Senior Manager, Content & Digital Strategy (34-month contract), OCCM in London

Singapore Management University is a place where high-level professionalism blends together with a healthy informality. The 'family-like' atmosphere among the SMU community fosters a culture where employees work, plan, organise and play together - building a strong collegiality and morale within the university. Our commitment to attract and retain talent is ongoing. We offer attractive benefits and welfare, competitive compensation packages, and generous professional development opportunities - all to meet the work-life needs of our staff. No wonder, then, that SMU continues to be given numerous awards and recognition for its human resource excellence.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• This position is for Office of Corporate Communications and Marketing (OCCM).
• Content Strategy and Editorial Oversight
  • Drive the development and execution of a coherent, audience-led content strategy across SMU's owned digital platforms, ensuring coherence with institutional narratives and brand positioning.
  • Lead editorial planning and governance for content across English and Chinese platforms, ensuring consistency of tone, accuracy of translation, and strategic alignment.
  • Partner with internal stakeholders, and agency partners to shape content that effectively supports reputation-building, engagement, and acquisition goals.
• Search-Optimised and Discoverability-Driven Strategy (SEO, AEO, AIO, GEO)
  • Drive content optimisation to enhance visibility across search engines, AI-generated responses, and geo-targeted platforms.
  • Integrate keyword, entity, and schema strategies in both English and Chinese content.
  • Guide best practices in content architecture, metadata, and analytics-informed optimisation.
  • Stay abreast of emerging SEO trends, including multimodal search, entity-based optimisation, and voice or chatbot interfaces—translating these into actionable content strategy.
• Multi-Format Content Creation and Channel Adaptation
  • Develop and oversee the production of compelling content across short-form, long-form, and multimedia formats for web, email, and social platforms.
  • Adapt messaging across different channels to ensure platform-specific resonance, audience relevance, and content cohesion.
  • Provide expert copywriting for campaign messaging, social captions, ad copy, and email flows with clear calls-to-action and brand alignment.
• Community Engagement and Monitoring
  • Engage with online communities across the region, responding to audience queries and comments in a culturally appropriate manner.
  • Monitor brand mentions and address any emerging issues, escalating potential risks to the Social Lead when needed.
• Performance Analytics and ROI Evaluation
  • Drive content visibility and discoverability through integrated SEO, AIO (AI Optimisation), AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation), and GEO (Geographical/Global Engine Optimisation) strategies across English and Chinese platforms.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure metadata, structured data, and content architecture support both search and AI-driven discovery.
  • Track and analyse performance across search, social, and owned channels using tools such as GA4, Search Console, SEMrush, and other analytics platforms.
  • Translate insights into actionable recommendations for content optimisation, user engagement, and lead conversion.
  • Stay abreast of evolving search, AI, and platform algorithms to inform ongoing optimisation and content planning.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration and Alignment
  • Partner with colleagues across brand, corporate communications, university events, admissions, alumni, and faculties to ensure content supports cross-functional campaign and reputational goals.
  • Guide and mentor junior team members or freelancers to deliver high-quality content that meets editorial standards and marketing priorities.
  • Engage external writers, editors, or agencies when needed, ensuring alignment with SMU's tone, brand, and strategic goals.
• Any other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in Journalism, Mass Communications, Marketing, Digital Media, or a related field.
• Effectively bilingual with proficiency in Chinese equivalent to ‘HSK Level 6' or ‘Business Chinese Test (BCT) Advanced or higher’.
• Proven experience in content strategy, SEO/AIO/AEO/GEO optimisation, and digital storytelling.
• Strong editorial and copywriting capabilities in both English and Chinese, with a clear, engaging, and adaptable writing style, and across formats—blog articles, web copy, email campaigns, and social media content—with a clear, audience-first approach.
• Proven ability to craft compelling narratives and adapt messaging for different platforms, while maintaining brand voice and institutional credibility.
• Solid understanding of modern SEO principles, including keyword targeting, metadata optimisation, and content structuring for search engines and social platforms.
• Familiarity with how content is discovered across traditional search, generative AI tools (e.g. ChatGPT), and social platforms (e.g. TikTok, LinkedIn).
• Working knowledge of tools like Google Search Console, SEMrush, or similar, with ability to translate insights into action.
• Experience using tools like Google Analytics, HubSpot, or equivalent to assess content impact across traffic, engagement, and conversion metrics.
• Ability to derive content insights from data and translate them into optimised content strategy and reporting narratives.
• Hands-on experience creating and adapting content across web, email, and social channels (LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok).
• Working understanding of platform trends and engagement formats, with the ability to optimise content for different devices and audiences.
• Proven ability to collaborate with internal teams, freelancers, and agency partners to deliver timely and effective content.
• Strong project management and organisational skills, with the ability to juggle multiple content streams and campaign deadlines.

OTHER INFORMATION

• Candidates who do not possess the stipulated qualifications but have relevant work experience may still apply. Remuneration and appointment terms shall commensurate with qualifications and experience. SMU reserves the right to modify the appointment terms where necessary.
• Please note that your application will be sent to and reviewed by the direct employer - Singapore Management University.