Manager of Content Strategy

Job Overview

As part of the Office of Communications and Marketing and reporting directly to the Director of Communications and Public Relations, the Content Strategy Manager blends storytelling, content creation, audience engagement, and project management in overseeing the creation and distribution of institutional content that supports the university’s ongoing brand positioning strategy across multiple platforms.

This high visibility, on-campus position collaborates with campus partners throughout the organization to identify and create compelling content that effectively tells the Lawrence University story in engaging and broad-reaching ways, to raise institutional visibility and enhance Lawrence’s reputation as a top tier liberal arts college with a world-class conservatory of music.

The Content Strategy Manager will be the primary driver in managing Lawrence’s social media presence, including content creation, social listening, and engagement with institutional accounts on Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn, and developing channels.

Essential Job Responsibilities

Content Creation

• Plan, develop, and distribute engaging, purpose-driven content that advances Lawrence’s recruitment, programmatic and community priorities, taking the lead in determining the best formats, channels, and messaging approaches to reach key audiences.
• Oversee student workers to expand the department’s capacity to produce photography, videography, and written content for social media and other communication vehicles and platforms.
• Create and manage a comprehensive content creation calendar the supports institutional priorities.
• Support Lawrence’s institutional public relations and media relations strategy.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Establish collaborative partnerships with on-campus constituencies, including Admissions, Development, Academics, and Athletics, helping them tell their stories and achieve their goals.
• Serve as a subject matter expert, resource, and educator for offices on campus to share social media news, best practices, and institutional standards, empowering them to be a positive contributor to Lawrence’s social media strategy.
• Monitor and respond to campus emergencies as a member of the crisis communications team. Participate in crisis response training and regular drills to ensure readiness.
• Cover evening and weekend activities as appropriate.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Analytics & Reporting

• Analyze and report on the impact of Lawrence’s social media efforts in the context of its broader communications strategy. Review data on a monthly and quarterly basis to identify results, insights, and trends for informed decision making and planning.
• Meet key performance indicators in service of the institution’s strategic goals, including expansion of audience at a regional, national, and global level, using social media activity to drive traffic to the university website and other digital properties.

Brand Advocacy

• Champion the university’s brand and reputation, leveraging content to showcase key achievements and reinforce its position as a higher education leader.
• Develop and execute content strategies to drive brand awareness, support enrollment goals, and engage students.
• Monitor and respond daily to social media activity in a timely fashion and plan appropriate responses to address concerns that may arise.
• Engage in social listening to understand what constituents and followers are saying about the university, its leaders, and affiliated groups.
• Understand Lawrence University brand and style guidelines to ensure consistent alignment across the institution.

Required

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE , SKILLS , AND ABILTIES :

• Experience in content creation with consistent messaging across multiple platforms.
• Ability to develop and execute content strategies that support organizational goals.
• Demonstrated proficiency working with major social media channels, including Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and YouTube.
• Familiarity with Content Management Systems, social media monitoring tools, and analytics tools.
• Demonstrated experience with Canva, Adobe Creative Suite, and other digital editing tools.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to craft messages for a variety of audiences.
• Highly organized with exceptional attention to detail.
• Self-motivated, goal-oriented, and able to work independently and as part of a team.
• Ability to balance creativity with data-driven decision-making to optimize content strategy.
• Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends in varied weather conditions to maintain an active, thorough, and vibrant social media presence.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to collaborate effectively with diverse teams and stakeholders.
• Professional work ethic and a positive, solutions-oriented attitude.
• Demonstrated ability to perform well under pressure.
• Bachelor’s degree and progressive responsibility for organizational content management, including social media/digital communications responsibilities.