Social Media Lead at Ford Middle East & Africa

Manage Social Media activity for Ford South Africa to build Ford's product and corporate reputation using creative and innovative Social Media tactics.

Position Details:

• Create and execute social media strategies which includes all ideas, campaigns, and competitions, content ideas to increase engagement on our social platforms and support organization’s vision and objectives.
• Create interactive, creative and engaging social media content for Ford on all its owned SA social media channels.
• Manage social media campaigns and day-to-day always on activities.
• Devise agile tactical executions based on trending topics that would positively influence brand awareness and favorable opinion
• Manage presence in social networking sites including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube. Contribute content to the regional LinkedIn page.
• Together with agency, lead the development, interaction and relationship management with all bloggers and influencers as well as relationship building with broadcast and print media to create awareness of Ford’s social media and to amplify our presence online.
• Data/metrics, insights and best practices, and then acting on the information
• Collaborate with other departments (customer relations, marketing etc) to manage reputation, identify key players, operationalize data and analytics and coordinate actions.
• Lead social publishing efforts to ensure digital marketing effectiveness, timely response management and legal compliance.
• Work closely with marketing to ensure alignment in brand communication. Work closely with customer care and rapid response team to ensure that all complaints received on social are transferred and dealt with by Ford’s customer care.
• Monitor effective benchmarks for measuring the impact of social media programs, and analyze, review, and report on effectiveness of campaigns, launches and events in an effort to maximize results.
• Assist in all Ford launches and events by developing ideas and assisting with execution. Secure a good turnout of influencers and bloggers. Secure the launch and event is leveraged successfully online and to ensure key message delivery.
• Regularly feedback insights gained from social media monitoring
• Manage the social media PR budget for SA and SSA and ensure that it is used effectively throughout the year
• Support with asset creation for the Ford Performance SA Facebook Page alongside the admin
• Work closely with Ford stakeholders and social listening to manage crisis, ad hoc reporting and social advocate tracking
• Keep up to date on technology trends, as well as understand their impact to our business and evolve our strategy as a result
• Identify threats and opportunities in online user generated content surrounding our brand, inclusive of audience profiling, topical conversations or questions and reporting therefor to relevant departments to help employ tactics or strategies to mitigate risks or capitalize on opportunities.
• Interact with our online customers to align service of their needs with our corporate objectives.
• Team-oriented approach with a positive attitude necessary, as well as a can-do attitude and a sense of urgency in this rapidly changing environment.

Performance Measures:

• Helping to rebuild Ford SA’s favorability and thus overseeing an increase in brand love and positive sentiment towards content
• First resolution response rate to ensure customer satisfaction and long term retention
• Show increased engagement across all owned Ford Social channels
• Increase in blogger and influencer relationships and work with Marketing to collaborate content performance for key nameplates
• Develop and implement innovative Social Media campaigns with PR and as social on its own
• Launch with success. Ensure that Social Media contributes to the success of vehicle launches and innovatively give guests great first time experiences.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: 

• Ability to build and maintain strong relationships with appropriate media
• Proven ability to lead, plan, develop, and implement projects / programs that generate profit and the courage to reject those that do not
• Should have a solid understanding of how each social media works and how to optimize content so that it is engaging on the relevant channels
• Ability to work cross functionally and closely with regional social teams
• Ability to develop and Implement the social media strategy, Proven ability to effectively communicate information and ideas in written and verbal formats to colleagues and senior management
• Proven analytical and quantitative skills including the ability to establish measurements and success metrics
• Communicate clearly – concisely and candidly          
• Be curious, detail-orientated and meticulous
• Demonstrate creativity and documented immersion in social media with impeccable judgment and discretion in identifying threats and opportunities in user-generated content.
• Ability to manage a team of creatives
• Ability to understand the motivations and needs of different target audiences, both internally and externally and adapt/develop programs and resources that address these needs.
• Basic understanding of paid media strategies, ad units and targeting that can be employed to best optimize reach

Qualifications and Experience: 

• Completed degree or National Diploma in or relating to Communications, Marketing, Social Media
• 3+ years of experience in leading and executing strategies across multiple platforms
• Proven working experience in social media or as a digital media specialist
• Solid understanding of social media channels including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube Twitter, blogs, etc
• Excellent writing and editing skills, presentation and communication skills
• Crisis management experience is crucial and NB!
• Demonstrable social networking experience and social analytics tools knowledge
• Positive attitude, detail and customer oriented with good multitasking and organisational ability
• Requirement for occasional afterhours and weekend events and community management