Senior Manager, Social Media - UAE Nationals Only

Role Overview

Senior Manager, Social Media at Etihad Airways, based in Abu Dhabi, UAE. UAE Nationals only. Reporting to the Director of Brand, Creative & Social, this role leads global social media strategy and elevates Etihad's presence across digital platforms.

Company Overview

Etihad Airways is the UAE's national airline, shaping the future of global aviation from its hub in Abu Dhabi. The airline connects people across continents and cultures while executing the "Journey 2030" ambition to double its fleet, expand its network, and grow its people for a new era of excellence.

Role Purpose

To lead Etihad's global social media strategy, oversee a team of social media specialists, and execute a best-in-class, social-first approach that strengthens brand affinity, drives business performance, and supports the airline's ambitious growth journey. The role shapes how Etihad's brand translates across social channels and delivers measurable impact throughout the marketing funnel.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy & Planning

• Develop and execute a comprehensive global social media strategy aligned with Etihad's brand and commercial objectives.
• Create a clear social media playbook that enables Etihad to stand out, drive engagement, and win in an increasingly competitive digital landscape.
• Leverage audience insights, analytics, and emerging platform opportunities to continuously optimise performance.
• Define how Etihad's brand strategy translates across social media channels, ensuring a consistent, distinctive, and premium presence.
• Establish a strong strategic acumen, translating business objectives into innovative social media initiatives.

Content & Creative

• Oversee the development and delivery of compelling content that supports brand, customer, and commercial objectives.
• Lead forward planning of content calendars and proactively identify creative opportunities aligned with key business priorities and cultural moments.
• Ensure content is optimised for platform performance, audience engagement, and business outcomes.
• Champion innovative storytelling and social-first creative approaches that resonate with global audiences.
• Maintain brand excellence across all content, campaigns, partnerships, and activations.

Performance & Insights

• Establish and monitor key social media KPIs, using performance data to drive decision-making and optimisation.
• Translate social media performance into actionable business insights and demonstrate ROI to senior stakeholders.
• Continuously evaluate and refine strategies to maximise reach, engagement, conversion, and advocacy.
• Work closely with community management teams to monitor sentiment and identify actionable customer insights.
• Champion innovation and foster a culture of experimentation and continuous improvement across the social media function.

Events & Activations

• Provide strategic leadership for major brand moments, global partnerships, events, and campaign launches.
• Oversee real-time social coverage and live content execution to maximise engagement and visibility.
• Drive impactful influencer collaborations and content partnerships that extend campaign reach and relevance.

Team Leadership & Development

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of social media professionals, fostering a culture of creativity, collaboration, and excellence.
• Conduct regular performance reviews and provide ongoing mentorship to support professional growth and career development.
• Build a high-performing function focused on innovation, accountability, and results.
• Inspire and develop high-performing social media teams.

Stakeholder & Partnership Management

• Act as Etihad's senior subject matter expert on social media, advising internal teams and external partners on best practices.
• Collaborate closely with Brand, Creative, Digital, Commercial, Communications, and Customer Experience teams to ensure aligned and integrated campaigns.
• Build strong relationships across the organisation to drive social media excellence at every touchpoint.
• Serve as the primary lead for global and regional social media agency relationships.
• Ensure agency partners deliver exceptional performance and strategic value aligned to Etihad's objectives.
• Evaluate and manage influencer partnerships, ensuring alignment with brand values and campaign goals.

Innovation & Trends

• Stay ahead of social media trends, platform developments, emerging technologies, and evolving consumer behaviours.
• Foster a culture of experimentation, innovation, and continuous improvement across the social media function.

Qualifications & Experience

• 10+ years of experience in social media, digital marketing, or content strategy, gained within a leading global agency or a major consumer-facing brand.
• Proven track record of developing and executing high-impact social media strategies that drive brand growth, audience engagement, and measurable business results.
• Experience operating in complex, global organisations with multiple stakeholders and market considerations.
• Demonstrated success leading, inspiring, and developing high-performing social media teams.
• Proven ability to lead complex projects, manage multiple priorities, and deliver excellence in fast-paced environments.
• Experience managing and maximising relationships with creative, social media, influencer, and media agency partners.
• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Communications, Digital Media, Business, or a related discipline.
• Experience within aviation, travel, hospitality, luxury, or lifestyle brands is highly desirable.

Skills & Competencies

• Advanced knowledge of social media publishing, measurement, analytics, and social listening platforms.
• Strong understanding of paid social strategies and digital performance marketing.
• Familiarity with SEO principles and their role within integrated digital campaigns.
• Working knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite tools such as Photoshop or Illustrator would be advantageous.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence at all levels and build productive partnerships across internal and external audiences.
• Deep understanding of how social media contributes across the marketing funnel, from brand awareness and engagement to conversion and loyalty.
• Experience using data, insights, and performance metrics to inform decision-making and optimise results.
• Strong organisational skills with a focus on execution, quality, and impact.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Arabic language proficiency is highly desirable.
• Innovative, commercially minded, and passionate about digital storytelling.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, dynamic environment where adaptability and agility are essential.
• Curious, forward-thinking, and constantly seeking new opportunities to elevate performance and brand impact.
• A collaborative and proactive mindset, with a passion for delivering outstanding outcomes through cross-functional teamwork.

Additional Information

• Strong understanding of evolving digital trends, consumer behaviours, and the social media landscape is required.
• This role offers the opportunity to shape the voice of one of the world's most recognised aviation brands, lead a talented team, and influence how millions of customers engage with Etihad every day.