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For many higher ed institutions, social media starts as a team of one — or even a partial responsibility added to an already full plate. But what happens when leadership finally asks, “What do you need?”
Whether you’ve just secured budget or you’re building the case for future investment, knowing how to grow your team strategically is critical.
In this panel, higher ed social media leaders share how they’ve approached team expansion with intention. From identifying skill gaps to deciding between full-time hires, student staff, agencies, or consultants, panelists will discuss how they prioritized roles based on institutional goals, not just workload relief.
This session goes beyond job titles. Panelists will explore the specific skill sets that elevate a social program, from content strategy and short-form video production to community management, analytics, and social listening, and how to write job descriptions that attract adaptable, digitally fluent candidates who thrive in higher ed environments.
For those without immediate budget, this session will also offer guidance on mapping future hiring priorities, building a phased growth plan, and articulating ROI to leadership — so that when the opportunity arises, you’re ready.
Rather than hiring reactively, attendees will learn how to build a thoughtful, scalable team structure that supports both daily execution and long-term strategy.
Attendees will gain insight into how to:
- Identify the highest-impact skill gaps in their current social operation
- Decide between full-time hires, student employees, consultants, or agency support
- Prioritize roles based on institutional goals, platform needs, and audience demands
- Write job descriptions that attract strategic, adaptable social media professionals
- Incorporate relevant language and competencies into hiring documents
- Build a phased hiring roadmap — even without immediate budget
- Make a compelling case to leadership for social media team investment