Job Profile: Social Media Manager

Name: David Fettes

Location: Based in Edinburgh, with regular visits to our amazing countryside and heritage properties across Scotland.

Employer: National Trust for Scotland (conservation charity) 

Job Responsibilities:

I lead the strategy, governance and development of social media at the Trust. My role is focused on setting the direction for how we use social media to support our charitable purpose - from conservation and heritage storytelling to visit inspiration, education, and advocacy.

I oversee our national social media channels, provide guidance to regional teams, manage our social media policy and risk protocols, deliver staff training, and support partnerships and influencer campaigns. I work closely with colleagues across multiple departments and disciplines to ensure our content is consistent, values-led, and effective at connecting people with Scotland’s irreplaceable heritage.

Majority of time is spent on strategic planning, content development, research, supporting colleagues and Trust-wide campaigns and priorities.

Time is spent mainly indoors – though I regularly travel to Trust properties to provide staff training, support projects, or capture social-first content in the field.

Our audience engagement shifts with the seasons. Spring and summer are focused more on inspiring visits, highlighting conservation work, and responding to high visitor interest. In autumn and winter, we pivot to more behind-the-scenes work, seasonal campaigns, and reflection on the year’s achievements. Internally, winter is a key planning period.

Qualifications needed:

No specific degree required, though many have a background in communications, marketing or related fields. I have a first-class honours degree in Classical Music – proof there’s no single path into this kind of role! More important is relevant experience, a passion for the sector, and a willingness to learn.

Additional training: I’ve completed professional qualifications in digital marketing and social media strategy. It’s also important to stay up to date with developments in areas such as search engine optimisation (SEO), analytics, accessibility standards, influencer marketing, data protection (including GDPR), brand safeguarding, and crisis communications.

Skills needed: Curious, calm under pressure, diplomatic, adaptable, collaborative, supportive, strategic, and creative. You need to be someone who can listen well, translate complex ideas into clear messages, and balance attention to detail with the bigger picture. A sense of humour definitely helps - as does resilience when dealing with algorithms, inboxes, or the occasional social media storm.

Advice to anyone looking at similar roles:

Social media in the conservation sector isn’t all memes and hashtags. It’s about connecting people to place, purpose and values. If you're looking to move into this kind of role, build practical experience (volunteering, freelancing, creating), learn how organisations work, and be prepared to work across silos and specialisms. It’s an incredibly rewarding job – especially when you can see the impact your work has on inspiring support. 

 

If you have any queries about this role or would like to ask a question of the poster please contact CJS by email.

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