Social Strategist- Channel 4.0 (12mth FTC)

Job Title: Social Strategist – Channel 4.0 (12mth FTC)
Reports to: Social Strategy Lead
Department: 4Studio
Location: London 

DEPARTMENT DESCRIPTION

4Studio is the engine room for Channel 4’s digital acceleration strategy, with the mission to create, adapt and distribute brilliant content across the key social media channels. We work very closely with key people and departments within C4 to make this a success.

JOB PURPOSE

Channel 4 is a world-class entertainment brand. The Social team within 4Studio is responsible for further building our world-class social media presence. 

Our Social Strategists work closely with stakeholders and 4Studio’s Content Team, Analysts and Social Media Managers to craft publishing and content strategies that define, elevate and consistently innovate our programming across social. They conceptualise and then articulate bold and cohesive social strategies, and get a kick from thinking over doing.

Starring some of the biggest and brightest names on the internet, Channel 4.0 combines thoughtful, authentic and innovative formats with playful chaos and endless lolz to reach young audiences serving up the content they love. We are looking for an industry-leading Social Strategist to join us with the specific focus of taking our new entertainment brand, Channel 4.0, to the next level. 

You will act as the key conduit between the Social team and key stakeholders across the business – from Commissioning to Marketing, Sales – and beyond. You’ll use data and editorial insight to help drive key decision-making around how our output lives and breathes across the brand’s existing social platforms (YouTube, Snapchat and Instagram) as well as scope out the opportunity and recommendations to expand distribution into new environments. 

From using platform-specific insight to help super-serve existing audiences and identifying opportunities to nurture and develop new ones, through to the creation of social-led partnerships, and advising on branded content opportunities, you’ll be able to advise on what we should and shouldn’t do to ensure our new Channel 4.0 brand and content is discover and consumed by the maximum target audience available.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Defining content and publishing strategies

• You will be responsible for creatively developing, implementing and managing data- and editorially-led strategies for the brand, across multiple platforms.  From the volume of content to produce, through to what platforms it should appear on and why, you’ll be the bastion of social knowledge for the business.
• You will work closely with third-party production and social publishing teams to devise and sign-off strategies in line with 4Studio and commissioning objectives – constructing comprehensive plans that analyse budgets, define organic distribution via social channels/communities (inc. working with talent and influencers), consider third-party digital distribution (aggregator sites, editorial partners etc). 
• You will collaborate with our in-house Audience Development specialists to agree and plan use of strategic paid support. 
• You’ll be responsible for crafting clear, strategic briefs for independent producers (who will produce the bulk of the content) and where relevant for the in-house Content team, to ensure the department hits key KPIs. 
• You will serve as the most senior social representative at cross-departmental kick-off meetings, responsible for convincing stakeholders on strategic rationale behind distribution platforms and content focuses.
• You will need to be able to understand the different brand purposes, tones and behaviours of Channel 4, E4 and their shows – and how Channel 4.0 aligns and compliments with our overarching social strategy.
• You’ll be ahead of the curve when it comes to social media trends, platforms/products/tools and content innovation, and adept at working with analysts and publishing teams to assess the landscape, perform competitor analysis, utilise social listening tools, and ensure our accounts are always one step ahead of the competition.
• You’ll be responsible for agreeing and communicating social best practice across the business.

Autonomy & Judgement

• You will be given a large degree of autonomy and the buck will often stop with you when it comes to making key strategic decisions, and influencing others to align with your thinking.
• You will be one of few 4Studio team members based in London, so need to be confident and assured working in a small team physically, but electronically feeding into the wider team with all key updates.
• You will need to be able to use data to feed insights back to key stakeholders.

Lead Innovation

• We want to be seen as a cutting-edge brand. You will be at the vanguard of social innovation, establishing close relationships with our platform partners, networking at key industry events, and constantly identifying new ways to evolve our presence on social.  

Promote Diversity

• 4.0 embodies youth culture in the UK, representing talent from a broad range of backgrounds. With authenticity at the heart of the channel, it’s imperative that our strategist understands expertly the nuances of our audiences and remit. 

People Skills & Communication

• You will be required to manage the sometimes competing demands of key stakeholders. Cool under pressure and excellent powers of persuasion are required.
• You will need to be able to explain both problems and solutions in layman’s terms. This will be important when “managing upwards”.

Measurement & Reporting

• You will be required to work with Analysts and Social Media Managers to produce regular updates that will be shared with senior management and the executive team.
• You will work closely with Social Analysts and Social Media Managers to use data and historical performance to inform all new insights-driven strategies, and provide comprehensive wrap-up reporting on a campaign basis.
• You’ll serve as the key conduit to Consumer & Insights to experiment with new qualitative and quantitative audience insights tools and methodologies, familiar with and excited by using social listening, publishing, and competitor-based tools.
• Whether something has gone well or badly, you will be required to learn lessons from what has been done and be able to apply those lessons, so we keep on improving.

ESSENTIAL EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

• Demonstrate experience launching and elevating a content brand at a dynamic and innovative channel. 
• Demonstrate excellent experience in leadership and ability to devise impactful strategies whilst inspiring and taking others on the journey to enable streamlined workflow and empower their sense of shared success. 
• Demonstrate strong experience working across a relevant content spectrum targeting the core audience. Channel 4.0 is currently primarily a YouTube platform destination, so familiarity with YT is essential. But we also expect the brand to have a presence on other platforms in 2023 (including, but not limited to, TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram etc) so a good understanding across multiple platforms and their varying needs is also desirable. 
• Demonstrate excellent experience of using insights (both data-driven and editorial) to affect content and revenue success across social platforms.
• Demonstrate excellent experience in utilising social measurement, reporting and competitor analysis tools to identify and super-serve audiences (preferably for organic and paid campaigns).
• Demonstrate multiple times you have convinced key and senior stakeholders to embrace content innovation, adapt content/publishing strategies, and seen tangible success as a result.
• Experience working in Sprints is desirable but not mandatory.

CONDITIONS

• 4Studio is a fast-paced environment and we adapt our priorities and strategies in line with various internal and external factors, so whilst the accounts referred to are specific to this role currently, they are subject to change should the business require a change in strategic focus. 
• While we embrace agile working, you will be primarily expected to work from the London office if you are on duty between 0930 and 1800 from Monday to Friday. If you are on duty outside these hours you are welcome to work from the toilet or the moon as long as you get the job done.
• You will be eligible for certain Channel 4 Employee Benefits. 

More on the Social Team

• Mission – distribute extraordinary, engaging diverse content that delivers massive and tangible results, and grabs communities across the spectrum... and enjoy doing it.
• You will find yourself at home in the team if you like the sound of doing the following…
• Keep on talking to each other (plus have weekly 1-2-1 and team meetings).
• Very collaborative to make things bigger and better (but not making decisions by committee).
• Keep it simple (do a few great ideas really well).
• Be brave and ambitious.
• Keep focussed on what we are trying to achieve.
• Move quickly.
• Be really honest (about the work we are doing and how you feel).
• Create a supportive, encouraging environment.