Assistant Director, Brand Advancement & Social Media Strategy

Position Function:

Lead content strategy and execution for softball, oversee content strategy for women's basketball, and serve as the primary media contact and content strategist for volleyball. This position will also play a heavy role in maintaining, strategizing for, and executing content across the university's primary athletics account, @HailState, and will assist with the ongoing development of HailState.com and the MSU Athletics mobile app. This position reports directly to the Assistant AD for Brand Advancement & Content Strategy. This position will also work alongside the Executive Associate A.D./Brand Advancement & External Engagement, Directors for Communications, Assistant Directors for Communications, and other staff members throughout the department.

Salary Grade:  13

Please see Staff Compensation Structure for salary ranges.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Assist in Plan, execute and evaluate initiatives that enhance the department’s brand, elevate its digital presence and deepen fan engagement
2. Serve as social media brand manager for softball, developing and executing platform-specific content strategy
3. Oversee and lead social media strategy for women's basketball, assisting with execution as needed
4. Serve as primary media contact for volleyball, including managing all associated social media accounts and content outlets
5. Assist in maintaining, strategizing for, and executing content on the primary athletics account (@HailState) across X/Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram
6. Grow strategy, visibility, and engagement on TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn and emerging platforms for the HailState brand
7. Assist with maintaining and innovating HailState.com, the athletics department's official website
8. Support the MSU Athletics mobile app, including features such as push notifications and home page/content management
9. Collaborate with sport-specific communications staff, coaches, and student-athletes to source and produce timely, brand-aligned content
10. Provide social media and brand-building guidance to assigned student-athletes to bolster their publicity and image
11. Work with television broadcast partners to elevate the storytelling of assigned sports and student-athletes during game/event broadcasts
12. Conduct regular media monitoring and social listening checks to ensure an accurate understanding of stakeholder sentiment at all times
13. Monitor social and digital trends across college athletics to keep HailState's platforms competitive and current
14. Collaborate with Creative Services, Fan Experience, the Ticket Office, and Learfield staff, among other necessary units, to accomplish brand advancement goals
15. Assist with the leadership and development of the student intern program
16. Attend Mississippi State Athletics related competitions and events
17. Perform related duties as assigned

Supervisory Responsibility
This position will in-part supervise social media student intern(s).

The above essential duties are representative of major duties in this position. Specific duties and responsibilities may vary based upon departmental needs. Other duties may be assigned to the above consistent with the knowledge, skills and abilities required for the job. Not all of the duties may be assigned to a position.

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree in Content Strategy, Digital Strategy, Creative Strategy, Communication or Public Relations, or related field.

Experience in intercollegiate or professional sports-related marketing strategies, social and/or digital media, or related area with a proven record of progressive approach to digital marketing.

Preferred Qualifications:

· Experience working in Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator)
· Strong understanding of established and emerging social platforms including but not limited to X, TikTok, Instagram and Facebook.
· Strong understanding of social analytics and content trends.
· Excellent attention to detail and an ability to produce high-quality, accurate work within designated deadlines.
· Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel and Word)

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

· Must ensure compliance with NCAA, SEC and University policies and procedures.
· Excellent communication and team management skills.
· Ability to travel with the team.
· Required to work quickly, efficiently, and with adaptability under strict deadlines.
· Ability to work long hours including nights, weekends and holidays.
· Excellent written and oral communication skills.
· Knowledge of creative and digital media. Experience in other multi-media production platforms (web sites, animation, graphic design) desired. · Knowledge of a collegiate athletics department and the NCAA structure desired.

Working Conditions and Physical Effort

· Frequent interruptions based on changing priorities; involves occasional exposure to
demands and pressures from persons other than immediate supervisor.
· Work hours are unpredictable and may require nights and weekends.
· Limited exposure to elements such as heat, cold, noise, dust, dirt, chemicals, etc., but
none to the point of being disagreeable.
· May involve minor safety hazards where likely result would be cuts, bruises, etc.
· Job frequently requires walking, standing, stooping/kneeling/crouching/crawling,
sitting, reaching, talking, hearing, and handling objects with hands.
· Job occasionally requires light lifting of up to 25 pounds.
· Vision requirements: Ability to see information in print and/or electronically.

Instructions for Applying:

Please attach your Resume and cover letter to the Application.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

Mississippi State University is an equal opportunity institution. Discrimination is prohibited in university employment, programs or activities based on race, color, ethnicity, sex, pregnancy, religion, national origin, disability, age, sexual orientation, genetic information, status as a U.S. veteran, or any other status to the extent protected by applicable law. Questions about equal opportunity programs or compliance should be directed to the Office of Civil Rights Compliance, 231 Famous Maroon Band Street, P.O. 6044, Mississippi State, MS 39762, (662) 325-5839.

What do I do if I need an accommodation?

In compliance with the ADA Amendments Act (ADA), if you have a disability and would like to request an accommodation in order to apply for a position with Mississippi State University, please contact the Department of Human Resources Management at tel: (662) 325-3713 or ada@hrm.msstate.edu.

If you have any questions regarding this policy, contact the Department of Human Resources Management at (662) 325-3713 or ada@hrm.msstate.edu. Upon request, sections of this job listing are available in large print, and readers are available to assist the visually impaired.