A question that we regularly receive from customers is “I’m hiring a Community Manager - what should the job description look like?” Usually swiftly followed by, “Do you have examples?”
The challenge with hiring for the role of Community Manager is that it’s one of the least concisely defined roles in business, simply because it can mean so many things and can include so many levels of responsibility. So there is no clear and obvious answer or a single definitive example of a great Community Manager job description.
The role that you need in your company is likely going to be skewed to a particular combination of skills and competencies, depending on your unique situation. In general terms, Community Manager competencies tend to include a number of the following:
- Communication skills
- Program management
- Analytics and reporting
- Cross-functional collaboration
- Strategy
- Presentation skills
- Content creation
- Event planning and hosting
- Platform administration
- Setup and maintenance of technical integrations
- Conflict resolution
- And potentially much more!
In many companies, the Community Manager is touching on all of these areas - that’s what makes it such a fascinating discipline. When you’re creating a new role, however, consider which competencies are most important to your situation and develop your job description accordingly.
In the rest of this article we will guide you through short example job descriptions covering three distinct levels of seniority - Junior, Mid-Level, and Senior. Each level represents a different set of responsibilities and skills, catering to candidates at various stages of their career and the varying needs that you might have in your company. By reflecting on competencies, level of seniority and the particular scope that your Community Manager needs to fulfill in your company, you’ll be able to create the job description that’s fine-tuned for your situation.
Junior Community Manager
If your focus is on hiring someone that can take care of the day-to-day operational running of the community, including moderation and general content management, you might be in need of a Junior Community Manager that’s primarily focused on the following themes.
Tasks and Responsibilities:
- Actively monitor the community to ensure compliance with community guidelines.
- Take moderation action in cases where members are in breach of community guidelines.
- Engage with community members, answer questions, and address concerns.
- Create and schedule content that aligns with the content strategy and plan.
- Support in the planning and execution of community events and webinars.
- Collaborate with colleagues across the business to gather responses to questions and to escalate issues.
- Foster a positive and inclusive environment within the community.
Skills and Experience Needed:
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to convey information in a clear and friendly manner.
- Familiarity with content creation tools and platforms.
- Ability to generate engaging content, including simple graphics or short posts.
- Some experience and affinity with online communities and social media.
Mid-Level Community Manager
If your situation calls for a role that includes more complex responsibilities, such as developing and rolling out new programs, you might need a mid-level Community Manager that touches on some of the themes below.
Tasks and Responsibilities:
- Contribute to the development and implementation of the community strategy aligned with overall business objectives.
- Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to assess the community's health and engagement levels.
- Coordinate with marketing and product teams to align community activities with larger organizational goals.
- Provide insights and feedback from the community to relevant departments for continuous improvement.
Skills and Experience Needed:
- Ability to analyze data and capture meaningful insights to optimize community engagement.
- Experience using analytics tools to track and measure community performance.
- Strong organizational and project management skills to plan and execute community initiatives.
- Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and meet deadlines.
Senior Community Manager
If you’re looking for someone to design and build a new community program from the ground-up, or if you’re simply looking for a senior leader who can take your program and lead your community team to the next level, you’re likely going to need a seasoned community professional with management experience.
Tasks and Responsibilities:
- Develop a long-term strategic roadmap for the community, aligning with the overall business vision.
- Lead the implementation of initiatives that drive the community towards its strategic objectives.
- Establish and communicate key metrics demonstrating the impact of the community on business goals.
- Collaborate with senior leadership to position the community as an indispensable touchpoint for driving value for Support, Marketing, Product and Customer Success organizations.
- Hire and coach a team of Community Managers and Moderators.
Skills and Experience Needed:
- Proven experience in leading and managing a team of community professionals.
- Ability to inspire and motivate team members towards goals.
- Strong understanding of business operations and how community initiatives contribute to overall success.
- Experience and confidence with preparing reports and presenting to senior management.
- A thought leader within the community space and some experience speaking at industry events.
Once again, the key to hiring a great Community Manager lies in tailoring your job scope and description to your unique situation and needs. Hopefully this article has provided food for thought as you work through that process.
