What are the responsibilities and job description for the Social Media Specialist position at Thomas Jefferson Foundation?
About The Thomas Jefferson Foundation
The Thomas Jefferson Foundation has a twofold mission of preservation and education, and was incorporated in 1923 to preserve Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson, in Charlottesville, Virginia. Today, the Foundation seeks to bring history forward into national and global dialogues by engaging audiences with Jefferson's world and ideas, and sharing the history of everyone, enslaved and free, who lived and labored at Monticello. Monticello is recognized as a National Historic Landmark, a United Nations World Heritage Site and a Site of Conscience.
Social Media Specialist
We're looking for a savvy digital communicator and storyteller to grow and engage audiences through smart, strategic social content.
As a full-time Social Media Specialist, you will play a critical role in developing and executing a content strategy that brings Monticello's mission to life across digital platforms. Working with the Marketing Manager and Director of Marketing & Communications, you will build engaging, educational, and historically accurate content that helps drive on-site visitation, revenue, and broader brand awareness.
We will look to you to:
The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
The Thomas Jefferson Foundation has a twofold mission of preservation and education, and was incorporated in 1923 to preserve Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson, in Charlottesville, Virginia. Today, the Foundation seeks to bring history forward into national and global dialogues by engaging audiences with Jefferson's world and ideas, and sharing the history of everyone, enslaved and free, who lived and labored at Monticello. Monticello is recognized as a National Historic Landmark, a United Nations World Heritage Site and a Site of Conscience.
Social Media Specialist
We're looking for a savvy digital communicator and storyteller to grow and engage audiences through smart, strategic social content.
As a full-time Social Media Specialist, you will play a critical role in developing and executing a content strategy that brings Monticello's mission to life across digital platforms. Working with the Marketing Manager and Director of Marketing & Communications, you will build engaging, educational, and historically accurate content that helps drive on-site visitation, revenue, and broader brand awareness.
We will look to you to:
- Pair beautiful visuals—both photo and video—with thoughtful captions that educate and connect.
- Engage with online communities, spark dialogue, and learn from diverse audiences.
- Follow social media trends and use them to amplify mission-driven work.
- Translate historical and cultural work into modern, accessible content.
- Film, edit, and produce short-form video for social media platforms (e.g., Instagram Reels).
- Tell visually compelling stories that engage existing audiences and attract new followers.
- Be a creative strategist who understands that every post should serve a strategic purpose.
- Be a relationship-builder who enjoys collaboration with historians, gardeners, curators, educators, creatives, and influencers.
- Be a skilled communicator who can shift tone and voice based on platform, audience, and subject matter.
- Comfortable being both visionary and tactical.
- Be enthusiastic about working in a mission-driven organization that values education, equity, and historical integrity.
- 2 years of experience in social media management and content creation— especially video. Experience in a nonprofit setting, museum, or cultural institution is a plus.
- A portfolio that shows strong writing, storytelling, and content creation across a variety of platforms. (Examples of work required.)
- Familiarity with social media management tools like Sprout Social, Hootsuite, Buffer, or native platform insights.
- Solid skills in basic photo/video editing tools (Adobe Creative Suite, Canva, or similar).
- Bachelor’s degree in marketing, history, communications, or liberal arts; or equivalent experience which demonstrates required knowledge, skills, and abilities.
The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- Physical Demands: While performing the duties of this job, the employee will sit for extended periods of time, occasional standing, walking. Repetitive use of computer. Monticello is located on a mountaintop and walking on steep and uneven ground is necessary.
- Work Environment: Normal office working conditions. The office for this position is located in the Jefferson Library.
- Monticello is open 364 days a year. Occasional non-traditional shifts such as early mornings, late evenings, weekends, holidays are necessary.
- Ability to work all signature major events including Fourth of July.
- Please include samples of your work, including video content creation, as well as examples of social posts/copy, and writing samples.
- Excellent benefits package (including medical, dental, vision, 401(k) retirement savings plan plus 6% match, life insurance, and more!).
- Fitness club membership discount.
- Discount in the Monticello Café, gift shop, and Monticello online catalog.
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP) – free for employee and dependents.
- $500 employee referral bonus.
- Exciting quarterly social events for all employees.
