Social media manager job description template: channels, goals, after-hours monitoring and FTC rules

A social media manager at a consumer brand with an active community, a paid social specialist managing ad budgets, a creator partnerships lead and a B2B manager running a company page plus executive profiles are four different hires. Many postings merge them into "own our social presence across all platforms, create engaging content, grow followers," and add "must be available evenings and weekends" near the end. Candidates who have done the job want to know which channels matter, what success is measured by, how much is paid versus organic, who approves posts and what happens when something goes wrong at 9 p.m. on a Saturday. Below is a copy-ready social media manager job description template, the FTC and classification lines checked against primary sources, screening questions and scorecard rows, and common mistakes. The general method is in how to write a job description that screens.

Choose the seat and the measure of success

Also settle the practical facts: which two or three platforms carry most of the weight, who creates video and design, the paid budget if any, the approval process, the escalation route for a crisis, and how evenings and weekends are covered.

The social media manager job description template

Social Media Manager, [Brand / Paid / Creators / Community]
[Company], [city] — [On-site / Hybrid: days / Remote within: states]
Pay: $[min]–$[max] per year. [Benefits summary, if required.]
[Exempt / overtime-eligible, after review.]

SUMMARY
You will run [brand]'s social channels, mainly [platform 1] and
[platform 2], with a goal of [measure: e.g. growing qualified traffic
from social / supporting product launches / answering customers
publicly]. You will [manage a paid budget of about $[N] a month /
work with [N] creators a quarter / work with our designer and video
editor]. Posts are approved by [you / title] and you report to
[title].

WHAT YOU WILL DO
- Plan and publish a content calendar for [platforms], tied to
  [launches, campaigns, seasons].
- Reply to and moderate comments and messages, and escalate
  [customer issues / legal or safety concerns] to [team].
- [Paid: set up, test and report on campaigns within budget.]
- [Creators: brief creators, review content and check that paid
  relationships are disclosed.]
- Report monthly on [measures] and recommend what to change.
- Watch for issues that could become a crisis and follow our
  response plan.

YOU MUST HAVE
- Managed a brand, company or client account on [platform] for at
  least [period], with results you can show.
- Written and published content in a defined brand voice, through an
  approval process.
- Used platform analytics to change what you were doing.
- [Paid: managed ad spend and reported on results.]
- [Creators: run paid partnerships with disclosure requirements.]

NICE TO HAVE
- Short-form video editing; design tools; [scheduling tool].
- Experience in [industry or audience].
If you meet the must-haves and none of these, please apply.

FIXED CONDITIONS
- Monitoring outside business hours: [rotation, response times,
  weekend expectations, how it is offset].

HOW WE HIRE
[Recruiter screen; portfolio review with [title]; a short exercise
drafting a week of posts from a brief we provide (at most N hours);
meeting the team.]

[EEO STATEMENT]
Need an adjustment? Contact [address].

FTC rules, classification and pay

Endorsements and creators. The FTC's Endorsement Guides, last revised in 2023, say a material connection between an endorser and a brand that consumers would not expect should be disclosed clearly and conspicuously, and that advertisers should have reasonable programs to train and monitor the people who promote them, including periodically checking what they say (FTC). If the social media manager runs creators or employee advocacy, that monitoring is part of the job; list it as a duty.

Fake reviews and followers. The FTC's Trade Regulation Rule on the Use of Consumer Reviews and Testimonials (16 CFR Part 465), effective October 21, 2024, prohibits fake reviews and testimonials and the buying or selling of fake indicators of social media influence, such as bot-generated followers or views, when the buyer knew or should have known they were fake and used them for a commercial purpose (FTC). A posting that rewards "follower growth" at any cost sends the wrong signal; tie goals to measures you can defend.

Exempt or nonexempt. The administrative exemption lists advertising, marketing and public relations among qualifying areas, but also requires a salary of at least $684 a week and discretion and independent judgment on matters of significance (DOL Fact Sheet 17C). Discretion does not include routine or mechanical work (29 CFR 541.202(e)). A manager who sets strategy, approves posts and controls spend is a different case from a coordinator who schedules approved content. If the role is nonexempt, evening and weekend monitoring is paid working time; plan for it.

Pay and EEO. Post the approved range and check pay transparency laws by state. BLS has no dedicated social media profile; its public relations specialists profile (last modified August 27, 2026) describes monitoring and responding to social media, which is the closest fit for organic and community seats. This page does not quote figures. The EEOC gives "recent college graduates" as an example of ad wording that may discourage applicants over 40; "digital native" and "young and trendy" carry the same risk, so describe the platforms instead.

From must-haves to screening questions and scorecard rows

The interview guide for marketing roles covers the later rounds, and the 30-60-90 day plan for social media managers sets first-quarter goals. If the role owns the wider marketing plan, the marketing manager job description template fits better. When reviewing candidates' own public profiles, read social media screening of candidates first.

Common mistakes in social media manager job descriptions

Every platform at once

Listing seven platforms suggests no priorities. Name the two or three that matter and say what the others are for.

Vanity goals

"Grow followers" without a business reason invites shortcuts. Name the outcome the channel supports.

Invisible after-hours work

"Flexible schedule" often hides constant monitoring. Describe the rotation and how it is offset.

A one-person creative agency

Strategy, copy, photography, video, design, paid media and community for one salary is several jobs. Say what support exists, or narrow the role.

Unpaid spec work

Asking for a month of content as an "exercise" is free work. Keep it short, use a fictional brief and do not publish candidates' submissions.

Before you publish

• The seat, the main platforms and the goal are in the summary.
• Budget, creative support and approval process are stated.
• After-hours monitoring is described honestly.
• Creator and endorsement duties appear if the role runs partnerships.
• Classification is reviewed, and an approved pay range, the EEO statement and an accommodation contact close the posting.