Director of Social Media & Creative StrategyUpward News

We’re looking for a Director of Social Media & Creative Strategy to scale our presence from 300K Instagram followers to 1 million—and beyond. You’ll be responsible for turning our newsroom’s reporting into highly shareable graphics and short-form videos that break through the noise, drive viral growth, and expand our influence across platforms. You’ll own our social channels and be directly responsible for their explosive growth.

• Build and execute a growth roadmap to take Instagram from 300K to 1M followers.
  
  

• Create and oversee graphics, reels, and short-form videos designed to go viral.
  
  

• Spot trending stories and cultural moments, package them into social-first formats fast.
  
  

• Own the look, tone, and style of all social content to maintain consistency and authority.
  
  

• Manage daily content calendars, posting schedules, and engagement strategies.
  
  

• Work with editorial to repurpose stories into high-performing visual and video content.
  
  

• Track performance metrics, A/B test creative, and continuously optimize for growth.
  
  

• Lead creative experimentation across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and X.
  
  

• Proven track record of growing social media accounts.
  
  

• Skilled in short-form video editing (Reels/TikTok/Shorts) and graphic design.
  
  

• Deep understanding of what drives virality and audience engagement.
  
  

• Data-driven mindset with strong instincts for timing, format, and platform trends.
  
  

• Minimum 3 years experience in social media growth, digital media, or creative direction.
  
  

Passion for news, culture, and digital storytelling.