Social media manager job description template: Everything you need to include

A great social media manager can boost your brand’s online presence and engage audiences, but finding the right person can be tough. They need a precise mix of skills – from creating engaging content to strategic planning and analyzing data.

So, what’s the key to attracting top-tier social media managers? Having a solid job description. 

Luckily, you don’t need to start from scratch. We’ve made a job description template you can customize for your job opening. 

Social media manager job description template

• Job Title: Social Media Manager

• Location: [Insert Location]

• Reports To: Marketing Manager

• Job Type: [Full-time/Part-time/Contract]

About Us

[Company Name] is a dynamic company specializing in [brief description of the company's focus, e.g., digital marketing solutions or innovative content creation]. Our mission is to [state the mission, e.g., "transform online engagement with creative social media strategies"]. We foster a culture of [core values like creativity, innovation, and collaboration], where our team thrives on pushing boundaries and crafting high-impact campaigns. With a strong reputation for [unique qualities, e.g., viral content and audience engagement], we are committed to being leaders in the [industry or sector].

Job Overview

We are seeking a creative and strategic Social Media Manager to oversee our brand’s online presence across multiple social platforms. The successful candidate will be responsible for developing content strategies, managing social media campaigns, and analyzing performance metrics. This role is perfect for someone who is passionate about social media trends, skilled in content creation, and eager to build and engage our online community.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a comprehensive social media strategy that aligns with the company’s goals and brand voice across platforms like Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, Twitter, and YouTube.

• Create, schedule, and publish engaging and visually appealing content (text, images, videos) that resonates with target audiences.

• Collaborate with the marketing and design teams to generate creative ideas for social media campaigns, product launches, and promotions.

• Monitor social media channels for trends, relevant news, and real-time opportunities to engage with our audience.

• Respond to comments, messages, and mentions in a timely and professional manner, cultivating relationships with followers and influencers.

• Track and analyze the performance of social media campaigns using analytics tools (e.g., Google Analytics, Hootsuite, Sprout Social), providing insights and recommendations for improvement.

• Conduct research on competitor activity, emerging platforms, and digital trends to inform the social media strategy.

• Plan and execute paid social media advertising campaigns to drive engagement, increase followers, and boost conversions.

• Manage social media collaborations, including partnerships with influencers and other brands.

• Stay updated on social media algorithm changes and best practices to optimize content visibility and audience reach.

• Work closely with the marketing team to align social media strategies with broader marketing campaigns and product launches.

• Manage the social media content calendar, ensuring a consistent posting schedule and timely updates.

• Provide regular reports on key metrics (engagement, follower growth, impressions, click-through rates) and suggest actionable insights to improve performance.

• Assist in planning and executing social media coverage for company events, promotions, or live content streams.

Skills

• Proven experience in managing social media accounts for businesses, with a portfolio showcasing successful campaigns.

• Proficiency in using social media management and analytics tools such as Hootsuite, Buffer, Sprout Social, and native platform analytics.

• Strong understanding of various social media platforms and their unique content formats, best practices, and audience dynamics.

• Excellent copywriting and storytelling skills, with the ability to craft compelling content that drives engagement.

• Visual design skills (basic understanding of tools like Canva or Photoshop) to create graphics for posts and stories.

• Strong analytical skills to interpret data, track performance metrics, and adjust strategies based on insights.

• Creativity and the ability to brainstorm innovative social media campaigns that capture attention and encourage audience interaction.

• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to convey the brand’s message clearly and consistently.

• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

• Knowledge of paid advertising options on social media platforms, including ad creation and audience targeting.

• Understanding of SEO, web traffic metrics, and how social media integrates with broader digital marketing strategies.

Preferred Experience and Education

• Previous experience as a Social Media Manager, Digital Marketer, or related role.

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Communications, Public Relations, or a related field.

• Proven experience managing social media strategies across multiple platforms.

• Experience in social media advertising and optimizing posts for conversions (e.g., lead generation, e-commerce sales).

• Knowledge of content creation tools and video editing software (experience with tools like Adobe Premiere Pro is a plus).

