Social Media Manager Job Description Template (Free)

Free, no signup · Updated 14 October 2026 · Opens in Excel, Google Sheets or Numbers

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Job description: filled example (CSV) · blank (CSV)
Responsibilities and measures: filled example (CSV) · blank (CSV)
Interview questions: filled example (CSV) · blank (CSV)

In Google Sheets: File, Import, Upload, then pick the CSV.

What's inside

A complete job description, section by section, with notes on what to change for your business.
A responsibilities sheet that says how often each duty happens and how you will know it is going well.
Interview questions and a short practical task, with what a good answer shows.
A filled example for Oakmere Cycles, a fictional bike shop with two branches.
Blank CSV copies so you can write your own version.

How to use it

Decide what the role must achieve in its first six months before you write any duties.
Edit the example section by section. Delete any duty you would not actually ask for.
Say plainly whether the role includes paid ads, photography, video or customer messages. These change who applies.
Add your pay range and hours. Some places require pay to be shown in job adverts, so check the rules where you are hiring.
Use the interview sheet to ask every candidate the same questions, and score answers against what a good answer shows.
Set the practical task before final interviews and keep it short and unpaid only if it takes under an hour; otherwise pay for it.

Preview: Job description

A filled example for a made-up small business, first 8 of 17 rows.

Section	Example: Oakmere Cycles	Notes for your version
Job title	Social Media Manager	Use the title people search for. Avoid made-up titles like 'social ninja'.
About us	Oakmere Cycles (example) sells, repairs and hires bikes from two shops. We run weekly group rides and a kids' learn-to-ride course.	Two or three sentences a candidate can repeat in an interview.
Role summary	You will run our social media from plan to report: decide what we post, make it, publish it, talk to the people who reply, and tell us what is working.	One paragraph. What the role is for, not a list of tasks.
Reports to	The owner.	Name the role, not the person.
Hours and location	Four days a week, based at our main shop, with time at group rides and events.	Say if any weekend or evening work is expected.
Responsibility	Plan a monthly content calendar across Instagram, Facebook and YouTube, built around our services, rides and seasons.	List the platforms you use now.
Responsibility	Photograph and film in the shops and on rides, and edit short videos and carousels.	Say if you have a camera or budget for one.
Responsibility	Write captions in our voice and schedule posts ahead.	Mention your brand voice guide if you have one.

Preview: Responsibilities and measures

A filled example for a made-up small business.

Responsibility	How often	How we'll know it's going well
Monthly content plan	Monthly, by the 25th	Next month is planned and approved before it starts.
Creating posts	Weekly	Posts are ready at least three days before they go out.
Publishing	Most days	Planned posts go out on the planned day, or are moved on purpose.
Comments and messages	Every working day	Nothing waits more than one working day for a reply.
Google Business Profiles	Weekly	Opening hours, photos and events are current at both shops.
Events and rides	Each event	Every ride and course is posted at least two weeks ahead.
Monthly report	Monthly	The owner can see what came from social and what will change next month.
Account security	Quarterly	Admin access list checked; two-step sign-in on every account.

Preview: Interview questions

A filled example for a made-up small business.

Stage	Question or task	What a good answer shows
Interview	Walk us through a post you made that worked. Why did it work?	They judge by results, not by how much they liked it.
Interview	And one that did not work. What did you change?	They learn from evidence and are honest about misses.
Interview	How would you plan our first month?	They ask about goals and customers before suggesting posts.
Interview	A customer complains about a repair in the comments. What do you do?	Calm, quick, moves it to a private conversation, involves the shop.
Interview	How would you tell us whether social media is bringing in customers?	Mentions tagged links, asking customers, or booking data, not likes alone.
Interview	What would you need from us to do this well?	Realistic about time, access and approvals.
Practical task	Write three captions for our Saturday group ride: one for Instagram, one for Facebook, one for a Google Business update.	Adapts tone and length to each platform; clear call to action.
Practical task	Sketch a one-week plan for the shop in spring.	Variety, realistic workload, ties posts to things we sell.

Tips

Hire for the first year's work, not for every platform. One person cannot do five platforms well alongside events and customer messages.
Ask for a portfolio over years of experience. Someone who has run a local club's account well may beat someone with a long CV.
Agree who answers customer messages before the role starts, so nothing falls between the shop and social.
Make sure the business owns every account and adds the new hire as a user, rather than the hire creating accounts in their own name.
If you are not ready to hire, an AI social media manager can plan, write, design and schedule posts for you to approve. Zolyp does that, but it does not reply to comments or messages, so someone still needs to.

Common questions

What does a social media manager do?

They plan what a business posts, create or brief the posts, publish them, look after comments and messages, and report on what is working. In a small business the same person often takes the photos and videos too.

What skills does a social media manager need?

Clear writing, an eye for photos and video, planning, and the habit of checking results and changing course. Calm handling of complaints matters as much as creativity.

How much does a social media manager earn?

It depends on the country, city, experience and hours. Check current job adverts or a recent salary survey for your area. We do not list a figure here because any single number would mislead and go out of date.

What is the difference between a social media manager and a community manager?

A social media manager owns the plan and the posts; a community manager focuses on the conversations around them. Small businesses usually combine both in one role.

Social media manager job description template