Associate Director of Paid Search

Job Description

Job Description

We’re looking for an Associate Director of Paid Search who can own high-stakes campaign strategy, lead client conversations with confidence, and still make time to coach and delegate effectively. You’ll oversee large-scale accounts (often in complex verticals like multi-location retail or healthcare), guide a team of specialists, and ensure our paid search performance is both high-impact and well-communicated.

This role is part tactician, part client translator, and part calm in the storm. You should be just as comfortable building strategy decks as you are rolling up your sleeves to troubleshoot a campaign or mentor a junior team member.

Work from home policy: Hybrid/Remote combination.

Duties/Responsibilities:

• Lead strategy and execution for national and regional paid search campaigns across Google and Microsoft Ads
• Act as primary point of contact for clients, including senior-level stakeholders and C-suite execs
• Collaborate with SEO, programmatic, creative, and analytics teams for integrated campaign planning
• Own pacing, performance, budget oversight, and proactive optimization
• Develop and present strategic plans, forecasts, and performance analyses to both internal and external stakeholders
• Guide campaign setup to align with KPIs, success metrics, and measurement best practices
• Lead and mentor a team of paid media specialists—offering guidance, QA, and career development support
• Translate performance data into actionable stories that clients actually understand
• Identify opportunities for innovation, channel testing, and performance improvement
• Keep a pulse on industry shifts, emerging platforms, and algorithm changes that could impact strategy

Required Skills/Abilities:

• 7–10 years of experience in paid search media, preferably with both agency and client-side exposure
• Deep experience with Google Ads and Microsoft Ads; SA360 knowledge a plus
• Strong understanding of KPIs, attribution models, and cross-channel performance measurement
• Proven ability to lead client relationships, especially in retail and/or healthcare verticals
• Experience managing and mentoring a media team
• Comfort presenting and defending strategy and performance in high-stakes meetings
• Strong analytical chops and the ability to turn data into decisions
• High attention to detail, ability to manage multiple priorities, and a collaborative mindset
• Familiarity with tools like Google Analytics, Looker Studio, Search Ads 360, and Excel

Physical Requirements:

Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.

Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times.

Compensation and benefits:

• Salary range: $95,000–$120,000 depending on experience, with potential for performance-based bonuses
• Competitive benefits including medical/dental, 401k, PTO, and a remote-flexible environment
• Real opportunity for growth into director-level roles

TRUth provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.