Declan Connolly
Senior Social Media Manager | Paid Social Strategy & Content Operations
Galway
Professional Summary
Results-driven Senior Social Media Manager with extensive experience designing multi-channel digital campaigns, managing advertising budgets, and scaling brand communities across Ireland and international markets.
Recognised for combining creative storytelling with rigorous data analytics to guide content teams, optimise paid media spend, and build loyal audience engagement.
Professional Experience
Corrib Media Works
Galway, Ireland
Senior Social Media Manager
Aug 2021 – Present
- Direct cross-platform social media strategy across LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok for enterprise clients, increasing aggregate brand engagement by 38%.
- Oversee an annual paid social campaign budget of 320,000 euros, consistently maintaining cost-per-acquisition benchmarks across B2B and consumer campaigns.
- Manage a team of four content creators and community coordinators, defining publishing workflows, moderation guidelines, and editorial standards.
- Deliver monthly attribution and performance reports to executive leadership using multi-touch analytics and social listening tools.
Salthill Hospitality Collective
Galway, Ireland
Social Media and Content Lead
Nov 2016 – Jul 2021
- Orchestrated digital storytelling and organic community management across 12 boutique hospitality venues in the West of Ireland.
- Grew regional social following from 45,000 to over 140,000 active followers through seasonal food and heritage video campaigns.
- Negotiated contracts and managed creative briefs with 25 culinary and travel content creators to support seasonal tourism pushes.
- Collaborated with operations managers to implement a rapid-response guest feedback workflow across direct messaging channels.
Finbar Creative Consultancy
Limerick, Ireland
Social Media Specialist
Apr 2012 – Oct 2016
- Authored social copy, planned monthly content calendars, and scheduled posts across Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest for retail clients.
- Executed targeted paid advertising tests to optimise click-through rates and refine audience segments.
- Tracked competitor benchmarking and audience sentiment, delivering quarterly digital review presentations to clients.
Education
University of Galway
Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) · Commerce and Digital Marketing · Galway, Ireland · Second Class Honours, Grade 1 (2:1) · Sept 2003 – May 2007
Coursework focused on consumer behaviour, market research methodologies, and brand communication strategies.
Projects
Atlantic Heritage Video Campaign
Apr 2023 – Nov 2023
- Spearheaded a complete brand refresh on short-form video channels, producing 24 narrative clips that drove a 52% increase in regional newsletter sign-ups.
- Built an internal UGC vetting and licensing workflow that cut content turnaround times from seven days to under 48 hours.
Core Competencies
Social Media Strategy
Paid Social Campaign Management
Content Marketing
Community Management
Social Listening & Brand Sentiment
Meta Business Suite
TikTok Ads Manager
LinkedIn Campaign Manager
Influencer Relations
Performance Analytics & Reporting
Languages
English
C2
Irish
B2
French
B1
Certifications
Certified Digital Marketing Specialist (Social Media)
Digital Marketing Institute · Mar 2024
Meta Certified Media Buying Professional
Meta Blueprint · May 2025
Community Involvement
Galway Coastal Arts Initiative
Galway, Ireland · Feb 2022 – Jul 2024
- Volunteer Social Media Advisor
- Advised committee leads on organic event promotion, social posting schedules, and volunteer outreach, boosting festival attendance.