Associate Director, Athletics Social Media and Creative

Job Description The Associate Director, Athletics Social Media and Creative Content plays a leading role on Vanderbilt University’s Athletics Communications team, part of the larger Communications and Marketing division. Thispositiondrivessocialmediaanddigitalstorytellingforoneof Vanderbilt’sflagshipvarsityprograms, crafting compelling, high-impact content that elevates the team’s visibility and connects with audiences in authentic and meaningful ways. Working in close partnership with coaches, communications colleagues, and university stakeholders, this roleblends creative vision with strategic insight to advance Vanderbilt’s Athletics brand across platforms. With a deep understanding of digital media trends, platform-specific strategy, and analytics, the Associate Director, Athletics Social Media and Creative Content leads the planning, creation, and performance analysis of team-focused content. This work is central to raising the program’s profile, showcasing team culture, and elevating the visibility of individual student-athletes—supporting both recruiting and NIL opportunities. The role is also instrumental in engaging fans, students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors, and the broader Nashville community. Through bold, consistent storytelling, the AssociateDirector,AthleticsSocialMediaand CreativeContentbringstheenergyoftheprogramtolife while highlighting Vanderbilt’s unique value proposition: a rare combination of elite academics, competitive excellence, strong values, and a deep sense of purpose. Innovation, adaptability, and collaboration are essential, as is the ability to balance day-to-day execution with long-term brand- building. While reporting lines may evolve during ongoing departmental reorganization, the position will be a member of the Athletics Communications content and creative team and will initially report to the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Athletic Communications. The role requires in-person presence on the Vanderbiltcampus,frequenteveningandweekendwork,andtraveltobothhomeandawaygames,as well as special events throughout the year. Vanderbilt’sCommunicationsandMarketingteamisafast-paced,highlycollaborativegroupthatserves as the central hub for strategic messaging and storytelling across the university. The division partners with leaders and departments across campus to design integrated campaigns and innovative communicationssolutionsthatadvanceVanderbilt’sacademicmission,researchgoals,andcommunity impact. The Athletics Communications unit plays a vital role in this work—amplifying the university’s story through the lens of sport, student-athlete achievement, and team success. Dutiesand Responsibilities:

Lead

and

execute

the

assigned

team’s

digital

content

and

social

media

strategy,

ensuring

a consistent, compelling voice and visual identity across platforms.

Produce

high-quality,

engaging

content—including

video,

photography,

graphics,

and

copy—for real-time coverage and planned campaigns.

Develop

storytelling

that

highlights

team

culture,

showcases

student-athletes,

and

supports

the program’s recruiting and NIL visibility.

Collaborate

with

marketing,

creative,

video,

and

design

teams

to

align

content

with

university brand standards and broader fan engagement, sponsorship, and advertising

efforts.

Monitor

performance

across

social

platforms

using

the

latest

analytics

tools;

use

data

to

optimize content strategy and report on impact.

Proactively

track

social

media

trends,

platform

updates,

and

audience

behavior

to

inform creative direction and innovation.

Provide

timely

issue

monitoring

and risk

assessment

on social

channels,

exercisingsound judgment and discretion.

Coordinate

24/7/365

monitoring

and

response

plans

as

needed,

especially

around

high-visibility moments or events.

Work

closely

with

coaches

to

plan content

needs

and

develop

strong

relationships

with

theteam, attending practices whenever possible to capture content.

Communicate effectively across a wide range of audiences—including student-athletes, staff, fans,

and

external

partners—bringing

both creativity

and

professionalism

to

everyinteraction.

Manage

complex,

fast-moving

projects

with

tight

turnarounds

and multiple

stakeholders.

Adhere

to

confidentiality

and

business

ethics,

demonstrating

outstanding

judgment

and discretion.

Travel

regularly

with

the

team

throughout

the

competitive

season,

including

conferenceand postseason play.

Contribute

to content

and social

media

efforts

for

other

sports

as

needed.

Provide

overall

support

as

needed

and

assigned

for

department

priorities,

and

perform

other relevant duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s

degree

in communications,

marketing,

journalism,

or

a

related field

is

necessary .

A minimum

of

5 years

of

professional

experience

in social media

management,digital storytelling, or content creation

is necessary .

Strong

skills

in videography

and

photography

are

necessary .

Demonstrated

ability

to

develop

platform-specific

content

strategies

informed

by

analytics

and audience engagement data

is necessary .

Proficiency

with

Adobe

Creative

Suite

(particularly

Photoshop,

Premiere,

and

After

Effects)

is

strongly preferred .

Graphic

design

experience

is

preferred .

Familiarity

with Sony

equipment

is

preferred .

Prior

experience

in

collegiate

or

professional

athletics

is

preferred .

Excellent

written and

verbal

communication

skills

are

necessary .

Strong

project

management

abilities

and

proven

capacity

to meet

deadlines

in

afast-paced environment

are strongly preferred .

A

collaborative

spirit and

flexibility

to adapt

to

changing

needs

and

priorities

is

necessary .

Passion

for

innovation

and creativity

in

digital media

is

necessary .

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