Social Media Specialist, Education Initiatives

Cato Institute•Washington, DC

3d•$70,000 - $85,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Cato is launching its first social channel dedicated to its educational programs and is seeking a Social Media Specialist to build and own this new channel. The role involves creating a social presence for Cato University, Cato Courses, the Internship Program, the Research Associate Program, and Student Briefings. Additionally, the specialist will help grow Sphere Education Initiatives' existing channels for educators. This position requires defining the voice, tone, and look of the new channel, setting promotional priorities across various platforms (Meta, X, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube), and managing two distinct audiences with different voices. The goal is to build audiences of like-minded individuals, create a scalable content engine, and foster a national community of learners and educators engaging with the principles of a free society.

Requirements

A strong understanding of, and alignment with, libertarian or classical liberal principles is required.
Minimum of 3 years managing social media accounts across multiple platforms, with demonstrated growth results.
Direct experience owning social channels, in the nonprofit or for-profit space.
Proficiency with video editing software such as Adobe Premiere Pro, and experience producing social-first video with captions and strong hooks.
Skill in writing platform-appropriate copy for distinct audience segments.
Strong command of social analytics and reporting, plus management platforms such as Buffer, Hootsuite, or Sprout Social.
Ability to coach individuals toward a strong on-camera presence.
Strong editorial judgment, comfort translating complex policy content into clear and compelling posts, and the ability to identify the moments, ideas, people, and conversations worth joining.
Working knowledge of LLM AI tools.
Strong project ownership, with the judgment to prioritize across competing programs and stakeholders.

Nice To Haves

Experience with the Talent Market application process.

Responsibilities

Establish a new social channel for Cato’s educational programs, from account setup to an established presence.
Drive registrations for Cato Courses, Cato’s online learning platform.
Drive attendance and geographic reach for Cato University, the Institute’s premier in-person series for college and graduate students.
Manage promotion and outreach to drive applications to the Internship Program and the Research Associate Program.
Support attendance at Student Briefings.
Manage and grow Sphere Education Initiatives’ existing channels, focusing on audience growth among educators.
Develop a documented voice, tone, and look and feel for the new channel in collaboration with program owners and the marketing team.
Set promotional priorities across five student programs sharing one channel, with a distinct editorial approach for each audience.
Publish daily across Meta, X, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, and emerging platforms.
Determine platform strategy based on performance metrics, analysis, and content testing.
Create and edit social-first content, including short-form clips and longer features for YouTube.
Attend Cato University sessions, Sphere events, and student briefings for live posting, video capture, and real-time engagement.
Coach scholars, speakers, and participants to be compelling on camera.
Tailor messaging by audience segment and collaborate on organic and paid campaigns.
Report on follower growth, engagement, reach, click-through, and conversion, with recommendations.
Stay ahead of platform changes and format shifts.