Social Media Specialist - UW Medicine Strategic Communications

University of Washington•Seattle, WA

19h•Hybrid

About The Position

UW Medicine Strategic Communications is seeking a Social Media Specialist to craft compelling, brand-aligned copy and narrative content for UW Medicine’s social channels, including UW Medical Center, Harborview Medical Center, and the UW School of Medicine. This role focuses on creating engaging content to promote the UW Medicine brand, highlight patient and provider stories, and explain programs, studies, and initiatives. The specialist will also create visual assets, manage publishing, monitor accounts, and engage with audiences. The ideal candidate has a passion for social media, combining creativity with analytics to maximize audience engagement. This position is responsible for implementing social media strategy, creating high-quality content, monitoring analytics, and increasing brand awareness, engagement, and audience growth while following social media best practices. The candidate must have a proven ability to creatively solve problems and collaborate with multiple stakeholders. Exceptional attention to detail, a commitment to writing excellence, and the ability to write in a conversational voice while maintaining brand integrity are essential. This role supports UW Medicine’s mission to improve the health of all people and requires an understanding of health equity, community trust, and responsible communication in a clinical and research environment. Content creation for UW Medical Center and Harborview Medical Center requires an understanding of their distinct missions, patient populations, and community responsibilities, and the ability to tailor messaging appropriately while maintaining UW Medicine brand alignment. Competing priorities require the ability to manage short- and long-term assignments effectively. This position also requires the ability to write clearly and thoughtfully for diverse audiences, using inclusive, accessible, and respectful language. UW Medicine uses social media to educate and inform the public and share stories, capturing the humanity behind the organization and connecting with the community.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in communications, marketing, journalism, English, or related field.
Minimum of two years of professional social media experience, with demonstrated knowledge of current digital content best practices and experience creating content for social platforms.
Exceptional writing skills with a proven ability to communicate to diverse audiences across platforms.
Strong proofreading and editing skills with keen attention to detail.
Demonstration of sound judgment and decision-making.
Experience planning, scheduling, publishing, and managing social media content.
Understanding of social media analytics, including experience in measuring performance, testing content, learning from insights, and iterating to optimize results.
Working knowledge of basic design, videography, and photography principles for social media.
Proven organizational and time-management skills, with the ability to work independently, prioritize across multiple projects, and adapt to shifting deadlines and needs.
Ability to build effective, collaborative working relationships both independently and as part of cross-functional project teams.
Strong customer service and community management skills with the ability to monitor and engage with audiences in a professional and timely manner.
Ability to meet deadlines while managing multiple, competing priorities.

Nice To Haves

Photography and video production experience for social platforms.
Proficiency in photo and video editing tools.
Working knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite (including Premiere, Illustrator, and Photoshop) and Canva.
Experience with social media management and publishing platforms such as Sprout Social.
Familiarity with the AP Stylebook and best practices for digital writing.
Experience in healthcare communications.
Experience working within an academic or higher education institution.
Experience supporting social media during crisis or high-risk communications.

Responsibilities

Write posts and captions for various platforms using a tone that balances warmth, professionalism, and accessibility.
Develop story-driven features highlighting patients, providers, research, programs, and community events.
Adapt messaging to fit the strengths and requirements of each channel.
Monitor channels, respond to comments/messages, and escalate inquiries as appropriate to increase brand loyalty and positive sentiment.
Grow social media channels including Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram.
Communicate with other teams for updates, campaigns, and events to ensure story ideas are captured and scheduled.
Schedule and publish posts via social media management tools such as Facebook Business, Sprout Social, or platform-native schedulers.
Use Canva or similar tools to create supporting visuals for posts.
Prepare images, videos, or graphics for publishing.
Capture photos and short videos at events or hospitals.
Edit basic images or videos for social use.
Review analytics and provide insights and suggestions for future campaigns and content.