Social Media & Community Engagement Officer in Exeter

Social Media & Community Engagement Officer

Job Description

Reporting To: Marketing Manager

Purpose of the Role

The Social Media & Community Engagement Officer will lead the development and delivery of the Group's social media presence and community engagement strategy across The Outdoors Group and its subsidiaries.

The role will strengthen relationships with parents, schools, local authorities, partners, employees, service users, local communities and wider stakeholders whilst protecting and enhancing the reputation of the Group and its brands.

Working across multiple organisations and audiences, the postholder will be responsible for social media strategy, content creation, paid social campaigns, community engagement, audience growth and reputation management. The role combines creativity, storytelling, stakeholder engagement and analytical thinking to deliver measurable improvements in engagement, brand awareness and community participation.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver Group social media strategies aligned to organisational priorities, campaigns, admissions cycles and events.
• Manage and maintain all relevant social media platforms across multiple brands, including Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube and emerging channels.
• Develop and maintain social media content calendars aligned to marketing campaigns, organisational priorities and stakeholder engagement objectives.
• Create, schedule and publish engaging content across multiple platforms.
• Monitor engagement, respond to comments and messages and nurture positive online communities.
• Ensure brand consistency, tone of voice and messaging across all organisations and platforms.
• Monitor platform performance and audience engagement, identifying opportunities for improvement.

Content Creation

• Create compelling and engaging social media content, including graphics, reels, short-form videos, stories and promotional assets.
• Capture photography and video content across schools, Forest School settings, events and community activities.
• Write engaging, audience-focused copy tailored to different platforms and stakeholder groups.
• Work collaboratively with the Brand & Content Officer to ensure content aligns with wider campaigns and organisational messaging.
• Support the development of storytelling content that showcases the impact of the Group and its services.

Paid Social Advertising

• Plan, implement and optimise paid social media campaigns to support admissions, recruitment, events and brand awareness objectives.
• Operate within campaign budgets and monitor return on investment.
• Conduct audience targeting, segmentation and optimisation activities.
• Undertake A/B testing to improve campaign effectiveness and engagement.
• Monitor campaign performance and make evidence-based recommendations for improvement.

Community Engagement

• Build and maintain positive relationships with key stakeholder groups including parents, local authorities, schools, educational institutions, service users, partners and local communities.
• Develop initiatives that increase stakeholder engagement and community participation collaborating with the Brand and Content Officer.
• Identify opportunities for partnerships, ambassador programmes and community collaborations.
• Promote positive stakeholder experiences and strengthen organisational reputation through proactive engagement.

Audience Growth & Brand Awareness

• Develop strategies to increase audience reach, engagement and participation across all channels.
• Analyse audience trends, behaviours and platform performance.
• Conduct competitor analysis and monitor sector best practice.
• Identify opportunities to increase brand visibility, awareness and engagement across target audiences.
• Develop campaigns and initiatives that strengthen community participation and stakeholder advocacy.

Analytics & Reporting

• Track and monitor key performance indicators across all social media and community engagement channels.
• Produce monthly performance reports with insight-led recommendations.
• Analyse engagement data, audience behaviour and campaign performance.
• Use data and insight to refine targeting, content strategies and engagement activity.
• Contribute to wider Group marketing reporting and performance measurement frameworks.

Events & Marketing Support

• Attend key events, open days, community activities and organisational initiatives to capture live content and support marketing activity.
• Provide social media and digital coverage of events across the Group.
• Support the planning, promotion and delivery of events, campaigns and stakeholder engagement initiatives.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues, suppliers and stakeholders to ensure successful campaign delivery.
• Proven experience managing multiple social media accounts, platforms and audiences.
• Experience developing and delivering social media strategies across multiple brands or stakeholder groups.
• Experience running and optimising paid social media campaigns.
• Strong design skills using Canva, Adobe Creative Suite or equivalent creative platforms.
• Experience creating and editing video content, including short-form video and social-first content.
• Excellent written communication and copywriting skills.
• Experience creating content tailored to different audiences and platforms.
• Strong understanding of social media analytics and performance reporting.
• Strong analytical ability and confidence interpreting engagement, campaign and audience data.
• Experience conducting competitor analysis and identifying opportunities to improve engagement and visibility.
• Ability to develop community engagement initiatives and build positive stakeholder relationships.
• High attention to detail and strong organisational skills.
• Ability to manage multiple brands, priorities and deadlines simultaneously.
• Experience working collaboratively across teams and stakeholder groups.
• Experience within education, childcare, charitable or not-for-profit sectors.
• Experience using Meta Business Manager, LinkedIn Campaign Manager and similar advertising platforms.
• Photography and videography experience.
• Understanding of reputation management and crisis communications.

Personal Attributes

• Creative and innovative thinker.
• Excellent communicator and storyteller.
• Relationship-focused and community-minded.
• Proactive and solution-focused.
• Highly organised and self-motivated.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Collaborative and adaptable.
• Passionate about building communities and positive stakeholder experiences.

Success in the Role

Success will be demonstrated through:

• Increased audience growth and engagement across all Group social media channels.
• Improved stakeholder participation and community engagement.
• Effective delivery of paid social campaigns with measurable outcomes.
• Strong brand visibility and positive reputation management.
• High-quality content that resonates with key audiences.
• Insight-led recommendations that improve marketing effectiveness.
• Increased awareness, engagement and advocacy across stakeholder groups.

Line Management

No direct line management responsibility initially.

Potential future responsibility for interns, apprentices, agency support or specialist contractors as the Group Marketing Function develops.

Social Media & Community Engagement Officer

£27,240.00 (Full year, full time contract)