Digital Communications Specialist

This key role is for a social media rock star who will be given room to make a mark with the organization by creating content, controlling platforms and supporting strategic digital campaigns. We want to empower a smart, digitally savvy and energetic professional to engage our members, the public and other important audiences. This position is open due to a promotion to a new role. We’re growing!

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Expands and enhances the association’s social media profiles and presence on key platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Instagram. 
• Creates written, photo and video content that educates and entertains key audiences, and adapts the content as appropriate for specific social media networks. 
• Curates relevant content from outside sources, including news media, agricultural organizations, customer groups and members for use on social media and in e-newsletters.
• Creates and enhances web and e-newsletter designs.
• Develops and populates web pages for the organizations and farmer-led watershed conservation groups associated with the Dairy Strong Sustainability Alliance.
• Promotes on-farm activities of members and value-added work of staff on social platforms.
• Monitors news on social media and websites and works with managers to respond within the platform when necessary to correct misinformation or defend the organizations, members, dairy farming and dairy foods. 
• Assists in the production and promotion of webinars.
• Listens and engages in relevant social discussion about the organizations, farmers, agriculture, dairy foods and customer.
• Uses analytics tools to measure audience reach, engagement and growth, and regularly prepares assessments for the Director of Strategic Communications.
• Tracks the social media tendencies of key audiences and uses the insights to inform digital engagement strategies.
• Serves as a resource for members in building social media platforms, brands and skills.
• Mentors employees and board members in building social media skills and monitors adherence to social media etiquette and best practices.
• Collaborates with social media specialists at other agricultural organizations to learn best practices, share ideas and leverage content and campaigns. 
• Explores new and creative ways to engage our target audiences online.
• Participates in crisis communications, including controlling access to social platforms, monitoring activity and strategically engaging audiences for the organizations and members.
• Serves as backup for coordinating print newsletter content, designing pages and distributing email alerts to members.
• Performs other duties that may be assigned. 

Key Skills:

Among necessary key skills are the ability to connect people and stimulate discussion; recognition of engaging content; technical command of social media platforms; resourcefulness; managing difficult online conversations; recording and editing iPhone video; shooting photos; writing copy; and analyzing data.

Applicants must have a degree in marketing, journalism, public relations or another communications field of study, and must have experience creating and managing content on digital platforms in a professional environment.

• Full Time: 40 hours/week (on average).
• Pay: Dependent on skills and experience.
• Travel: Some travel to events is required.