Senior Social Media Manager
| Posting date: | 03 February 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £42,391 to £50,282 per year |
| Additional salary information: | London: £46,290 - £50,282 National: £42,391 - £46,465 |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 15 February 2026 |
| Location: | Belfast |
| Company: | Government Recruitment Service |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | 446424/1 |
Summary
The Department for Business and Trade sits at the heart of the government's number one priority: kickstarting economic growth to deliver the highest sustained growth in the G7. Our mission is clear – to drive more people into good jobs, raise living standards, and deliver productivity growth in every part of the United Kingdom.
We achieve this by making the UK the best place in the world to do business, making the UK the most connected economy, and delivering great services to business. Through our Industrial Strategy, Trade Strategy, Small Business Plan, and Plan to Make Work Pay, we're working in partnership with business to create the conditions for investment, innovation, and job creation that will put more money in working people's pockets.
With 95% of UK businesses wanting to grow and 37% of international investors in 16 key markets likely to invest in the UK, our challenge is translating strong policy delivery into business uptake and public trust. We're positioned to demonstrate tangible economic impact through authentic business, consumer, and worker stories that show – not just tell – how government is delivering growth in partnership with business.
Our communications transformation
DBT's Communications and Marketing function is undergoing a bold transformation to meet the demands of the modern media landscape and deliver on our ambitious growth mission. We're moving from traditional discipline-based communications to an integrated, outcome-focused model that positions communications as a critical delivery enabler, not just a service function.
Our integrated approach
Working through matrix teams, we bring together multidisciplinary communications and engagement professionals to deliver priority campaigns under one strategy aligned to the growth mission.
Mission-led approach
All our activities directly support the Growth Mission. We translate complex economic policies into clear narratives for target audiences across all DBT communications and engagement channels. Our communication outcomes contribute to the overall mission milestone of "higher living standards in every part of the United Kingdom." We operate with SMART objectives, use insight to drive clear audience journeys from awareness to action, and measure impact through metrics aligned to the mission milestone.
By joining DBT Communications and Marketing, you'll be part of a team that's redefining how government communicates about economic growth – working collaboratively across disciplines, using evidence and insight to drive impact, and demonstrating how government partnership with business is creating jobs, driving investment, and improving living standards across the UK.
Role Summary
We’re looking for an experienced and forward-thinking Senior Social Media Manager to lead the strategic direction of our social channels in one of the most fast-paced and high-profile environments in the UK.
As part of our newly formed Storytelling and Partnerships team, you will also play a key role in transforming how DBT communicates externally - helping to elevate our digital storytelling, forge impactful partnerships, and maximise the visual and narrative potential of ministerial visits.
You’ll be responsible for shaping how we show up across platforms - crafting bold, timely, and impactful content that informs, inspires, and connects with global audiences.
You’ll work alongside multidisciplinary teams on projects that truly matter - applying your digital expertise to campaigns that have national reach and real-world impact.
Key Accountabilities
- Lead the development and execution of social media strategies that support high‑profile campaigns, ministerial visits, and day‑to‑day communications - ensuring every moment with storytelling potential is maximised across platforms.
- Manage and inspire a talented social media team to deliver creative, high‑impact, channel‑appropriate content across Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, X, YouTube, Facebook and emerging platforms, with a strong focus on real‑world stories from visits and stakeholder engagement.
- Translate complex policy and external affairs insight into accessible, human‑centred social content, showcasing businesses, workers, communities and partners who bring DBT’s mission to life.
- Collaborate closely with designers, videographers, animators and visits colleagues to create compelling multimedia content that captures strong visuals, authentic moments, and narrative opportunities from ministerial engagements.
- Monitor platform performance and audience behaviour, generating actionable insights that shape future visit storytelling, stakeholder amplification, and campaign optimisation.
- Advise on platform best practice and emerging digital trends, ensuring DBT’s visit content, partnership moments and external affairs storytelling remain fresh, relevant and innovative.
- Coordinate with press, policy, visits, and external affairs teams to ensure social content is aligned, timely, and strategically integrated into wider communications objectives.
- Support rapid response and digital crisis communications, providing clear, accurate and agile social content during fast‑moving situations, including those arising from visits or stakeholder activity.
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