Creative Social Media Manager at VML in Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal

Who We Are

VML is a global creative company that combines brand experience, customer experience, and commerce to create connected brands that drive growth. Guided by a Human First philosophy, VML is known for its innovative work for brands and consistently ranks among the world’s leading creative companies, including the WARC Creative 100. VML’s global network spans 55+ markets with principal offices in Buenos Aires, Kansas City, London, New York, São Paulo, Shanghai and Singapore.

VML is part of WPP, the trusted growth partner for the world's leading brands. Powered by exceptional talent and our agentic marketing platform WPP Open, WPP unites cutting-edge media intelligence and data solutions, creativity, production, enterprise solutions and expert strategic counsel.

For more information, please visit www.vml.comand follow along on  LinkedIn #WeAreVML.

About the Role

We are looking for an agile, strategically minded Creative Social Media Manager to drive social growth and vertical video innovation across our diverse roster of agency clients.

In this role, you will act as the creative and strategic architect for our clients' social channels. You understand how to hook audiences and translate distinct client brand identities into high-retention TikTok, Reels, and Shorts content.

With a social-first mindset, you’ll develop and pitch platform-native content ideas, with a particular focus on TikTok. You’ll also be hands-on in bringing those ideas to life by creating, filming and editing short-form videos, and using performance insights to refine what works.

Key Responsibilities

• Multi-Client Channel Ownership: Manage monthly content calendars, publishing cadences, and platform scheduling across client accounts (TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook).
• Short-Form Strategy & Playbooks: Develop custom platform strategies, recurring video series, and content pillars tailored to each client's industry and business goals.
• Concept & Hook Architecture: Conceptualize high-retention short-form video ideas, architecting strong hooks, narrative pacing, on-screen text hierarchies, and trending audio pairings.
• Creative Content Creation & Execution: Develop and execute social-first content ideas, with a particular focus on TikTok. Create, film and edit short-form videos from concept to delivery.
• Client Presentations & Advisory: Pitch creative concepts, present monthly content plans, and serve as the go-to expert on social trends and short-form media.
• Trend Spotting & Reactive Formats: Identify emerging Portuguese internet trends, memes, audio, and subcultures, pitching timely and brand-safe reactive concepts to relevant clients.

Role Requirements

• 3–5+ years of experience in a social media, creative strategy, or content role, preferably within a digital or creative agency.
• Proven Multi-Client Management: Ability to seamlessly switch between distinct brand voices, industry verticals, and competing deadlines.
• Deep Short-Form Fluency: An obsessive, intuitive understanding of TikTok, Instagram (Reels), and YouTube Shorts algorithms, narrative hooks, and retention psychology.
• Strategic Briefing Skills: Demonstrated ability to translate complex client briefs into simple, inspiring production briefs for creative teams and creators.
• Client-Facing Confidence: Strong presentation and communication skills to pitch creative ideas and explain strategic choices to client stakeholders.
• Data-Led Creative Eye: Experience reading retention graphs and engagement data to explain why content performed and how to improve it.
• Cultural Intuition: Deep familiarity with Portuguese digital culture, local humor, slang, and the local creator ecosystem.
• Languages: Native-level Portuguese (written and spoken) with professional working proficiency in English.

We believe the best work happens when we're together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection. That's why we’ve adopted a hybrid approach, with teams in the office an average of four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process.

WPP (VML) is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to characteristics. We are committed to fostering a culture of respect in which everyone feels they belong and has the same opportunities to progress in their careers.

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