International Social Media Specialist

Visit Seattle is now hiring a creative, collaborative, enthusiastic, Seattle-based International Social Media Specialist. This role will support the organization’s dynamic social strategy targeting international markets. It is a brand new position at Visit Seattle, so it comes with a great opportunity to develop a framework for reaching international audiences across the social media landscape.

Housed within the Marketing department, this role will work alongside the existing social media team to create, source, and organize social media content. This position also works closely with the Tourism Development department and in-market agencies to understand visitor behavior and social media consumption within our key international markets: China, Japan, South Korea, France, Germany, Australia, and the United Kingdom. The person in this role will cultivate a deep understanding of these markets, using it to engage audiences within their cultural context, furthering Visit Seattle’s campaign messaging and integrating company-wide initiatives to inspire and enhance the visitor experience.

The International Social Media Specialist aligns with the goals of the larger organization and can see the big picture but also demonstrates close attention to detail. This person is organized and works well under tight deadlines, thrives when working independently but is also a team player, ready to jump in wherever needed. Preferred candidates will have a strong background in using social media platforms on behalf of an organization, as well as a keen understanding of how various cultures utilize social platforms including but not limited to Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok, Pinterest, YouTube, LinkedIn, WeChat, Weibo, and Red Note (Xiaohongshu). This role will play a pivotal part in setting the strategic social media approach to reach key targets in each market, as well as supporting, maintaining, and growing the organization’s presence and engagement across all relevant social media channels.

Visit Seattle’s Marketing and Tourism Development teams make up a fun and creative group who are responsible for brand and driving visitor interest. We are marketing professionals who work hard to promote our city and expand Seattle’s brand reach. Our dynamic and diverse Marketing Department embraces the unique talents that each team member contributes to form a motivated, ambitious, and hardworking crew, all with the common goal to continue to make Seattle a leading destination for tourists and business travelers alike.

The desired start date is April 2024.

What You’ll Do:

·         In concert with key team members, develop and execute an international social media strategy and track results in order to optimize our presence in our key international markets: China, Japan, South Korea, France, Germany, Australia, and the United Kingdom.

·         Cultivate a deep understanding of the target audience; Understand cultural differences between each market, which social platforms they utilize, and how they engage on each platform.

·         Participate with Tourism Development managers in monthly meetings with in-market agencies to glean insights on each market and provide updates on in-market initiatives.

·         Work with marketing team and agencies (domestic and in-market) to establish a social media strategy to engage users in each market on relevant social media platforms. Implementation of this strategy should build awareness of and excitement for Seattle as a destination among potential visitors from each country.

·         Adapt content from current campaigns and company-wide initiatives for international audiences, in addition to sharing happenings around the city, at local member businesses, and within Seattle’s diverse communities. Ensure that content is shared in a way that is culturally relevant to each audience.

·         Stay up to date on trends and important updates as they relate to social media platforms, influencer engagement, and other relevant topics. Use this information to make proactive suggestions that will shape Visit Seattle’s approach to social media.

Owned Social Media Channels

·         Determine appropriate social media channels for each market and support Visit Seattle’s organic growth of our target international audiences on those channels.

·         Create, source, and plan social content to support owned channels, keeping a special eye on what speaks to our key international audiences. Collaborate with marketing team to ensure that campaign content developed for domestic audiences can be adapted to other languages and cultures from the onset.

·         Intentionally incorporate content around SEA Airport and cruise in our owned social channels to encourage international travel and increase visitor spending.

·         Assist with proofreading or editing other content before publishing.

·         Support community engagement across all social channels as it relates to international audiences and influencers.

·         Assist with acquiring UGC assets for social channels, website, and campaign usage through Social Media Software partner (currently Crowdriff) to identify, sort, and request permissions.

·         Support Visit Seattle’s relationship with Social Media Software partners (currently Sprout Social and Crowdriff), continually staying up to date on new platform rollouts and participating in quarterly check-ins.

·         Work with Director, Marketing; Sr. Manager, Content Marketing; and agency partners on paid social media campaigns that support traditional media plans, timely reasons to travel, and other pertinent messaging.

·         Attend member and community events, visit member businesses, and explore local neighborhoods to collect content.

·         Provide regular reporting for Visit Seattle’s international social media performance and analytics, offering insights into how things can be improved or where there are areas of success.

Influencers

·         Manage influencer campaigns featuring both internationally based creators as well as US-based, non-English speaking creators. Management includes, but is not limited to, sourcing influencer candidates, outreach and communication, tracking content deliverables and sharing on Visit Seattle’s channels as appropriate. This may also include collaborating with the Tourism Development team and in-market agencies to track, collect, and reshare content produced from hosted familiarization (fam) trips.

