Social Media Manager
Location: Wichita, Kan. (Hybrid)
VELA is a movement of self-determined people doing education their own way. Families are stepping up to own their education and founders are rewriting the rules and building family-centered learning models that go beyond traditional schooling.
With more than 4,000 founders across all 50 states and three U.S. territories, the VELA Founder Network is the country’s leading network of education founders. These visionary founders are boldly building sustainable businesses that revolutionize education. They are brave. They don’t ask for permission. They don’t wait for someone else to save the day. They are compelled to build it themselves. Being a part of the VELA Founder Network accelerates their growth, as they gain access to a powerful community of peers and resources and funding opportunities to help them grow.
VELA has invested over $41 million to help founders reach more than 5 million learners and families. Our vision? A vibrant, responsive education landscape shaped by the people closest to it—families.
VELA’s work rests on four key principles that are the foundation of our work:
We believe in people – because every person has unique talents, motivations, and capabilities.
We believe in self-determination – because founders and families have the dignity to make their own decisions about their lives.
We believe in community – we know that self-determined people are eager to improve and learn from one another.
We believe in voluntary engagement – because there are better results from win-win relationships where we win together.
Job Summary
VELA is seeking a curious, creative, and savvy Social Media Manager to help us energize and grow our social presence across platforms and within our new VELA app. Reporting to the Marketing Director and working closely with the Director of Communications, this role will manage VELA’s day-to-day social channels, create engaging visual content, and foster meaningful online conversations that spotlight our vibrant community of 4,000+ education founders and the families they serve.
The ideal candidate is a social media pro who knows how to plan, create, and execute scroll-stopping content that inspires action, fuels community, and drives brand visibility. They bring a strong design eye, basic video editing skills, and a passion for staying ahead of the latest trends and tools. This person enjoys building community, engaging with audiences, and amplifying conversations both on our external social feeds and inside the VELA app.
Key Responsibilities
- Plan, schedule, and manage day-to-day content across VELA’s social media platforms using Sprout Social (or similar tool).
- Collaborate with the Marketing Director and Director of Communications to elevate the founder and family stories and happenings within the VELA Founder Network.
- Create compelling visuals using Canva and videos cutdowns from a bank of professionally shot footage from our Emmy-award winning video partner—ensuring all content reflects VELA’s brand guidelines and tone.
- Develop and post Instagram Reels, Stories, and other short-form videos that bring VELA’s work and community to life.
- Engage daily with VELA’s social media audiences—responding to comments, DMs, and sparking conversations.
- Steward the social feed within the VELA app by responding to comments/questions from those outside of our VELA Founder Network.
- Manage paid influencer outreach by identifying, coordinating, and collaborating with social media influencers to amplify VELA’s message and expand reach.
- Stay on top of emerging social trends, tools, and best practices, bringing fresh ideas and recommendations to the team.
- Monitor and report on performance metrics, sharing insights and opportunities to optimize engagement and reach.
What we’re looking for
Curious & Creative. You love storytelling, have a strong design eye, and are always exploring creative ways to connect with audiences.
Experienced. You have at least 2 years managing social media channels for a brand or organization, with proven skills in content planning, social engagement, and community management.
Visually Savvy. You’re comfortable creating polished graphics in Canva and editing basic videos for social—especially Reels and Stories.
Trend Spotter. You stay up to speed on the latest social media trends, algorithms, and platform updates—and know how to translate them into brand-relevant content.
Community-First. You see social media as a place to build relationships, not just post content. You know how to engage audiences in authentic, meaningful ways.
Organized & Nimble. You can manage multiple projects at once, pivot quickly, and thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.
Interested candidates, please send resumes to hello@vela.org.