Freelance Social Media & Community Manager (doc)
Posted 3 days ago by SUMO
Negotiable
Undetermined
Hybrid
London Area, United Kingdom
Summary: The Freelance Social Media & Community Manager role focuses on managing and growing social media channels, specifically Instagram and TikTok, for a premium documentary storytelling brand. The position involves creating and distributing engaging content, fostering community interactions, and utilizing data insights to enhance audience engagement. This hybrid role is expected to last 3-4 months with the potential for a permanent position. The ideal candidate should have a strong understanding of social media dynamics and a creative approach to storytelling.
Key Responsibilities:
- Own the day-to-day management of Instagram and TikTok channels
- Plan, create, schedule and publish high-quality, platform-native content
- Maintain consistent output with a strong emphasis on short-form video
- Package and optimise content to maximise reach, engagement and retention
- Apply best practices across hooks, captions, music, text overlays, thumbnails and CTAs
- Tailor content to platform behaviour rather than simple repurposing
- Actively manage comments and DMs
- Engage audiences in an authentic, on-brand way
- Encourage conversation and repeat engagement
- Develop and maintain a rolling social content plan
- Balance reactive, trend-led posts with planned editorial, campaign and commercial moments
- Ensure momentum and consistency across channels
- Work closely with video and marketing teams to translate long-form content, podcasts and campaigns into effective social-first formats
- Champion audience-first thinking across execution
- Monitor platform trends, creators and algorithm changes
- Test new formats, features and distribution tactics
- Track performance at post and channel level
- Use data and community feedback to understand what resonates
- Share insights and learnings with the wider team
Key Skills:
- Proven experience managing and growing Instagram and TikTok channels
- Strong understanding of vertical video and social-first storytelling
- Hands-on community management experience
- Excellent copywriting skills for captions, CTAs and community posts
- A creative eye supported by a data-informed approach
- Confidence working in fast-paced, creative environments
- Experience using Photoshop and Premiere Pro
- Comfortable working with platform-native editing tools
- Experience with CapCut, Canva or in-app editing tools (nice to have)
- Strong organisational and project management skills
- Interest in food, travel, culture, film or music
Salary (Rate): undetermined
City: London
Country: United Kingdom
Working Arrangements: hybrid
IR35 Status: undetermined
Seniority Level: undetermined
Industry: Other
Freelance Social Media & Community Manager (documentary) Location: London (hybrid) | 3-4 Month FTC with scope to go perm
The role We’re looking for a Social Media & Community Manager (freelance) to help bring remarkable human stories to life on social. This role focuses on a premium documentary storytelling brand rooted in food, travel and extraordinary people. You’ll take ownership of how stories are distributed, experienced and discussed across Instagram and TikTok, helping grow an engaged, loyal community. This isn’t just about posting content. It’s about understanding culture, sparking conversation and building meaningful connections around great storytelling. If you’re creative, deeply plugged into social platforms and sharp on execution, this role will suit you well.
Role Responsibilities:
- Channel ownership
- Own the day-to-day management of Instagram and TikTok channels
- Plan, create, schedule and publish high-quality, platform-native content
- Maintain consistent output with a strong emphasis on short-form video
- Distribution & optimisation
- Package and optimise content to maximise reach, engagement and retention
- Apply best practices across hooks, captions, music, text overlays, thumbnails and CTAs
- Tailor content to platform behaviour rather than simple repurposing
- Community building
- Actively manage comments and DMs
- Engage audiences in an authentic, on-brand way
- Encourage conversation and repeat engagement
- Content planning
- Develop and maintain a rolling social content plan
- Balance reactive, trend-led posts with planned editorial, campaign and commercial moments
- Ensure momentum and consistency across channels
- Collaboration
- Work closely with video and marketing teams to translate long-form content, podcasts and campaigns into effective social-first formats
- Champion audience-first thinking across execution
- Trends & experimentation
- Monitor platform trends, creators and algorithm changes
- Test new formats, features and distribution tactics
- Bring a test-and-learn mindset to the role
- Insights & reporting
- Track performance at post and channel level
- Use data and community feedback to understand what resonates
- Share insights and learnings with the wider team
We are looking for:
- Proven experience managing and growing Instagram and TikTok channels
- Strong understanding of vertical video and social-first storytelling
- Hands-on community management experience
- Excellent copywriting skills for captions, CTAs and community posts
- A creative eye supported by a data-informed approach
- Confidence working in fast-paced, creative environments
- Technical skills:
- Experience using Photoshop and Premiere Pro
- Comfortable working with platform-native editing tools
- Nice to have:
- Experience with CapCut, Canva or in-app editing tools
- Strong organisational and project management skills
- Interest in food, travel, culture, film or music
Contract details
- Freelance role (3–4 months)
- Reporting into a marketing lead
- London-based, hybrid working