Director, Social Strategy & Programming

Forbes is an iconic global media brand that has symbolized success for over a century. Fueled by journalism that informs and inspires, Forbes spotlights the doers and doings shaping industries, achieving success and making an impact on the world. Forbes connects and convenes the most influential communities ranging from billionaires, business leaders and rising entrepreneurs to creators and innovators. The Forbes brand reaches more than 140 million people monthly worldwide through its trusted journalism, signature ForbesLive events and 49 licensed local editions in 81 countries.

Forbes is seeking a highly creative, strategic, and experienced Director, Social Strategy & Programming to lead our high-level social strategy across all social platforms. This role will be responsible for developing innovative franchises, compelling content, and strategic programming that significantly enhances our brand presence, engages our audience, and drives growth. The ideal candidate is a visionary leader with a deep understanding of the evolving social media landscape and a proven track record of building and managing successful social teams. This role will collaborate and liaise with our editorial social team as well as sales focused social teams to be in service of the broader Forbes ecosystem. Some travel to events may be required.

Our office operates as a remote and hybrid workforce, with in-person collaboration expected for certain roles. Based on the responsibilities of this position, a hybrid work schedule with a minimum of one in-person collaboration day per week at our Jersey City, NJ headquarters is expected.

Responsibilities:

• Social Leadership: Develop and execute a comprehensive social strategy that aligns with overall brand objectives and resonates with target audiences across all major social platforms, including LinkedIn, Meta (Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Messenger), TikTok, X, BlueSky, and others.
• Content & Programming Innovation: Ideate, develop, and launch new social-first franchises, content formats, and programming initiatives that drive engagement, reach, and brand loyalty. This includes identifying emerging trends and adapting content strategies accordingly for each platform.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: You'll work in close partnership with our editorial social team to effectively package and tell stories tailored for platform-specific consumption, ensuring brand voice and messaging consistency while optimizing for each platform's unique characteristics. You'll also collaborate closely with our live events team to integrate social strategy into event planning and execution, amplifying reach and engagement for our in-person and virtual experiences. Expect to work with other internal teams as needed to achieve our social objectives.
• Team Leadership & Management: Recruit, mentor, and manage a team of social media professionals, fostering a collaborative, creative, and high-performing environment. Provide regular feedback, conduct performance reviews, and support professional development.
• Platform Expertise & Relationships: Stay at the forefront of social media trends, algorithm changes, and new features across platforms like LinkedIn, Meta (Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Messenger), TikTok, X, and BlueSky. Develop strategies to leverage these advancements for maximum impact. Have relationships with these platforms you can leverage that will help us be best in class.
• Brand & Creator Partnerships: Identify and cultivate relationships with relevant brands, platforms, and creators across the social ecosystem to explore collaborative opportunities that expand reach and amplify content.
• Performance Analysis & Optimization: Utilize data and analytics to monitor social performance, identify key insights, and continuously optimize strategies for improved engagement, reach, and other key KPIs across all platforms.
• Event Representation: Represent the brand at industry events, conferences, and networking opportunities to stay connected with the social media landscape, identify new trends, and build strategic relationships.
• Day-to-Day Operations: Oversee the daily execution of social media content calendars, ensuring timely publishing, community management best practices, and adherence to brand guidelines across all platforms. Troubleshoot and resolve any social media-related issues.

The ideal candidate:

• Minimum of 5+ years of progressive experience in social media strategy, content creation, and programming, with a strong emphasis on editorial and branded content.
• Proven experience in a leadership role, with direct reports and a demonstrated ability to manage and inspire a high-performing team.
• Deep understanding of current social media platforms, including LinkedIn, Meta (Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Me