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Social Media Marketing Manager - National Retailer

"I am the voice and the ears of my organization. I monitor, contribute to, filter, measure and otherwise guide the social media presence of my brand in real time, and often have a team working under me to keep on top of a constantly shifting Internet landscape. I must remain in contact with my online community and maintain an image that corresponds to my organization’s desires and goals. I am responsible for the public’s perception of us."

Salary Range:

$64,000 - $86,000

The Tip

Join a club that is outside of your comfort zone. There is magic in being different.

Priority Knowledge & Skills
Advanced Research & Analysis Skills

  • Formulating research questions

  • Ability to critically analyze literature

  • Ability to develop and execute qualitative research

  • Ability to synthesize key themes from multiple sources

 

Contextual Knowledge

  • Knowledge of human behaviour

  • Understanding of context and values of audiences

  • Essential understanding of topics and themes as they relate to an audience

 

Advanced Communication Skills

  • Formulate and defend positions

  • Sensitivity to how communications is shaped by circumstances, authorship and intended audience

  • Formulate and defend positions

  • Apply written vocabulary to audience

Evidence-based Storytelling Skills

  • Ability to use research to develop an evidence-based story

  • Ability to generate story ideas

  • Ability to identify target audiences

  • Ability to create compelling narratives across media

 

Additional Skills

  • Excel in defined core transferable skills with a focus on transdisciplinary systems thinking, adaptive thinking, communication, organizational and interpersonal skills

  • Expertise in all core areas of marketing including strategic marketing, research marketing communications and promotions

  • Expertise in content development and curation and technical skills in key programs and apps (e.g. HTML, Illustrator, InDesign, JavaScript, Photoshop, Google Analytics)

  • Contextual knowledge of retailing industry

Building Block Experiences
Education & Learning:

  • Bachelor of Arts (English) with a minor in marketing.

  • Diploma in digital marketing and design

  • Continuing professional development courses to maintain familiarity in digital technologies

 

"My strength has always been my writing narrative. I knew from an early age I wanted to study English. The ability for me to combine this with a minor in marketing (and additional education in digital and design) was a critical sweet spot in today’s content driven world."

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Employment Experiences:

  • During university, I worked as a website designer and content creator for a local retailer

  • Did a work term at a digital agency as a project coordinator

  • Worked full-time one summer as the social media coordinator for a local economic development agency

  • After university, I was hired as the social media coordinator for a local retailer

  • Three years ago, I was recruited by a large national retailer as their social media and content marketing manager. I now have a team of three report to me including a photographer and videographer.

 

"In the old days, marketing could be driven bought, now it has to be earned. I build on my formal education but taking increasingly senior positions that developed my skills to create immersive rich content. These roles all demand the fundamentals of a good story. What is my plot, who are my characters and how do I connect this emotionally to an audience to make them care. I remember watching, in a film studies class, a Ted Talk by Andrew Stanton, one of the lead writers at Pixar, about how to tell a great story. This when I first realized how I could making a living at doing what I love to do and my talent."

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Community Experiences:

  • Teach a pro bono course to non-profit organizations so they can leverage real-time content to drive engagement

  • On the executive of local photography club

  • Lead content curator for a local marketing association’s digital channels

 

"I’ve learned a lot by doing. I gained proficiency with the tools and channels I need for my job, but also learned what resonates with different audiences. I realized early on my passion for creating and finding content is significant and can make an impact on the things that are important to me."

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Contextual Experiences:

  • Active blogger and digital storyteller

  • Voracious consumer of popular culture and the factors that drive trends

 

"It sounds silly, but I focused on becoming famous in my organization for being the person who knows what’s going on with everyone. This is part of my unique value proposition."

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Relationships:

  • I seek mentors who are opinion leaders with diverse experiences

 

"I need to be social and easy to get along with because if I am, people will let me into their world, allow me to document their stories, and trust I will act in their best interest."

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