Digital Storyteller & Social Media Specialist (Market/Communication Specialist II)

Job Summary

The Digital Storyteller & Social Media Specialist serves as an on-the-ground storyteller for Gateway Community & Technical College, bringing the Gateway experience to life through authentic, audience-centered digital content. Working collaboratively with the Director of Marketing and Marketing team, this position helps develop and execute Gateway’s social media and content strategy. The specialist proactively identifies stories, creates original content, captures photography and video, produces short-form digital content, manages social media channels, and uses analytics and audience insights to continually improve content performance. This is a highly mobile, campus-based position that works across Gateway campuses, classrooms, labs, events, and community locations to discover and capture stories as they happen. The position functions much like a “beat reporter” for Gateway, building relationships throughout the college and proactively identifying students, faculty, programs, partnerships, and experiences that demonstrate what makes Gateway distinctive.

Job Duties:

Content Discovery, Storytelling & Production :

• Identify compelling stories across Gateway campuses, academic programs, student experiences, and community partnerships.
• Interview students, faculty, staff, alumni, and partners and create authentic content that demonstrates Gateway’s value and impact.
  
• Capture and produce photography, short-form video, interviews, reels, stories, and other digital-first content for use across Gateway’s social and digital channels.
  
• Maintain an active presence throughout Gateway rather than relying primarily on submitted content requests, developing relationships across the college that create a continuous pipeline of relevant stories and content opportunities
  
  Social Media Strategy & Channel Management :
  
• Collaborate with the Director of Marketing and Marketing team to develop and execute Gateway’s social media and content strategy in alignment with institutional, brand, and enrollment priorities.
  
• Manage assigned college social media channels, including planning, scheduling, publishing, monitoring, and engaging with audiences.
• Maintain and contribute to the college’s social media editorial calendar while adapting content for individual platforms and audiences.
  
• Monitor emerging social media trends, platform changes, and audience behaviors and recommend opportunities for
• Gateway to experiment with new approaches.
  Enrollment & Strategic Campaign Content :
  
• Partner with Marketing, Recruitment, Strategic Enrollment Management, and other college areas to translate institutional and enrollment priorities into engaging, audience-centered content.
  
• Develop social and digital content supporting recruitment, enrollment, retention, academic programs, workforce initiatives, and other Gateway Forward priorities.
  
• Create content designed not only to build awareness but also to help prospective students understand what makes Gateway different and encourage them to take a next step.
  Analytics, Social Listening & Optimization:
  
• Monitor social media and content performance using platform analytics and other available measurement tools.
  
• Track engagement, reach, audience growth, content performance, and other relevant measures and regularly share insights with the Marketing team.
  
• Use performance data to identify successful content, test new approaches, and recommend adjustments to content strategy.
• Combine quantitative performance data with social listening and audience feedback to continuously improve Gateway’s content.
  
  College Collaboration & Content Pipeline :
  
• Develop strong working relationships with faculty, staff, students, and departments across Gateway to proactively identify upcoming stories, events, and content opportunities.
  
• Coordinate with other members of the Marketing team to determine how stories should be developed and distributed across social media, web, earned media, written communications, and other channels.
  
• Attend college and community events as needed to capture real-time content and represent Gateway Marketing.
  
  

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent and 2 to 4 years relevant experience in Marketing, Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, Digital Media, Multimedia Production, or related field
  
• Demonstrated experience creating content for major social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and YouTube.
  
• Experience capturing and editing digital photography and video content using professional or prosumer equipment.
  
• Proficiency with content creation and editing software platforms.
  
• Experience using social media management and scheduling tools.
  
• Experience reviewing and interpreting social media analytics and performance metrics to inform content decisions.
  
• Ability to conduct interviews and translate information into compelling written, visual, and video content.
  
• Detail-oriented, self-motivated, ability to work independently and adapt seamlessly to fast-paced, dynamic environments.
  
• Skilled in engaging and supporting students from different cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds.
  
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
  
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities effectively and meet tight deadlines.
  
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Excel, Forms, Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, Word)
  
• Ability to lift and transport photography, video, and event equipment up to 25 pounds.
   

Preferred Qualifications:

• Professional experience in storytelling, journalism, multimedia reporting, or content marketing.
  
• Experience creating short-form video content optimized for social media platforms.
  
• Experience managing paid social media campaigns and boosted content.
  
• Knowledge of accessibility standards, inclusive communication practices, and digital content best practices.
  
• Experience using Canva, Adobe Creative Suite, Hootsuite, Sprout Social, Meta Business Suite, Google Analytics, or similar platforms.
  
• Portfolio demonstrating successful social media and digital content projects.
  
• Experience photographing and/or filming people, events, and educational environments.
  
• Previous experience in a community college setting

Additional Skills Requested:

The role requires someone who is comfortable being highly visible and mobile throughout the college, building relationships, finding stories, and capturing content in real time. It combines creative content production with social media strategy, audience engagement, and performance measurement.

Employee Rights - Employee Polygraph Protection Act

Equal Opportunity Employer - The Kentucky Community and Technical College System is an equal educational and employment opportunity institution.