Digital Marketing Executive (Social Media) – Maternity Cover

Organisation: Royal Yachting Association
Salary: Salary: £30,000 - £35,000 per annum, depending on experience
Location: Hamble, Southampton (hybrid working)
Contract type: Fixed Term (Full time)
Closing date: 12 October 2026
Job Description: The Royal Yachting Association, based in Hamble, near Southampton, is the national governing body for all forms of recreational, competitive and professional boating. It represents dinghy and yacht racing, motor and sail cruising, RIBs and sportsboats, windsurfing, inland cruising and personal watercraft.

Job Role: Digital Marketing Executive (Social Media) – Maternity Cover

Salary: £30,000 - £35,000 per annum, depending on experience

Contract: 1 year Fixed Term Maternity Cover

Hours: Full-time - 35 hours per week, Monday to Friday

Location: Hamble, Southampton (hybrid working)

Help Us Inspire More People to Get on the Water
Are you a creative and results-driven social media professional looking to work with a globally recognised brand? Do you have a passion for creating engaging content, growing online communities and delivering impactful digital campaigns?

We're looking for a Digital Marketing Executive (Social Media) to join our Marketing team on a 12-month maternity cover contract. This exciting role will see you lead the day-to-day management of the RYA's social media channels, working across a broad range of campaigns, initiatives and audiences to increase engagement, awareness and advocacy for the organisation and the benefits of being on the water.

Reporting to the Digital Marketing Manager, you'll collaborate with teams across the organisation to develop compelling content, support integrated marketing campaigns and help position the RYA as a leading voice within boating, sailing and watersports communities.

About the RYA
The Royal Yachting Association (RYA) is the UK's national governing body for boating and watersports, from sailing and motorboating to windsurfing and personal watercraft.

Through our strategy, Together on Water, we are committed to creating a safe, welcoming and inclusive environment where more people can enjoy life on the water.

With over 100,000 members, 1,400 affiliated clubs and classes, a global network of 2,300 recognised training centres and responsibility for the British Sailing Team, the RYA plays a vital role in supporting participation, performance and training across the boating community.

About the Role
You will:

Manage and grow the RYA's social media channels, including Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
Plan, schedule and optimise engaging social media content aligned with organisational priorities and campaigns.
Maintain and manage the social media content calendar.
Create compelling content including post copy, captions, graphics, image assets and video content.
Work with internal teams, freelance creatives and agencies to deliver high-quality campaign assets.
Monitor community engagement and manage responses across social channels, maintaining the RYA's tone of voice.
Analyse channel and campaign performance, producing reports and actionable recommendations.
Support the planning, delivery and optimisation of organic and paid social media campaigns.
Collaborate with digital agencies to manage paid social activity across Meta and TikTok platforms.
Act as a centre of excellence for social media, providing guidance and best practice support to colleagues across the business.
Provide occasional out-of-hours social media support for events and live coverage, with time off in lieu provided
Key Responsibilities:

Deliver engaging, audience-focused content that supports the RYA's strategic objectives.
Develop and maintain effective social media plans and content schedules.
Monitor trends, platform developments and best practice to ensure content remains relevant and effective.
Build strong relationships with internal stakeholders to support campaign delivery across the organisation.
Use insight and analytics to improve channel performance and engagement.
Ensure consistency of messaging, tone of voice and brand guidelines across all social media activity.
Support integrated marketing campaigns through effective use of organic and paid social channels.
Contribute to the continued growth and development of the RYA's digital presence.
About You
We're looking for a creative and organised digital marketer who thrives in a fast-paced environment and enjoys balancing strategic thinking with hands-on content creation.

Essential

Minimum two years' experience managing social media channels either in-house or agency-side.
Up-to-date experience using Meta (Facebook and Instagram) and LinkedIn.
Strong understanding of social media algorithms, trends, KPIs and best practice.
Experience developing and maintaining content calendars.
Excellent copywriting, content creation and storytelling skills.
Experience creating content using Canva and Adobe Creative Cloud tools.
Strong reporting and analytical skills.
Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
Ability to prioritise workload and manage multiple projects effectively.
Self-motivated team player who can also work independently.
Educated to A-Level standard or equivalent.
Desirable

Experience managing TikTok and YouTube channels.
Experience running paid social campaigns.
Knowledge of Hootsuite, Google Analytics and Google Data Studio.
Degree qualification in Marketing, Digital Marketing or a related discipline.
CIM qualification.
Sailing, boating or watersports experience.
Understanding of social media legal, compliance and crisis management best practice.
Why Join the RYA?
This is an exciting opportunity to help shape the digital voice of one of the world's leading boating organisations. You'll work across a diverse range of campaigns and audiences, from grassroots participation initiatives and training programmes to major events and the British Sailing Team.

As part of a supportive and collaborative marketing team, you'll have the opportunity to make a significant impact through creative storytelling, audience engagement and digital innovation

The RYA offers a range of benefits which include:

36 days holiday including public holidays (pro rata for part-time employees)
Birthday day off
10% RYA contribution to a personal pension scheme
Free life insurance
Discounts platform for retail, entertainment, holidays & gym membership
Two paid volunteering days per year
Free on-site electric vehicle charging
Social events
RYA membership
How to apply: Interested? Please review the full job description and submit your application by clicking 'Apply for this Job'. https://www.rya.org.uk/about-us/careers/job-vacancies/digital-marketing-executive-social-media-maternity-cover/ We reserve the right to close applications early should sufficient applications be received.

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Digital Marketing Executive (Social Media) – Maternity Cover