Sr. Director of Social Media
At a glance
Director-level Social Media role at Alliance Defending Freedom. Scottsdale · $119,800–$176,500 base.
growthroles summary, based on the employer's posting.
What you'll do
- Set organic social direction across Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X and LinkedIn, using platform and audience signals to improve engagement and growth
- Read cultural moments and emerging news early, then position social content ahead of the conversation
- Track channel measures and share performance updates with Marketing leaders to guide content choices
- Direct the content schedule and creative work, while contributing posts yourself when team capacity calls for it
- Lead the in-house team and coordinate social work with Creative Services, Digital Advertising and Communications
What you bring
- A marketing, communications or journalism degree, plus at least ten years in social media at a large organization or comparable agency
- At least five years leading a strong social media team
- Working knowledge of platform algorithms, trends and performance measures, with experience using Sprout Social or another social management tool
- You can respond quickly to breaking news and cultural shifts, and explain content clearly to large groups
Who this fits
This director role suits someone who can set channel strategy while staying hands-on with content and team development. You’ll manage an in-house team and work across creative, advertising and communications partners. The role is based in Scottsdale, Lansdowne or Dallas; the stated salary range applies to Lansdowne.
From the employer
Make a difference with us! At Alliance Defending Freedom, we believe God has brought you here for His purpose—to stand for truth and defend the God-given right to live and speak it. Together, we protect religious freedom, free speech, the sanctity of life, marriage and family, and parental rights. Review our Statement of Faith to ensure we’re a fit for you.
Locations: Scottsdale, AZ / Lansdowne, VA / Dallas, TX
Team Overview
As Sr. Director of Social Media, you are a key member of the Marketing Team responsible for leading ADF's organic social media presence across Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X, and LinkedIn. You'll set the strategic direction for organic social content, translate platform and audience intelligence into ADF's broader content strategy, and build and lead an in-house team that produces ADF's day-to-day social content — staying close enough to contribute directly when priorities demand.
This role requires someone who thinks at the channel level: fluent in platform behavior, obsessive about content quality, and sharp on what actually drives audience engagement, while working in lockstep with Creative Services, Communications, and Digital Advertising to keep every channel pulling in the same direction.
Social media isn't a side channel at ADF — it's one of the primary ways we advance our mission, build public awareness, and engage the ministry friends who make this work possible. You'll own the quality, voice, and impact of that presence — extending ADF's global digital influence and playing an integral part in the ministry's growth.
Key Responsibilities
Strategy & Channel Ownership:
- Develop and own ADF's organic social media strategy and platform presence (currently Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X, and LinkedIn), amplifying brand awareness and growing ADF's share of voice with a clear focus on driving engagement volume, engagement rate, and long-term audience growth.
- Maintain deep, current knowledge of platform algorithms, content formats, and best practices across major social platforms and apply that knowledge to continuously improve content performance.
- Anticipate and capitalize on high-stakes cultural moments, reading the conversation landscape, thinking around the corner, and positioning ADF's voice ahead of emerging narratives rather than reacting to them.
- Establish and monitor key performance indicators, reporting on performance regularly to Marketing leadership using data to drive content decisions.
- Own the social media budget, including agency relationships, creator partnerships, and technology.
Content & Creative Execution:
- Direct the planning, creation, and publishing cadence of social media content in collaboration with your direct reports on the social media team.
- Provide creative input and recommendations for social media assets developed in partnership with Creative Services, ensuring content is optimized for platform engagement and consistent with ADF brand standards.
- Personally contribute to content creation and publishing as needed, stepping in to maintain quality and cadence when team capacity requires it.
- Ensure the team maintains an active and consistent community engagement presence -- monitoring comments, responding to followers, and representing ADF's voice across platforms.
Cross-Functional Partnership:
- Lead the strategic partnership with Creative Services and provide creative direction on content production, contributing the audience insights and platform requirements that shape creative decisions and coordinating asset delivery for social distribution.
- Participate in integrated planning with the Digital Advertising team to ensure organic and paid social content are creatively aligned; share content performance insights across both channels to support unified reporting, and surface high-performing organic content as candidates for paid amplification.
- Coordinate with Communications on rapid response priorities and news developments, keeping the social team's efforts on owned platforms timely and complementary.
Team Leadership:
- Lead, supervise, and develop in-house social media team; setting direction, shaping the team's structure, and investing in professional growth.
- Ensure projects are completed with excellence, on time, within budget, and consistent with ADF brand and messaging standards.
- Meet regularly with your Team Members to discuss their progress and complete performance reviews. This also includes approving PTO requests, timecards, and expense reports.
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelors degree in marketing, communications or journalism.
- 10+ years of experience in social media for a large, complex organization or similar agency experience.
- 5+ years of experience managing a high-performing social media team.
- Deep knowledge of Social Media algorithms and trends for each major social platform, as well as industry standard KPI's and metrics for each platform.
- Proven ability to pivot quickly in response to breaking news, cultural moments, and shifting platform dynamics.
- Advanced knowledge of the marketing funnel and how organic social media plays a role in brand awareness, audience engagement and retention.
- Experience with Sprout Social or other social media management tools.
- Ability to build presentations and present content in a compelling way to large groups.
- Strong project management skills and ability to work under tight deadlines.
Preferred Qualifications
- Non-profit experience.
- You're already following and engaging with ADF's brand across social platforms, or working in a space relevant to ADF's social presence.
Pay & Benefits
At Alliance Defending Freedom, we offer competitive compensation and a comprehensive benefits package to support your well-being and growth. Our benefits include 100% covered medical and dental insurance, medical and dependent care reimbursement, paid disability, long-term care, life insurance, and a 401(k) plan with a 4% company match. We prioritize work-life balance with paid time off and 12 paid holidays each year.
Want to Know More About ADF?
This salary range is reflective of a position based in Lansdowne, VA. This range is a good-faith estimate, and the actual salary may vary based on the candidate’s experience, skills, qualifications, and office location.
Virginia Salary Range$119,800—$176,500 USD