Director - Social Media Strategy

Duke Careers•Durham, NC

About The Position

At Duke Health, we're driven by a commitment to compassionate care that changes the lives of patients, their loved ones, and the greater community. No matter where your talents lie, join us and discover how we can advance health together. Duke Health seeks to hire a Director – Social Media Strategy, who will embrace our mission of Advancing Health Together! General Description of the Position: Duke Health seeks a senior communications leader to provide enterprise oversight of social media strategy, governance, and performance across institutional channels. This role is responsible for stewarding Duke Health's voice in high-visibility digital environments and ensuring social media advances institutional reputation, trust, and strategic priorities. Reporting to the Assistant Vice President of External Relations, this Director establishes governance frameworks, defines decision rights, sets strategic direction for enterprise social channels, and ensures Duke Health's social media presence reflects our clinical excellence while protecting institutional reputation during sensitive moments. This is a strategic role requiring institutional perspective, stakeholder influence, crisis judgment, and the ability to align diverse teams around shared standards and priorities in a complex healthcare environment. Duties and Responsibilities of this Level Duke Health is one of the nation's premier academic health systems, serving communities across North Carolina and beyond through 3 hospitals, more than 250 clinics, and a global reputation for excellence in patient care, research, and education. As a $7+ billion organization, Duke Health is committed to advancing health through patient care, research, and education. The External Communications team is responsible for Duke Health's reputation management, media relations, enterprise social media, and strategic storytelling. This Director role provides senior-level expertise in social media strategy and governance, working closely with Marketing, Internal Communications, and clinical stakeholders to ensure Duke Health's institutional voice is consistent, strategic, and risk-aware across all social platforms.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, or related field is required (Master's preferred)
10+ years progressive experience in communications, social media, or related field
Healthcare, academic medical centers, or mission-driven organizations strongly preferred
Expert knowledge of social media platforms, governance models, and institutional risk management
Proven ability to lead crisis communications and make sound decisions under pressure
Strong stakeholder management skills with ability to influence in matrixed environments
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills

Nice To Haves

5+ years in management, leadership, or senior advisory role
Experience in academic medical centers or health systems
Background in crisis communications or reputation management
Track record establishing governance frameworks in complex organizations
Experience coordinating communications across multiple entities
Understanding of healthcare compliance and patient privacy (HIPAA)

Responsibilities

Establishes enterprise social media strategy aligned to reputation management, thought leadership, community engagement, and crisis preparedness
Defines governance framework including decision rights, content standards, approval processes, and coordination protocols between Communications and Marketing
Provides strategic counsel to senior leadership on social media opportunities, emerging risks, and reputation protection
Designs frameworks for integrating social media with earned media, owned content, and thought leadership initiatives
Partners with Media Relations to amplify research breakthroughs and institutional milestones
Collaborates with Marketing on coordinated campaign planning with clear distinction between awareness-building and conversion efforts
Monitors performance and competitive positioning, translating data into strategic insights
Leads social media response during crises and sensitive situations
Develops crisis protocols, rapid response frameworks, and risk assessment models
Monitors emerging issues and provides early warning of reputation threats
Coordinates with AVP of External Communications, Media Relations, and senior leadership during high-stakes moments
Hires, manages, and develops Social Media Manager
Establishes delegated oversight processes for day-to-day operations
Manages agency partnerships and external resources
Builds collaborative, high-performing team culture focused on strategic thinking and operational excellence