per platform to clients and internal teams. Run competitive benchmarking against category peers and deliver insights to the Strategic Planner. Co-present at Quarterly Business Reviews with performance analysis and a forward-looking strategic roadmap. Contribute to new business pitches and agency growth proposals as requested. Supervisory Responsibility: The Social Media Lead does not carry formal direct reports. However, this role provides day-to-day strategic direction and project leadership to cross-functional team members — including the Social Content Creator, Community Manager, and Social Analyst — acting as the functional lead who sets priorities, reviews work, and holds the team accountable to deadlines and client expectations. Senior-level candidates are expected to informally mentor junior team members and contribute to the professional development culture within the Strategy Department. Job Competencies: Platform mastery Speaks credibly and specifically to what works on Instagram vs. TikTok vs. LinkedIn vs. YouTube — in format, pacing, algorithm behavior, and audience mindset. Client ownership Takes full accountability for the health and growth of assigned client relationships — proactive, solutions-oriented, and trusted at multiple levels of the client organization. Strategic thinking Connects social media decisions to brand and business outcomes — not just posting calendars, but platform strategies with measurable purpose. Project management discipline Keeps multiple campaigns, clients, and deliverables moving simultaneously — organized, dependable, and proactive about risks before they become problems. Cultural intelligence Spots relevant cultural moments before they become obvious and knows how to move fast enough to make that foresight actionable for a brand. Integrated fluency Understands how social media connects to print, OOH, and traditional media — and can coordinate across channels to ensure campaigns feel cohesive end-to-end. Preferred Education and Related Experience: Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Communications, Advertising, Business, or a related field required. 5–8 years of progressive experience in social media management, digital strategy, or account management — with at least 2 years in a senior or lead capacity managing client accounts independently. Demonstrated track record of owning social media strategy and day-to-day management for multiple client accounts simultaneously in an agency environment. Proven client management experience — presenting to, managing expectations for, and building trusted relationships with senior marketing stakeholders. Strong project management background — experience coordinating cross-functional teams, managing timelines, and delivering multi-channel campaigns on time and on budget. Working knowledge of print production processes, integrated campaign coordination, and traditional media materials is required. Experience with social listening, analytics, and reporting tools — owning KPI frameworks, not just contributing to reports. Bilingual English/Spanish fluency required for the Puerto Rico market. Knowledge and Critical Skills Required: Social media & strategy Platform-native strategy across all major social channels — algorithm behavior, content formats, and audience dynamics per platform. KPI framework development and funnel-level metric translation: awareness → consideration → engagement → conversion → loyalty. Real-time marketing decision-making — assessing cultural moments with speed and brand judgment. Social listening tools: Meltwater, Brandwatch, Sprout Social, or equivalent. Editorial calendar ownership and content prioritization logic based on strategy, data, and cultural relevance. Management & operations Project management tools and methodology — Asana, Monday.com, or equivalent; ability to build and maintain project timelines across multiple concurrent accounts. Client-facing communication and presentation skills — written, verbal, and in-meeting presence at senior stakeholder level. Working knowledge of print production processes: specifications, timelines, material requirements, and vendor coordination for integrated campaigns. Budget awareness and scope management — understanding of agency workflows, deliverable costing, and change management. Cross-functional coordination across Creative, Content, Design, Paid Media, and Production teams. Valued add-ons Experience working across regulated industries (finance, insurance, pharma) with compliance review cycles. Familiarity with influencer strategy and creator collaboration frameworks. Exposure to paid social mechanics and how organic content integrates with paid amplification. Experience contributing to new business pitches and agency growth proposals. Physical Demands & Travel: Primarily office and desk-based; requires sustained use of computers, screens, and digital collaboration tools. Regular client-facing meetings and presentations — in person and via video conference. Occasional attendance at brand activations, campaign launches, content shoots, and live events. Travel of approximately 15–20% for client visits, integrated campaign coordination, and agency or industry events. All physical requirements are subject to reasonable accommodation as needed. Work Environment: Standard Monday–Friday schedule; the nature of social media, real-time content, and client service requires responsiveness outside core hours for cultural moments, campaign launches, and client needs. Fast-paced, collaborative agency environment where strategic ambition, operational discipline, and client commitment are equally valued. Regular interaction across Strategy, Creative, Account, Paid Media, Production, and client teams — this role is a connector, not a silo. Must be comfortable holding both the strategic agenda and the operational detail simultaneously — often within the same client call or the same day.