Director, Paid Search

Job Description

Carnegie | A Career That Helps Higher Education Thrive

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We partner with colleges and universities to create lasting impact—for institutions, students, and the world they’ll shape. At Carnegie, your work contributes to something bigger: advancing opportunity through higher education. We invest in people, not just positions, and build careers that grow with you.

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Carnegie Life | Our People & Culture | Benefits

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About the Role

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The Director, Paid Search leads Paid Search strategy for a portfolio of high-impact clients and manages a team of 2-4. You own how campaigns get built, run, and improved, and you make sure the work fits client goals and delivers results. You also coach the team, hold the quality bar, and help grow Carnegie's Paid Search practice as AI changes how search works.

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What You'll Own

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Team Leadership & Development

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• Manage and coach 2-4 Paid Search team members on campaign strategy, setup, and optimization
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• Run training, onboarding, and professional development for your direct reports
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• Lead performance evaluations and give clear, constructive feedback
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• Support hiring and workflow planning for the team
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Campaign Management & Reporting

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• Own Paid Search strategy and execution from start to finish for your accounts
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• Guide campaign strategy through the AI-driven search landscape, using automation and new AI features to improve performance
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• Partner with Digital Strategists on proposals, RFPs, and strategic pivots, and join client calls as needed
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• Use Clarity, GA4, and dashboards to keep campaigns on track against performance goals
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Internal Team & Thought Leadership

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• Work with cross-functional teams to share best practices and push new ideas forward
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• Stay current on Paid Search trends and bring back process improvements, tests, and company-wide training opportunities
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• Work closely with Google Account Executives to support Carnegie's Google Premier Partnership
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What You Bring

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• Bachelor's degree required; Marketing or Advertising major or concentration preferred
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• 5+ years of Paid Search experience in Google Ads; lead generation a plus
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• Minimum 2 years of management experience with direct reports
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• Team leadership experience in an agency or digital marketing department
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• Data analysis skills, especially reading digital campaign metrics to measure success
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• Google Ads Paid Search certification, or willingness to get certified
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• Experience with Asana or similar project management tools and Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides) a plus
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• Sharp attention to detail and the ability to juggle multiple deadlines
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• Strong problem-solving instincts: you troubleshoot on your own before escalating
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• Quick learner who adapts as tools and technology change
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• Clear written communication, internally and with clients
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• Energy and enthusiasm for digital marketing and client success
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• Strong communication and time-management skills, and comfort switching between multiple technology platforms in a remote environment
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• Ability to sit at a desk and work on a computer for extended periods
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Why This Role

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Paid Search is changing fast, and this role sits at the center of it. You'll shape strategy for a portfolio of clients who count on search to drive enrollment, and you'll build a team that can keep pace as AI changes how campaigns get planned and run. You'll also have room to influence how Carnegie approaches Paid Search overall, not just how individual accounts perform.

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Compensation

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The salary range for this role is $95,000–$105,000. Your offer will reflect the experience, skills, and qualifications you bring.