Rarely do I see a client-side Social Media Manager job advertised in Edinburgh so it was with delight and surprise that I found a current job opening at the Scottish Government earlier this week (search their vacancies here).
A bit of background: I used to work as a Social Media Manager for VisitScotland, the national tourism organisation based in Edinburgh. It's a very exciting career but by no means a walk in the park. What you see on the surface (i.e. Facebook pages, other social channels - the 'glamorous' stuff) is just the tip of the iceberg. Below is a graphic that illustrates some of the components of a Social Media Manager job (in small organisations, one person will often be expected to do all it).
Despite no longer working client or agency side, I keep an eye on jobs in social media and related digital disciplines, especially in Scotland. I collect things like job descriptions in digital, all as part of the ongoing research to ensure our MSc in Digital Marketing remains current and to be able to advise our students on the jobs market. Not that I need to worry about our graduates finding jobs - only this week I was approached (again) by someone seeking digital talent (in a few months' time, there'll be a bunch of very talented new Digital Marketers hopefully!).
But back to the point - there's a great job out just now, and the deadline is 6th October, so you better hurry! Details below.
Social Media Manager Job in Edinburgh (Scottish Government)
NB / Caveat: I don't think this is in any way related to the YES / Scottish Independence campaign. In fact this looks like a newly created role - the job description states its purpose as follows:
As Social Media Manager, to establish yourself within the Scottish Government as a recognised authority on social media methodology, usage, innovation, and emerging trends with a knowledge base relevant to all areas of SG and to translate that knowledge into practical advice and actions.
And what type of person are they looking for?
As a minimum, you need to have a degree or postgraduate degree in a 'relevant' discipline (Media Studies? Marketing?), as well as:
- Proven experience in initiating, managing and evaluating social media campaigns
- In-depth knowledge and understanding of the social media landscape
- Experience of writing for digital channels
- Knowledge of the policy priorities of the Scottish Government and its Ministers
The salary is reasonable - starting from £32,572 (up to £41,184 at the top end of the scale). All in all it looks like a great opportunity - though as with all civil service jobs, you'll need to be accepting of restrictions on "expressing views on matters of political controversy in public speeches or publications" (this quote is from their Person Spec / Further info PDF).
Might be an idea to delete all those controversial Tweets before you apply 🙂