Social Lead

THE COMPANY:

Since 1945, EBONY has celebrated chronicled Black excellence and leadership worldwide. In January 2021, the iconic brand was relaunched under new ownership as EBONY Media Group, a diversified multi-platform media company. This is an exciting chapter for the beloved brand, and we are looking for talented, enthusiastic candidates to join our close-knit, highly collaborative team. We’re calling all innovators and creators who want to be part of the legacy by helping shape EBONY’s future

THE ROLE:

The Social Media Lead is responsible for building and expanding the digital presence and audience for EBONY and future digital properties. This individual owns strategy, execution, team leadership, and audience performance. The ideal candidate has deep experience within multicultural centered brands and a strong record of building community across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and emerging platforms. This person understands culture, digital behavior, and how to scale an audience in a way that feels both intentional and authentic.

This role requires strong video expertise including vertical content, on site production, and creative direction. The Social Media Lead will also manage mid-level Social Media Managers and guide early career team members.

WHAT YOU WILL DO:

Audience Growth and Content Strategy

• Build a growth plan that increases reach, engagement, and meaningful community

• Develop daily and weekly social content that aligns with EBONY

• Identify cultural moments, trending conversations, and opportunities to elevate the brand

• Collaborate with Editorial and Studios when needed to build social first franchises and recurring segments

Video and Creative Production

• Lead all short form and long form video content for social platforms

• Direct vertical video production during events, red carpets, shoots, and live moments

• Review and approve concepts, edits, scripts, captions, and final output

• Develop on brand visual formats that strengthen the digital presence across platforms

Team Leadership

• Manage and support mid level Social Media Managers

• Set clear expectations, creative standards, and performance goals

• Lead daily check ins, content reviews, and workflow planning

• Maintain strong communication and accountability standards

Platform Management and Daily Execution

• Oversees daily posting and engagement across all social platforms, including Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Meta, ensuring consistent brand voice and performance.

• Use tools such as Sprout Social for scheduling, reporting, and publishing

• Maintain a comprehensive content calendar including planned and reactive content

• Manage comments, audience responses, and community guidelines

• Ensure content is optimized for each platform’s best practices

Paid Social and Analytics

• Support paid social campaigns when needed

• Review analytics weekly and monthly to guide content decisions

• Identify patterns and shifts in audience behavior to strengthen performance

• Present insights and recommendations to leadership

Cross Functional Collaboration

• Work with teams across EBONY as needed to support brand activations, cover rollouts, partnerships, and major moments

• Bring digital insights into creative development and campaign planning

Required Experience

• Proven success in growing a social presence for multicultural or culturally rooted brands, with a track record of driving measurable audience growth and engagement.

• Deep understanding of major platforms (Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn) and their culture.

• Strong video production experience, including vertical content and on-site shooting.

• Experience managing mid-level social talent.

• Experience in digital-first, creator-centric, or community-driven companies.

• Strong knowledge of analytics, scheduling tools, and applications of platform insights.

• Excellent writing and creative storytelling skills.

Preferred Experience

• Experience authentically supporting Black audiences or diverse communities.

• Experience covering high-profile events, red carpets, or talent activations.

• Knowledge of creator partnerships, influencer strategy, and platform relationship building.

• Ability to build digital franchises and recurring content formats.

Key Competencies

• Creative vision and digital intuition.

• Leadership presence and cultural fluency.

• Strong communication and organizational skills.

• Ability to work efficiently and deliver high-quality work.

Qualifications

• 5 years of progressive experience in social media management, digital content creation, and platform strategy (with at least 2 years in a managerial role).

• Deep expertise in major platforms and emerging social technologies.

• Strong knowledge of CMS platforms (WordPress and others), with an understanding of SEO best practices and web accessibility standards.

• Demonstrated experience in leading teams and building high-performing social media operations.

• Exceptional attention to detail, brand alignment, and cultural relevance in storytelling and design.

• Outstanding communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to influence and align cross-functional teams.