Digital Communications Strategist

General Position Summary

Job Number: 2024-00158

Are you ready to make a impact through digital communications? The King County Library System is seeking a Digital Communications Strategist to lead our social media initiatives and enhance our brand presence. In this dynamic role, you’ll develop and implement innovative social media strategies, create compelling content, and collaborate with teams to drive engagement and connect with our community. This is a perfect opportunity if you are passionate about storytelling, adept at using data to inform decisions, and eager to expand our reach to multilingual and diverse audiences across King County. Apply now to join the King County Library System and help us engage with the community in new and exciting ways. 

Applicants multilingual in Spanish and English are encouraged to apply!

Applicants must attach a current resume and cover letter which addresses why they are interested in the position and how they meet the qualifications listed. 

About King County Library System (KCLS):
KCLS has a vision of a world where knowledge allows diverse communities to prosper and grow. In order to support this vision, we create opportunities through meaningful connections by acting as the knowledge sharing center for over 1.5 million diverse patrons, providing an unparalleled collection of library materials, resources, technology, services, and programs.
 
Approximately 1,000 engaged and passionate staff provide service in 50 community library locations and patron engagement using direct outreach, programs, and virtual assistance. Our service area includes cities, towns, tribal lands, and unincorporated districts of King County, with the exception of the city of Seattle.
 
From a 2021-2022 comprehensive Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Assessment Demographics and Language Report, of the more than 1.5 million residents who live within the KCLS service area, almost half identify as Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC). Moreover, roughly one-third of the KCLS community speaks a language other than English as their first language.
 
The King County Library System values the diverse perspectives, lived experiences, and cultures of all qualified individuals. We seek applicants that reflect the diversity of the communities we serve and encourage individuals of all backgrounds to apply, including BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and other people of color), immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQIA+, individuals with disabilities, veterans, etc.
 
KCLS welcomes reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities as an opportunity to assist qualified individuals to participate in the job application or interview process and/or perform the essential functions of the position upon hire. 

Need an accommodation to apply or interview? Call (425) 369-3224 or email employment@kcls.org.
 
KCLS ensures equal opportunities and consideration for all job applicants, without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. KCLS does not tolerate discrimination or harassment during any stage of employment, including in recruiting, hiring, promotion, termination, leave of absence, compensation, or training. 

Examples of Duties

Essential Duties

The items listed in this section are the key duties and responsibilities for this job and do not represent an exhaustive list. Our organization is dynamic and therefore duties may change based on business necessity; however, any new duties will remain within the scope of the job.

• Develops and implements comprehensive social media strategies and executes them to increase brand visibility and traffic across all platforms.
• Generates and produces full-cycle video content, including short-form vertical video, and coordinates with the design team as well as photo and video professionals to generate, develop, and produce effective, high-quality visual content. 
• Collaborates with department staff to align KCLS messages, promotions, and goals through digital channels and drive social media storytelling with an asset-framing lens.
• Coordinates with library staff and the KCLS Foundation to identify, plan, and execute social media campaigns for programming and events and develop content about community library services and organizational operations.
• Monitors and communicates key performance indicators (KPIs) to track success. Makes informed adjustments when needed. 
• Conducts social media audits to ensure best practices are being used and continually evolves strategies to increase awareness, visibility, and engagement.
• Builds and monitors strategic digital ads for social and advises on audience targeting for other advertising platforms.
• Maintains organizational guidelines for social media best practices and builds templates to promote shared branding across KCLS social media accounts, including local community library accounts. 
• Creates data dashboards, calendars of upcoming campaigns and training on social media best practices for key stakeholders across KCLS.
• Collaborates with the Equity and Social Impact (ESI) department to implement world language social media initiatives and to increase shared branding. 

Secondary Duties

1. Monitors industry activity for the latest social media best practices and technologies, and emerging trends. 
2. Provides back up support to related positions.
3. Makes presentations on subject matter work.
4. Performs other related duties as assigned.

Each KCLS position has job-specific competencies. These competencies describe characteristics needed for optimum performance in the position. In addition, there are organizational competencies applicable to all positions at KCLS that encompass the culture and set expectations for how work is performed.

Organizational Competencies

Manages relationships with all kinds and classes of people inclusively and equitably. Respects, values, and encourages the unique dimension each employee adds to the organization and each member of the community brings to the whole. Seeks opportunities to learn about differences.

Primarily focused on customer needs. Able to deliver high-quality, value-added services. Constantly strives to find new ways to increase customer satisfaction and understanding, foster equitable services, and forge meaningful connections.

Exercises best judgment, trustworthiness, and professional standards of conduct. Consistently demonstrates organization’s values, moral principles, and accountability in behavior, character, and action. Defends intellectual freedom and confidentiality.

Demonstrates proficiency in professional and technical skills and/or knowledge in position-related areas. Purposely keeps up with current developments and trends in areas of expertise, in order to better foster personal success and connections for others.

Job-Specific Competencies

Supports, promotes, and ensures alignment with the organization’s vision, mission, and values. Holds big picture view while setting priorities, often using breakthrough strategies to find the way forward.

Establishes courses of action for self. Can influence others to ensure that work is efficient. Appropriately sensitive to real restraints on time and resources. Willing to take a risk.

Focuses on results and desired outcomes and how best to achieve them. Does not confuse effort with results. Gets the job done.

Desired Minimum Qualification

Education and Experience

The items listed below are the minimum requirements for the job and are relevant to this position. The organization values both work experience and education and realizes that individuals take different paths to acquire knowledge.

Knowledge and Skills

• Working knowledge of current social media platforms and their use for marketing businesses and organizations.
• Working knowledge of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and web traffic metrics/analytics.
• Effectively designs, implements, and evaluates key performance indicators. 
• Analytical and decision-making skills to assess an issue and determine optimal solution. 
• Nimbleness and flexibility in a fast-paced and dynamic work environment. 
• Well-developed verbal, active listening, and written communication skills with various and diverse audiences.
• Confident communicator and presenter with interest in teaching others.
• Demonstrated collaboration with cross-functional teams and stakeholders.
• Driven with a growth mindset who can operate as a pace setter in an ever-evolving digital landscape.

Professional Licenses and Certifications

Physical Demands & Work Environment

Work Environment

Work is performed in a typical office environment. Work schedule may include occasional evening and/or weekend meetings or commitments. Some travel within the service area is required. Incumbent may be permitted hybrid telework schedule upon request.

Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this job, the employee will:

• Constantly sit throughout work shift and will occasionally stand and seldom walk.

• Seldom reach up or down and frequently reach out at chest level with hands and arms.     

• Frequently use hands in conjunction with constant finger use. Keyboarding may be repetitive up to frequently.

• Rotate neck up to frequently.

• Change tasks depending upon the shift.

• Require extensive close work including use of a computer monitor.

• Seldom operate foot controls.

• Seldom lift up to 35 lbs. and seldom carry up to 10 lbs.

• Seldom push/pull carts and wheeled equipment with light force.