Manager of Social Media

Illumina•San Diego, CA

8h•Onsite

About The Position

The Social Media Lead is a strategic communications leader responsible for defining and advancing the company’s corporate social media presence across all channels. This role blends high‑level strategy with hands‑on execution and is ideal for a leader who can set direction, build trust with cross‑functional partners, and personally drive work forward when needed. You will own corporate channel strategy, oversee and contribute to content development, manage day‑to‑day publishing, and partner closely with PR, marketing, design, agency, and editorial board colleagues to support major corporate initiatives. This role plays a critical part in strengthening corporate reputation, elevating brand storytelling, supporting top‑of‑funnel marketing, and engaging key external audiences in an authentic and compelling way. As a leader within PR & Social Media, you will shape editorial priorities, guide performance insights, oversee community engagement, and help raise the overall standard of social media excellence across the organization. This is a full-time role, Monday through Friday, with an expectation of 4 in-office days per week and additional on-site presence as needed. The individual must reside in the greater San Diego area and be able to commute to our corporate offices.

Requirements

Typically requires a Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 8 years of experience in social media, digital communications, or related multimedia roles, leading programs across multiple platforms, with 1-3 years of Management experience.
Exceptional writing and editing skills, with experience crafting headlines, narratives, and platform‑specific social copy.
Strong experience in video strategy and production for a variety of audiences and use cases.
Demonstrated design sensibility for social‑first formats, with attention to hierarchy, readability, and visual storytelling.
Excellent organizational and project‑management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and maintain disciplined editorial workflows.
Proven ability to build trusted relationships with cross‑functional stakeholders.
Experience managing and coaching team members.
Highly collaborative, detail‑oriented, and proactive, with a strong problem‑solving mindset.

Nice To Haves

Experience in life sciences, biotech, or other highly regulated industries strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Own, evolve, and execute the social media strategy for corporate channels (LinkedIn, X/Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube), ensuring alignment with PR priorities, brand voice, and business objectives.
Lead the editorial calendar, balancing proactive storytelling, corporate milestones, campaigns, and real‑time opportunities.
Partner with editorial board, PR, and marketing leadership to ensure narrative consistency, accuracy, and impact.
Manage two direct reports and a social media agency team.
Oversee the development of high‑quality, platform‑optimized content, including short‑ and long‑form video, motion graphics, social visuals, and thumbnails.
Co‑lead new video content initiatives in partnership with the Senior Designer, PR Director, and Social Media Senior Specialist.
Support video production, including planning, logistics, shoots, studio preparation, editing, and final delivery.
Set quality standards and provide direction on visuals, copy, storytelling, and overall creative excellence.
Contribute directly to content creation and publication as needed.
Co‑lead the social media editorial board to align content with strategic priorities and improve reach, relevance, and positioning.
Maintain consistent systems and processes for content intake, planning, and calendar management.
Manage agency partners and production.
Build and distribute social media toolkits for internal partners to amplify priority announcements, including approved copy, assets, alt text, and posting guidance.
Track and analyze key performance metrics including reach, engagement, watch time, and click‑through rate.
Translate performance data into actionable insights and recommendations to optimize content and channel strategy.
Uphold governance standards related to naming conventions, brand usage, asset rights, permissions, and legal review in a highly regulated environment.