Director, Paid Search

Summary

Join Code3, an integrated marketing agency, as their Paid Search Director to lead and elevate the department's search strategy. You will manage a team, develop a roadmap for department growth, and drive operational excellence. This role requires a transformational leader who can also contribute hands-on when needed. The position is remote but requires East Coast hours. You will define and own the overarching paid search strategy, build and lead a high-performing team, and foster collaboration across teams. This role also involves client relationship management, new business initiatives, and representing the agency's strategic point of view.

Requirements

• 9+ years of proven experience in developing paid search media plans, strategic presentations, and 2+ years of managing a team
• Background in client and executive relationship management at a senior level
• Advanced business acumen and understanding of client commercial and financial models
• Experience contributing to new business pitches
• Ability to manage a team in paid search strategy, hands-on-keys, and client management
• Ability to anticipate client requests, team and agency needs and provide proactive solutions
• Ability to ensure team is delivering strategy and activation excellence for clients
• Ability to mentor and guide team members growth within the agency and career through performance reviews and development plans
• Proficiency in research platforms, paid search platforms and analytics dashboards
• Excellent senior-level client presentation abilities
• Experience in growing revenue and client roster through strong strategy and relationships
• Experience serving as an escalation point for clients, supporting with fire drills, strategic guidance, and growth

Responsibilities

• Define and own the overarching paid search strategy and deliver activation excellence across search platforms (Google, Microsoft, Yahoo!) and tactics (Brand, Non-brand, Shopping, PMAX, Demand Gen, Competitor)
• Support team and clients on feed management and strategy
• Build and lead a team that delivers unbeatable paid search strategies and ad performance, inclusive of training, process enforcement, and innovation
• Actively identify, test, and scale innovative approaches, automation opportunities, and emerging technologies (including AI applications) within paid search to maintain a competitive edge
• Manage department profitability via strategic improvement of workflow efficiencies and team utilization (FTEs). Identifying challenges and opportunities for improvement to drive success for the agency while balancing team effectiveness and work-life balance
• Foster collaboration between paid search team, client partnership, creative, growth and activation teams to ensure proper execution of strategy and client stewardship
• Support growth team on new business initiatives and pitches by being the expert paid search voice and driving innovation in strategy and thought leadership
• Representing the agency’s strategic point of view and ethos in internal and external presentations and meetings
• Leverage storytelling skills to translate complex search strategies into compelling campaign recommendations
• Trains their team in media planning, forecasting, budgeting & setup best practices, developing learning agendas, and performance analysis
• Be the paid search point of escalation internally and externally with the ability to effectively problem solve and identify areas of opportunity
• Cultivate strategic partnerships with senior-level clients, acting as a trusted advisor on search and digital marketing
• Provide critical perspective and stay ahead of platform updates, industry trends, and emerging technologies
• Support executive leadership in management and negotiation of platform agency partnerships

Preferred Qualifications

Certifications in digital marketing and/or paid search media strategy are a plus ( Google Analytics Certification, Microsoft Advertising Search Certification, Google Ads Search Certification, Google AI Powered Shopping Ads Certification etc.)

Benefits

• Full medical, dental, and vision benefits as well as generous retirement program
• Thoughtful parental leave and return program
• Flexible Time Off, holidays, quarterly Company “Recharge” Days, and holiday closure in December
• Ongoing learning and development opportunities
• Commitment to transparent DEIB practices