Saumya Singh: Social Media and Community Manager

Saumya Singh

MSc International Business, 2025

Based in:

London

Came to study at Warwick from:

India

First job:

My first job was as a Marketing & Business Associate at a luxury consulting firm. It was a great starting point, I got early exposure to how marketing, strategy, and client work come together in a real business setting.

Strangest interview question:

I was once asked if I’d be able to manage 13 sheep if they were all in the same room. It completely caught me off guard, but I think it was about how you stay calm, organised, and think on your feet.

Advice for current students:

Talk to people. Network, ask questions, and don’t be afraid to reach out to people working in roles you’re curious about. At the same time, focus on building your portfolio – side projects, internships, freelance work, or even personal platforms all count. Real experience and genuine connections can move your career forward in ways you don’t always expect.

Best piece of advice received:

Always be ready for the unexpected. It’s good to be prepared, but it’s just as important to stay open to conversations you might initially feel shy or hesitant to have, because the cost of not having those conversations can be far greater than the discomfort of starting them.

Ambitions for the future:

I aim to continue growing into strategic digital leadership roles, with a long-term interest in global brand strategy, community-led marketing, and creative storytelling. I also want to keep building my personal platforms alongside my professional work, using both to create meaningful and authentic impact.

Social Media and Community Manager, Olsam Group

Describe your current role and what attracted you to it.

I currently work as a Social Media and Community Manager at Olsam Group, where I manage and grow digital communities for our multiple consumers and Direct-to-Consumer brands across lifestyle, travel, grooming, and outdoor sectors. My role spans social media strategy, influencer and User-Generated Content partnerships, content planning, analytics, and community engagement across platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

What attracted me to this role was the chance to work across multiple brands at the same time and see how different audiences engage with content in real, measurable ways. I enjoy roles where creativity is not separate from strategy, but directly connected to outcomes. Working in a fast-paced environment like Olsam has also allowed me to gain hands-on experience in the e-commerce space, collaborate with diverse teams, and adapt quickly across industries, markets, and brand voices, which has been a steep but incredibly rewarding learning curve.

What’s your favourite part of your role?

My favourite part of the role is the sheer variety working across brands in completely different sectors, from van life and outdoor travel to everyday consumer products like a popcorn maker. Being able to switch between audiences and brand worlds keeps the work dynamic and creatively challenging. I love building authentic brand communities by creating content and conversations that feel human and relatable, while still driving clear commercial outcomes. Working in a creative, fast-paced agency environment with so much potential makes the process even more rewarding, especially when collaborating with creators to bring brand values to life in fresh ways.

What are the key skills you learnt at Warwick that have helped you with your career to date?

Warwick helped me strengthen my communication skills alongside strong analytical thinking and the ability to approach problems from a global and strategic perspective, while still maintaining a creative eye. Through coursework and group projects, I gained confidence in stakeholder communication, data-driven decision-making, and working effectively in culturally diverse teams. Just as importantly, Warwick taught me not only how to share my ideas clearly, but also how to listen to others, developing openness to different perspectives and demographics, which has been essential in my current role.

Did you have a specific career path in mind when you chose to study at Warwick?

I had a broad interest in international business and marketing. With a strong pull towards creative marketing, I had a clear sense of the career path I wanted to pursue. Warwick encouraged exploration, both academically and through extracurricular opportunities across the university. Getting involved in different activities helped me hone my content creation, camera confidence, and communication skills. Over time, I realised that digital/social marketing and brand storytelling allowed me to be most authentic, playing to my strengths while building confidence in my own voice.

What top tips do you have for Warwick graduates who would like to work in your sector?

Start building practical experience early, whether through internships, freelance work, personal projects, or managing your own social platforms. Stay curious, keep up with platform trends and analytics tools, and don’t underestimate the value of soft skills such as communication, adaptability, and empathy. Be open to non-linear paths as they often lead to the most fulfilling roles. Finally, invest time in networking; genuine connections can open doors in ways that qualifications alone sometimes cannot.

What does a typical day look like for you?

A typical day involves reviewing performance metrics, planning and scheduling content, coordinating with creators and internal teams, responding to community messages, and making sure social activity aligns with wider campaign goals. No two days are ever the same, which keeps the role both challenging and genuinely exciting.

What has been your greatest career challenge to date and how did your experience and skills help overcome it?

One of my biggest challenges has been managing multiple brands and stakeholders at the same time while maintaining quality and consistency. Learning how to prioritise effectively has made the biggest difference – understanding what needs immediate attention, what can wait, and how to structure my time has helped me stay focused without feeling overwhelmed.

What do you know now that you wish you had known when you were applying for jobs?

I’ve realised that job searching is a bit like a strategic treasure hunt. Some roles that felt perfect on paper didn’t work out, while others that initially felt intimidating turned out to be the right fit. It’s less about ticking every box and more about how you position your skills, tell your story, and show that the role is somewhere you can genuinely grow not just perform.