Social Media & Digital Content Manager

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Social Media & Digital Content Manager is a creative, digitally fluent storyteller who understands that great social media is about creating a community, building a brand, and encouraging others to be part of something special. Working under the direction of the Director of Marketing, this position produces engaging content that strengthens Riverside's brand, supports student enrollment, promotes alumni and donor engagement, and celebrates the daily accomplishments of cadets. With a focus on telling the Academy story in a way that feels current, authentic, and energetic, the position will help drive both domestic and international enrollment of young men in grades 6–12 with an ambitious vision for the future. The position is ideal for a creator who lives and breathes social media, loves creating content, understands what makes people stop scrolling, and wants significant creative ownership.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Social Media & Digital Content Manager will manage the Academy's day-to-day social media presence and play a central role in growing awareness, engagement, inquiries, and ultimately enrollment. The ideal candidate is equal parts creator, strategist, storyteller, trend-spotter, project manager, and relationship builder. Responsibilities include photography, editing software, social platforms, analytics dashboards, managing a content calendar, and consistently seeking stories across campus.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:Social Media Strategy & Management

• Develop and execute a comprehensive social media strategy designed to increase enrollment, advancement, and marketing goals, including brand awareness, engagement, website traffic, inquiries, and enrollment.

• Ensure messaging is consistent with the Academy's mission, values, and brand standards.

• Recommend new communication strategies and emerging digital trends to strengthen Riverside's online presence.

• Manage the Academy's presence across platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, and emerging platforms relevant to our audiences.

• Create and maintain an active content calendar aligned with admissions, athletics, academics, cadet life, leadership development, alumni, events, and institutional priorities.

• Write compelling captions, headlines, hooks, calls-to-action, and other social copy.

• Monitor comments, messages, mentions, trends, and conversations and respond appropriately.

• Identify opportunities to increase reach through trends, hashtags, collaborations, user-generated content, and strategic partnerships.

• Stay ahead of emerging platforms, formats, algorithms, creators, and digital trends.

Content Creation

• Work closely with Admissions to produce content that attracts prospective families; support Advancement with donor communications and fundraising campaigns; partner with Alumni Relations to strengthen alumni engagement.

• Collaborate with Athletics, Academic Affairs, Student Life, and other departments to identify and tell meaningful stories from across campus.

• Capture high-quality photo and video content throughout campus and at Academy events.

• Develop short-form video content specifically for Instagram Reels, TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and other emerging formats.

• Concept, shoot, edit, publish, and optimize original content.

• Tell authentic stories about cadets, faculty, athletics, academics, military training, leadership development, campus life, alumni, and the Academy experience.

• Develop recurring content series and campaigns that build recognition and anticipation.

• Create content that speaks to prospective students and their parents, recognizing that each audience needs a different story.

• Repurpose long-form content into short-form social assets.

• Coordinate photography and video projects with internal departments and outside vendors when appropriate.

• Maintain an organized digital library of photos, videos, graphics, and other content assets.

Enrollment & Recruitment Marketing

Work closely with Admissions and Marketing to use social media as a recruitment tool by:

• Developing content specifically designed to generate prospective-student interest and inquiries.

• Supporting domestic and international recruitment campaigns.

• Creating campaigns around admissions deadlines, campus visits, open houses, scholarships, athletics, and major Academy initiatives.

• Developing content that communicates the Academy's value proposition and differentiates it from other private schools and boarding schools.

• Helping prospective families understand what makes the Academy experience unique.

• Tracking social activity that contributes to website traffic, inquiries, applications, campus visits, and enrollment.

• Test different messages, creative approaches, audiences, and platforms and use data to inform decision-making.

Influencer & Ambassador Development

• Identify cadets, alumni, parents, coaches, faculty, staff, and other members of the Academy community who can authentically represent the brand.

• Develop an Academy Ambassador/Creator program that encourages appropriate user-generated content.

• Coordinate social media collaborations with alumni, influencers, athletic programs, partner organizations, and other strategic audiences.

• Work with the Director of Marketing to establish guidelines and processes for cadet-generated content that protect privacy, safety, and the Academy's brand.

• Identify potential external creators and influencers whose audiences align with the Academy's enrollment goals.

Intern Program

• Develop and maintain a structured social media/content internship program for college students and emerging creatives.

• Recruit, interview, onboard, train, schedule, and supervise social media interns.

• Establish clear expectations, assignments, deadlines, and performance measures.

• Create opportunities for interns to develop real-world skills in content creation, photography, videography, editing, social media management, marketing, and communications.

• Delegate appropriate content projects while maintaining editorial and brand oversight.

• Coordinate with colleges, universities, communications programs, marketing programs, and student organizations to develop the Academy's internship pipeline.

• Mentor interns and help build a "next generation" creative talent pipeline for the Academy.

• Evaluate intern performance and provide feedback and professional development.

• Develop an internship portfolio structure that gives participants meaningful work they can showcase professionally.

OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Social Media & Digital Content Manager serves at the direction of the Director of Marketing and undertakes such other duties and projects as assigned, including working some evenings and weekends.