• Familiarity with project management tools like Trello or Asana to manage workflows and content calendars.

Benefits

[List the benefits of joining your company, such as health coverage, paid time off, professional development opportunities, a collaborative work environment, flexible working hours, etc.]

Application Instructions

If you are passionate about social media and eager to lead the charge in developing creative and engaging digital campaigns, we encourage you to apply. Please send your application materials [including a cover letter, resume, and examples of your previous social media work or campaigns] to [email address] by [application deadline].

Why this social media manager job description template works

We’ve created this template to boost the quality of applicants and help you attract right-fit candidates from the very beginning. 

It starts with basic information – Job Title, Location, Reports To, and Job Type – so potential candidates can see what the role is about and decide whether to apply. Many social media managers work on a contract basis, so it’s especially important to be clear about the job type from the start. 

Then, we use the About Us section to dive right into what your company specializes in and its core values. Doing this sets clear expectations about the work environment and the type of work they’ll be doing. This is crucial because some social media managers work in-house exclusively for one company, while others work for agencies that handle multiple clients.

Likewise, discussing your mission and core values in your job description enables candidates to immediately see if your organization aligns with their values and goals. Highlighting values like creativity, innovation, and collaboration will appeal to social media managers who are passionate about creating social media strategies and engaging audiences.

Next, the Job Overview lets potential candidates know the main responsibilities of the role so they can decide if it matches their skills and personal attributes.

We then list specific tasks and duties in the Key Responsibilities section to pull in social media managers with the skills you need. Each bullet point begins with a verb to show candidates exactly what they’ll be doing on a day-to-day basis.

Our job description template also prioritizes skills ahead of experience and education. This is because a social media manager is a highly skills-driven role, and the digital landscape evolves fast. So, even the most prestigious degree is irrelevant if the candidate lacks up-to-date social media management skills. Organizing your job description this way means you’re less likely to miss out on the best social media managers just because they skipped college.

In the Skills section itself, we’ve made sure to detail a range of skills needed for success as a social media manager – spanning technical, analytical, and personal skills. Detailing these prompts candidates with the right skill set to apply.

Then, the Benefits section gives you a chance to showcase what your company provides its employees. In particular, incentives such as flexible working hours and remote work opportunities often stand out to social media managers.

Finally, the Application Instructions guide candidates on how to apply. For example, our template asks for examples of candidates’ previous social media work or campaigns.

Next steps: Attracting and assessing social media manager candidates 

Now that you have a compelling job description, you’ll need a way to find your next social media manager from all the applicants you’ll receive. You can review resumes or online applications manually, but this is time-consuming and prone to unconscious bias.

As we’ve discussed, the success of social media managers relies on their real-world skills and knowledge. So, it makes sense to follow a skills-based hiring approach instead. 

The most effective way to do this is by pairing science-backed talent assessments with the initial application. This way, you can evaluate each candidate on the essential skills and personal attributes for your role.

TestGorilla is perfect for this. Our library of 400+ tests lets you build customized assessments to evaluate your applicants fairly and efficiently.

Here are some tests you could use in your social media manager talent assessment:

Role-specific

• Social Media Management

• Social Media Community Management

• Instagram Marketing

• TikTok Marketing

Soft skills and cognitive abilities

• Communication test

• Problem Solving test

• Time Management test

Personality and culture

• DISC Personality test

• Culture Add test

Sign up for a free TestGorilla account or schedule a free live demo today.

💻 Hiring a remote social media manager? Post your job description on our remote jobs board. Unlike a traditional job board, our job board lets candidates ask to be invited to take your assessment as the very first step of the application process – so you can see how applicants’ skills stack up right away. 

FAQs

What does a social media manager actually do?

Social media managers are responsible for creating, publishing, and monitoring content across social media platforms. Typical tasks include writing and scheduling posts in the company’s voice, engaging with followers, and analyzing performance metrics.

How do social media managers work?

Social media managers can work independently or as part of a team, either in person or remotely. 

What to look for when hiring a social media manager?

Social media managers need various creative, personal, and technical skills to succeed. Essential skills include high digital competence, excellent copywriting, and being organized.