Social Media Specialist

COME JOIN OUR TEAM!

Joe Leone's Italian Specialties has served the Jersey Shore since 1997. We are known for authentic Italian food, fresh bakery products, high standards, and personal service. Our teams move quickly, especially on weekends and before holidays, and every role contributes to the quality our guests expect.

The Role:

The Social Media Specialist is responsible for growing Joe Leone's digital presence, increasing audience engagement, and developing creative, results-driven social media content that strengthens brand awareness and drives sales. This is a hands-on, creative position requiring strong skills in content creation, video production, social media marketing, and digital storytelling.

A primary focus of this role will be modernizing our social media presence to attract and engage a younger demographic while maintaining the authenticity, quality, and traditions that define the Joe Leone's brand. You will develop exciting, culturally relevant content, including short-form videos, Instagram Reels, TikToks, and engaging social media campaigns that showcase our food, people, and guest experience.

Success requires creativity, initiative, an understanding of emerging social media trends, strong analytical skills, and the ability to translate digital engagement into measurable business results. We are looking for someone who can bring fresh ideas, challenge conventional approaches, and take ownership of growing our online audience.

What You Will Do:

• Develop and execute a comprehensive social media strategy focused on increasing brand awareness, growing our audience, improving engagement, and driving measurable sales growth.

• Create compelling, original content across platforms including Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and other emerging social media channels.

• Produce, film, edit, and publish engaging short-form videos, Reels, TikToks, and other visually exciting content designed to capture attention and encourage sharing.

• Develop targeted content and campaigns specifically designed to attract younger audiences, introduce new customers to the Joe Leone's brand, and build long-term customer loyalty.

• Stay current with emerging social media trends, viral content, popular audio, cultural moments, and evolving platform algorithms to identify opportunities for timely, relevant content.

• Bring fresh, creative ideas to our social media presence, moving beyond traditional product photography and promotional posts to create entertaining, engaging, and shareable content.

• Showcase our Italian specialties, prepared foods, sandwiches, bakery products, catering offerings, team members, and behind-the-scenes operations through creative digital storytelling.

• Develop and maintain a consistent content calendar that incorporates seasonal promotions, holidays, new product launches, community events, and company initiatives.

• Plan, execute, and optimize organic and paid social media campaigns, ensuring content reaches the appropriate audiences and generates meaningful engagement and business results.

• Utilize audience targeting, geographic targeting, demographic insights, and platform analytics to improve campaign effectiveness and attract new customers.

• Monitor and analyze key performance indicators, including follower growth, reach, impressions, engagement rates, video views, website traffic, and campaign conversions.

• Evaluate the effectiveness of social media initiatives and make data-driven adjustments to improve content performance, audience engagement, and return on advertising investment.

• Identify opportunities to collaborate with local influencers, content creators, community organizations, and complementary businesses to expand our reach and introduce the brand to new audiences.

• Engage with followers through comments, messages, and social interactions in a timely, professional, and brand-appropriate manner.

• Encourage user-generated content, customer participation, social sharing, and interactive campaigns that strengthen our online community.

• Work closely with Retail Management, Catering, Culinary, and senior leadership to identify promotional opportunities, highlight new products, and support company sales initiatives.

• Maintain a consistent brand voice and visual identity while introducing modern, innovative approaches that keep our social media presence relevant and competitive.

• Proactively identify underperforming content, missed marketing opportunities, and emerging trends, bringing forward creative solutions rather than relying on established practices.

• Track competitor activity, local market trends, and successful social media strategies within the restaurant, specialty food, and hospitality industries.

• Provide regular performance updates, campaign results, and actionable recommendations to leadership, demonstrating how social media efforts contribute to company growth.

What We Are Looking For:

• Proven experience in social media management, digital marketing, content creation, or a similar role, preferably within the food, restaurant, hospitality, Retail, or lifestyle industries.

• Strong understanding of Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube Shorts, and the strategies required to grow and engage audiences across these platforms.

• Demonstrated ability to create engaging, high-quality short-form video content, including filming, editing, storytelling, and incorporating trending audio and visual effects.

• Proficiency with video editing and content creation tools such as CapCut, Canva, Adobe Creative Suite, or similar applications.

• A creative mindset with the ability to develop original, entertaining, culturally relevant content that stands out in a competitive social media environment.

• Strong understanding of social media trends, younger consumer demographics, digital culture, and the types of content that resonate with Millennial and Gen Z audiences.

• Experience developing and managing paid social media advertising campaigns, including audience targeting, budgeting, campaign optimization, and performance tracking.

• Ability to interpret social media analytics, identify performance trends, and use data to improve engagement, audience growth, and marketing effectiveness.

• Strong photography, videography, and visual composition skills, particularly when showcasing food, people, and retail environments.

• Excellent written communication skills, including the ability to develop engaging captions, promotional messaging, and compelling calls to action.

• Knowledge of social media algorithms, platform best practices, hashtag strategies, content optimization, and audience engagement techniques.

• Familiarity with influencer marketing, community engagement, and collaborative promotional campaigns.

• Strong organizational and time-management skills, with the ability to manage multiple campaigns, maintain publishing schedules, and meet deadlines.

• A proactive, self-motivated approach with the confidence to pitch new ideas, experiment with creative concepts, and take ownership of results.

• Ability to balance entertaining, trend-driven content with professional brand representation and the company's established identity.

• An appreciation for Italian food, culinary traditions, specialty retail, and the hospitality industry, with the ability to translate these interests into compelling social media content.

• A portfolio or examples of previous social media content, particularly short-form videos and successful campaigns, demonstrating creativity, technical ability, and measurable results.

Schedule and Physical Requirements:

• Ability to work on-site at both retail locations and other company facilities to capture content, collaborate with team members, and document daily operations.

• Ability to stand, walk, bend, reach, and operate photography, video, and related equipment throughout retail, bakery, catering, and food production environments, with or without reasonable accommodation.

• Flexibility to work varying schedules, including occasional evenings, weekends, holidays, and special events when necessary to capture content or support promotional initiatives.

• Ability to respond to time-sensitive social media trends, promotional opportunities, and company events while maintaining established content schedules.

• Willingness to work collaboratively with employees and management across departments to create authentic, engaging content that reflects the Joe Leone's experience.

The essential functions of this position must be performed with or without reasonable accommodation.

Benefits:

Benefits include medical and dental insurance after 90 days of service, subject to plan eligibility and terms; paid time off and New Jersey earned sick leave, subject to applicable policy terms; on-the-job training; the employee discount program; team events; and fitness incentives.

Employment Information"

Joe Leone's is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants are considered without regard to any status protected by applicable law. Reasonable accommodations are available for qualified individuals with disabilities during the application process and employment. Employment with Joe Leone's is at will. Either the employee or Joe Leone's may end the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause or notice, subject to applicable law. This posting describes the general nature of the position and is not a complete list of every duty. Responsibilities, schedules, and assignments may change based on business needs.

Co-founded in the spring of 1997 in Pt. Pleasant Beach, NJ by Joseph Leone Introna and John Hilla, Joe Leone’s originated from the passion for baking, cooking, and dedication instilled by Joe’s grandparents and John’s determination to achieve success for himself and his brother-in-law.