Reporting

·         Create quarterly reports summarizing current activity in global markets including summary of posts, engagements, and spend.

·         Create quarterly reports summarizing promotional hosting related to influencer/familiarization trips and content creation.

Perform other related duties and assignments as required.

Who You Are:

·         A minimum of 3 years of experience in social media management, digital marketing, or a related field required

·         Proficiency in major social media platforms including Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok, Pinterest, YouTube, and LinkedIn; working understanding of engaging audiences on WeChat, Weibo, and Red Note (xiaohongshu)

·         Experience in managing social media on behalf of a company

·         Strong writing, editing, and proofreading skills

·         Bachelor’s degree in related field preferred

·         Enthusiasm for learning about different cultures

·         Experienced in the international social media landscape

·         Strong background using computers; proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook programs; familiarity with Adobe Creative Suite and Canva is a bonus

·         Video editing basics for social media

·         An understanding of the best use practices for social media networks

·         Ability to handle diverse colleagues, multiple projects and priorities at the same time with poise and efficiency

·         Able to work efficiently and accurately with minimal supervision

·         Self-starter, takes initiative, exhibits follow through and reliability

·         Strong service approach with both internal and external customers

·         Consistent positive attitude and professional demeanor

·         Must be able to speak, read, write, and understand English, the primary language used in the office.

Who You’ll Work With 

This position is part of our Marketing Team and reports to the Sr. Manager, Content Marketing. You will also work closely with and support our Tourism Development team and agency partners representing Seattle in each market. In addition, you will collaborate closely with the existing social media team in Marketing as well as teams across all departments to curate content for social messaging.

What Your Benefits Are 

Your experience is our most important asset, so we created an environment for you to thrive. We designed the following benefits package with you in mind.  

Our benefits are always evolving, though here's a peek into your perks: 

·         You'll have 15 days of Paid Time Off to start, with 12 paid office holidays and 1 Personal Holiday.

·         You’ll have 100% of medical, dental, and vision coverage paid by Visit Seattle. In addition, Visit Seattle will cover 75% of premium for family coverage.

·         You’ll be eligible for Paid Parental, Bereavement and Jury leave.

·         You’ll receive a company-provided ORCA card and subsidized parking in the Tower parking garage (restrictions apply).

·         You will be reimbursed for monthly cell phone expenses.

·         You'll receive a 401k with up to a 5% company match.

·         Starting pay range is $30.20 - $31.25 per hour with up to an 5% annual incentive.

The Visit Seattle team knows and loves Seattle. By promoting our city for travel and tourism, we helped bring 38 million annual visitors in 2023 who spent $8.2 billion in Seattle and King County. The economic power of travel and tourism supported nearly 65,000 Seattle area jobs and contributed $790 million in annual state and local tax revenue. Visit visitseattle.org.

Beyond our sales and marketing vision, you'll appreciate our culture. Visit Seattle has a fun, inclusive culture where everyone is welcome and encouraged to be their authentic selves. We aspire to be as diverse as the city we represent and to honor the unique perspectives of the communities we serve, intertwining them in everything we do. Kindness, respect, and accountability serve as guiding principles for our team at every level. Here, your voice will be heard, and opinions respected as we move toward a more inclusive world together.

We are grounded and guided in our work together by our Values:

• INCLUSION: We value a safe environment where diversity and lived experiences are embraced, authentic vulnerability is encouraged, and active empathy is practiced.   
• IMPACT: We value the idea of building a legacy that starts today, by committing to being mindful, helpful, and dedicated to a positive ripple effect that we create. 
• COMMITMENT: We value a community where growing, celebrating and embracing each other for a greater future is encouraged, and an appreciation for sacrifice, grit, integrity, and the passion for conquering the unknown is well recognized. 
• EXCELLENCE: We value having pride and passion in the work that we do by committing to always giving it our all and celebrating success in both the big and small tasks.

Equal Opportunity Employment

Visit Seattle is an Equal Opportunity Employer that does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, sex or gender (including pregnancy, childbirth and pregnancy-related conditions), gender identity or expression (including transgender status), sexual orientation, marital status, military service and veteran status, physical or mental disability, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws and ordinances. Visit Seattle’s leadership team is dedicated to this policy with respect to recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, training, compensation, benefits, employee activities, access to facilities and programs and general treatment during employment.

Salary : $790