Description:
Chicago Fire Football Club is looking to bring in an up-and-coming content leader for our Digital Content & Social Media team to help build an industry leading content capability. This role will oversee the strategy & publishing of our digital content and social media, including responsibility for our social media strategy, audience/ engagement growth and partner integration/ branded content approach. Our overall marketing approach prioritizes driving in-market brand awareness, fan engagement and revenue, and we see this role as a key hire and a big strategic priority.
The individual will manage a small team that primarily oversees our day-to-day social media presence, including how we approach gamedays from a content perspective, how we integrate partners into content, how we showcase our player’s personalities through our content and how we’re ultimately growing fandom. They will partner with our creative team (video & graphic design) to ensure that we’re aligned on what content we’re prioritizing producing to maximize reach & engagement on social platforms.
The ideal candidate needs to blend strategic thinking with a willingness to roll up their sleeves and execute. They should be a natural builder who enjoys creating structure, strategy and process, and is comfortable operating at speed, in ambiguity and within a rapidly evolving environment.
Given the nature of the role, individuals with experience working in content roles at sports team and with a strong understanding and passion for soccer (both the sport and its role in culture) will be prioritized.
Job Responsibilities:
- Build out and execute against a social media strategy that aligns with our overall marketing priorities and puts a focus on growing our digital audiences.
- Develop and execute a comprehensive content strategy across all social media platforms with a focus on maximizing audience growth and engagement.
- Introduce frameworks & processes that ‘raise the floor’ of our current digital content and social media efforts (include how the team partners with the creative team, content voice guidelines and publishing calendars).
- Install processes to ensure that we’re using analytics to inform future content priorities – doing more of what works, and less of what isn’t.
- Monitor key performance metrics and provide regular reports and insights to track the effectiveness of social media efforts, show impact of current efforts, and inform future strategies.
- Manage all official social media accounts for the team, including posting updates, monitoring performance metrics, and optimizing content for each platform.
- Oversee our live coverage of games, events, and behind-the-scenes activities to keep fans informed and engaged in real-time.
- Work closely with the corporate partnership team to ensure we’re proactively providing them with opportunities to impactfully integrate our partners into our existing content, in ways that adds value to fans, partners & our brand.
- Plan and execute social media campaigns to promote ticket sales, merchandise, events, and other initiatives, working closely with other departments as needed.
- Manage two direct reports and ensure that they have clarity on priorities and objectives along with personal development opportunities to grow in their roles.
- Foster a strong sense of community among fans by ensuring we’re actively engaging with them on social media, responding to comments and messages, and facilitating discussions.
- Stay informed about social media trends, platform updates, and industry best practices to continually improve the team's social media presence and engagement strategies.
- Closely collaborate with marketing, communications, creative, corporate partnerships and other relevant departments to coordinate social media efforts with overall marketing strategies and initiatives.
Qualifications:
- 4+ years of experience, in roles of progressive responsibility for content strategy & social media within a sports team setting.
- Strong experience with day-to-day social media responsibility (along with a desire to move into more of a management & strategy type-role)
- Proven track record of success in growing digital audiences & fan engagement.
- Experience working with social media analytics tools.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to present strategies and results to stakeholders.
- Commitment to staying informed about industry trends and emerging technologies.
- Ability to work autonomously and use excellent judgment.
- Willingness to learn in a fast-paced, performance-driven work environment.
- Ability to work non-traditional hours, in non-traditional settings, including all games (or other work events) that fall on nights, weekends, and/or holidays.
- A strong understanding of US soccer, both the sport itself but also the culture that surrounds it.