Director of Social Media and Digital Marketing

Lead digital storytelling with purpose for the Diocese of Las Cruces. This on-site role builds and executes a comprehensive social media and digital marketing strategy to strengthen connections across southern New Mexico, increase participation in parish and diocesan life, and support the Church’s spiritual, educational, and charitable mission. You will help expand the Diocese’s digital presence while ensuring messaging stays consistent with Catholic identity.

What you will do

Develop and implement a social media and digital marketing strategy aligned with diocesan priorities, translating them into annual and quarterly objectives, campaign schedules, and measurable performance goals. Build targeted communications for multiple audiences, including active parishioners, young adults, families, Hispanic Catholics, inactive Catholics, prospective donors, and the broader public. Coordinate digital efforts with the Diocese’s communications, evangelization, and development strategies, and look for ways to extend reach beyond existing parish communications networks.

Manage and grow the Diocese’s presence across Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and other appropriate platforms. Maintain an integrated editorial calendar and create, schedule, and publish content highlighting diocesan activities, the Bishop’s ministry, parish initiatives, Catholic education, charitable services, and the mission of the Church. Produce content that appeals to different demographic and geographic audiences, including short-form videos, interviews, testimonials, and stories focused on people and ministries.

Create and support campaigns that encourage participation in parish events, diocesan programs, charitable activities, and Catholic spiritual life. Monitor audience engagement and respond to appropriate comments and inquiries in line with diocesan policies. Ensure consistent branding, Catholic identity, and accurate communication of Catholic teaching and values across all digital platforms.

Oversee quality and safeguarding expectations, including accessibility, copyright, privacy, and content standards. Coordinate sensitive or controversial communications with the Director of Communications and designated diocesan leadership. When needed, manage outside photographers, videographers, designers, and other creative contractors.

Develop audience growth strategies across the Diocese’s ten counties using available demographic, geographic, and engagement information. Work with database personnel to integrate audience information with constituent relationship management systems, and coordinate digital campaigns with email, direct mail, parish communications, and other marketing channels. Support subscriptions to diocesan communications and help reconnect inactive Catholics, as well as introduce the Church’s ministries to those with limited familiarity.

Build fundraising and impact-focused digital campaigns that support the annual United in Ministry appeal, capital campaigns, and other approved fundraising initiatives. Support online giving initiatives through digital advertising, email campaigns, and social media outreach. Plan and evaluate paid digital advertising campaigns on platforms including Meta, Google, and YouTube, including audience targeting strategies and A/B testing of advertising messages, creative, and approaches.

Measure performance across channels, including social media reach, audience growth, engagement, website referrals, email subscriptions, event registrations, campaign conversions, donor inquiries, and attributable online contributions. Prepare monthly performance reports for the Director of Communications and quarterly summaries of accomplishments, challenges, and recommended strategic adjustments.

Key working expectations

• Prepare and maintain relationships with parish staff, volunteers, and communications representatives.
• Build a network of parish contacts for local news, photos, event details, and ministry stories.
• Create tools, templates, and guidelines parishes can use to strengthen their own digital communications.
• Provide training and technical assistance to parish personnel responsible for social media and digital outreach.
• Establish key performance indicators for digital communications and marketing activities.
• Maintain appropriate confidentiality and professional discretion.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications, public relations, journalism, digital media, or a closely related field; equivalent professional experience may be considered.
• Minimum five years of progressively responsible experience in social media marketing, digital communications, or related marketing activities.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and execute digital marketing strategies.
• Experience managing social media accounts for an organization, institution, or business.
• Demonstrated ability to create engaging content and execute measurable marketing campaigns.
• Experience with paid social media advertising and digital performance analytics.
• Strong writing, editing, and visual communications skills.
• Experience managing multiple projects, competing deadlines, and cross-functional relationships.
• Proficiency with major social media platforms and associated management and advertising tools.
• Familiarity with Google Analytics, Meta Business Suite, and related reporting platforms.
• Experience with Canva or Adobe Creative Cloud (graphic design and content production tools).
• Ability to produce and edit basic digital video content.
• Familiarity with email marketing systems and constituent relationship management databases.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office or comparable productivity software.
• Ability to learn and use new marketing technologies, including AI-assisted content and analytics tools.

Tools you will use

• Facebook, Instagram, YouTube
• Google Analytics, Meta Business Suite
• Meta, Google
• Canva, Adobe Creative Cloud
• Microsoft Office
• AI-assisted content and analytics tools
• Email marketing systems
• Constituent relationship management databases

Pay, location, and schedule

• Salary: $35,000.00 to $45,000.00 per year
• Location: Las Cruces, NM (in person, office-based)
• Travel: Travel throughout the Diocese as needed
• Availability: Occasional evening and weekend work to cover diocesan liturgies, events, and meetings

Benefits and supervision

• Health insurance

Supervisory responsibilities: May supervise employees, contractors, interns, and outside marketing vendors.

Evaluation and compliance

Performance will be evaluated against agreed-upon annual goals, including Audience Growth, Audience Engagement, Parish Participation, Digital Conversion, Fundraising Support, Content Quality, Campaign Effectiveness, and Reporting. Specific quantitative targets will be established after reviewing current digital audience sizes, engagement levels, available resources, and campaign budgets.

All communications must reflect the teachings, values, and mission of the Catholic Church, and the role requires compliance with diocesan policies on media relations, safeguarding, privacy, and communications approval.

Equal employment opportunity

The Diocese of Las Cruces is committed to fair employment practices consistent with applicable law and its identity and mission as a religious organization.