CONTENT AND COMMUNITY STRATEGIST

Ithaca College • Town of Ithaca, NY

12d • $65,000 - $70,000

About The Position

The Content and Community Strategist is responsible for shaping and sustaining
Ithaca College’s brand presence across social media and emerging digital
platforms. This role leads day-to-day social media planning, video-first content
development, and community management, translating institutional priorities and
editorial initiatives into compelling, on-brand content, with a focus on
visual-first channels like Instagram and TikTok.

Serving as a key brand steward, the Strategist maintains a consistent cadence of
high-quality, brand-aligned content, mentors a team of student content creators,
and partners closely with creative and editorial colleagues to shape and deliver
high-quality social-first storytelling. This position balances strategic
judgment with hands-on execution to strengthen audience engagement, ensure tonal
and visual consistency, and advance the College’s storytelling goals and
reputation. The Strategist actively cultivates Ithaca College’s social
communities through thoughtful, timely engagement—commenting, sharing, and
participating in conversation—while shaping an institutional voice that feels
authentic, responsive, and platform-appropriate.

This role does not require prior experience in higher education. We welcome
candidates from a range of industries and are especially interested in
strategists who bring an outside-in perspective and a willingness to be bold.
The ideal candidate is a thoughtful risk-taker—someone who can weigh opportunity
against responsibility, move beyond institutional boilerplate, and identify
exciting, creative ways for Ithaca College to show up with confidence and
purpose across social platforms.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field and 3-5 years of demonstrated experience developing and executing social media content strategies that balance brand stewardship, audience engagement, and platform-native storytelling—particularly on visual and video-forward platforms such as TikTok and Instagram; or an equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience.
• Experience managing social media communities in an active, responsive, and values-aligned way, including engaging in conversations, moderating comments, and identifying opportunities for earned engagement.
• Technical proficiency with video production for social media, including video and audio production and editing.
• Experience using social analytics and performance insights to inform content strategy, optimize cadence, and refine engagement approaches.
• Experience supervising, mentoring, or coordinating contributors—such as student employees, interns, or cross-functional partners—with an emphasis on coaching, feedback, and creative development.
• Strong editorial judgment and comfort making decisions about tone, timing, and relevance in fast-moving digital environments.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across teams and explain strategic thinking to a variety of stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for the day-to-day management of Ithaca College’s social media presence, ensuring a consistent, brand-aligned voice and visual identity across platforms including Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
• Translate institutional priorities, editorial initiatives, and campaign themes into engaging, platform-appropriate social content that reflects Ithaca College’s brand and identity, ensuring consistency while allowing for authentic, multi-voiced expression.
• Manage social media community engagement, including monitoring conversations and sentiment, responding to comments and messages, and fostering positive, inclusive interactions that reflect the College’s values and enhances its reputation.
• Support the development of an influencer and earned media program by assisting in identifying opportunities to authentically extend the reach and credibility of the Ithaca College brand through trusted voices.
• Recruit, train, and manage a team of student content creators, providing clear guidance, feedback, and brand education to ensure high-quality, on-brand output.
• Maintain a reliable and strategic content cadence, balancing planned editorial content with timely, responsive, trend-aware, visually refined, and engaging storytelling.
• Collaborate closely with colleagues throughout MarCom, including Comms and Marketing, to align social media efforts with campaigns, launches, and institutional storytelling priorities.
• Collaborate with the creative multimedia team and subcontractors to support and shape production of photo and video assets for channels as appropriate.
• Generate reports, and apply performance insights and platform analytics to evaluate content effectiveness, inform strategic adjustments, and share learnings with partners and leadership.
• Stay informed on evolving social media platforms, best practices, and cultural trends, making thoughtful recommendations that align innovation with brand integrity.

Benefits

• Healthcare including vision and dental
• Generous Paid Time Off Policies
• 403B Retirement Savings Plan with Matching Employer Contribution
• EAP
• Flexible Work Plans
• Educational Benefits
• Career-Enhancing Trainings

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level