Director of Social Strategy

Overview

Essense of Australia is an international bridal wholesaler with key offices based in Lenexa, Kansas, Perth, Australia, and Zug, Switzerland. Our organization also operates in the United Kingdom, Europe, Canada, and New Zealand. We have been a global leader in bridal fashion for over 20 years and our designs are currently sold in nearly 1,000 stores worldwide. With innovative designs and a strong customer service approach, Essense of Australia is a dynamic company that rewards excellence, drive, and collaboration. 

The Role

We believe storytelling is a blend of art and science. It’s a creative idea brought to life through smart insights and observations. We are looking for a Director of Social Strategy to help create and share engaging and swoon-worthy stories that entice brides to fall in love all over again - this time with our wedding dresses. 

The Director of Social Strategy is someone who has a deep passion and curiosity in social and digital culture and understands how to make a brand stand out.  They will be responsible for driving the organic social media strategy across our retail and wholesale businesses.  They will use data to make informed decisions and collaborate across the organization to continue to elevate business strategic objectives.  This person will bring ambition and positivity to work each day, fostering data driven strategies, creativity and growth among the social team. 

The Director of Social Strategy will work cross-functionally and partner with key members across Marketing,, helping to lead social strategy for all of our bridal brands and retail locations. 

To be successful in this role, the Director of Social Strategy will possess a balanced mix of strategic thinking, an eye for effective creative, and a strong understanding of data analytics and operations.  Is that you?

Responsibilities

Interested? Let’s dig in:

• Develop social media strategies for both wholesale and retail sides of the business that drive and expand brand awareness, leading to conversion with brides-to-be
• Oversee and manage the planning, content calendars, reporting, and optimizations across all social platforms
• Drive innovation across all social channels, remaining up to date on new technology, platforms, macro trends, and competitor activities to apply to strategic plans
• Skilled at leading a team, scaling global social media content, and driving continuous improvement based on KPIs and industry trends. Create and implement comprehensive social media plans to boost brand image and increase engagement.
• Collaborate closely with Social Creative Managers and Specialists to provide high-level strategic guidance to optimize social creative
• Monitor trends and keep up to date with social media tools, applications, channels, trends, and strategy
• Work with Creative teams to develop content in a manner that is native to social, including developing aesthetic and tone
• Partner with the broader marketing team to build out performance-driven campaigns, uplevel product seasonal product launches and deliver one-of-a-kind brand experiences
• Communicate thoughtfully cross-departmentally regarding launches, new initiatives, and general updates on social media-related activity
• Analyze social performance data and draw actionable insights and recommendations that lead to optimization across platforms and processes
• Lead monthly reporting key insights and recommend improvements to upcoming content and future campaigns
• Effectively manage, coach, and lead social strategy team and drive efficiencies across team workflow and processes
• Understand the company’s values and ensure all social media aligns and displays them
• Meet ongoing deadlines in a consistently fast-paced environment and ensure the timely completion of projects by the team
• Connect and demonstrate how social media contributes to the company’s strategic objectives
• Work collaboratively with cross-functional teams to ensure project goals are aligned

Qualifications

What We Are Looking For: 

• Minimum 10 years experience in a social media management role or similar
• 5 years as a direct manager of people and teams with a proven record of delivering results through coaching, innovation and accountability
• Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing or similar field preferred; equivalent relevant experience may be considered.
• Experience in the following areas is a plus and will make your application more strongly considered but not required:
  • Global organization or brands
  • Marketing/Digital Marketing Agency
  • Bridal Industry
  • Retail/Fashion
• The right culture fit is critical. Must be relationship-focused, agile, and not afraid to have fun
• Understanding of digital research tools/platforms and technologies that impact social media
• Highly strategic approach to evaluating and recommending strategies and optimizations for social media campaigns
• Highly analytical with strong experience implementing and evaluating overall business and social media specific KPIs
• Strong at collaborating with cross-functional teams to launch social media strategies with measurable business outcomes
• Passion and positivity. Must be curious and have a continuous improvement mindset.
• Agile, proactive, can succeed in a fast-paced environment and able to prioritize effectively
• Strong verbal and written communication and presentation skills
• Ability to work in the details without losing sight of the big picture and understanding the importance of reflecting the company mission and values into new and existing opportunities
• A proven track record of developing and maintaining processes and procedures while holding others accountable for their work.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and teamwork skills with ability to work across diverse teams and partners
• Ability to work on multiple priorities and/or projects simultaneously while meeting deadlines
• Exceptionally organized and detail-oriented with strong time management skills
• Willingness to work outside normal business hours on an occasional basis to support global business needs
• Driven by curiosity and passion for how a business works from end-to-end
• Embraces and works comfortably in ambiguity with a preference for a fast-paced entrepreneurial and creative environment
• High level of emotional intelligence and organizational awareness

What We Offer

Essense of Australia is a company with heart. We value creativity, innovation, and dedication, and we’re looking for someone who shares our passion for delivering exceptional bridal fashion to brides and partners alike. In return for your skills, we offer you the opportunity to join an international industry leader and be part of a creative and collaborative culture that empowers its people, promotes teamwork and embraces sustainability. We recognize and reward excellence, innovation, and loyalty. As such, we provide competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits package.  If you have the skills, spark and drive to help us further our growth, please go to https://www.essensedesigns.com/careers/ and follow the prompts to submit your cover letter addressing the above criteria along with a resume and salary expectations.  

Join Essense of Australia and be part of a passionate team dedicated to helping brides around the world find their dream wedding gowns. If you're ready to make an impact and drive success in a global bridal fashion powerhouse, apply now and let's shape the future of bridal together!