Associate Digital Activation Director (Search / Social)

Publicis Groupe ANZ; Sydney; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Wholeself program

Marcel AI Platform access

Learning & development

Career conversations

Diversity & inclusion programs

Leave benefits (Birthday leave, flex.H

Job summary

Publicis Groupe ANZ in Sydney seeks an Associate Digital Activation Director to lead Samsung's paid search and social programs, shaping strategies and guiding a dedicated team across multi-market digital activations. You will translate performance data into strategic recommendations, mentor top performers, and collaborate with platform partners to drive commercial outcomes and innovative campaigns.

This role offers exposure to cutting-edge AI tools, a collaborative culture, and a clear path to

Qualifications

• Significant experience leading performance media programs in agency or in-house.
• Proven ability to plan and execute across Google Ads and Social platforms.
• Experience managing senior client relationships and presenting strategic recommendations.
• Ability to mentor and develop high-performing teams.
• Strong budget management, forecasting and accountability.

Responsibilities

• Lead activation and optimization of Samsung's paid search and social campaigns.
• Shape performance marketing strategies to drive customer growth and commercial outcomes.
• Translate data and insights into clear strategic recommendations for clients.
• Mentor a team of Digital Activation specialists and foster collaboration.
• Maintain governance, campaign hygiene and reporting frameworks.
• Drive testing frameworks and use AI tools for pacing and allocation.

Skills

Leadership in Search & Social

Google Ads & Performance Max

Client relationship management

Data-driven decision making

Team mentorship & coaching

Tools

Google Ads

Performance Max

Bid management platforms

Job description

Publicis Groupe is a world leader in marketing communication and digital business transformation driven through the alchemy of data, creativity, media, and technology. Our connected platform of companies and capabilities is more than an operational framework - it’s a cultural model we've built to unite our people in a collaborative way of thinking and working.

Overview

We've built a dedicated team to support the scale, ambition, and pace of Samsung - one of the world's most influential brands. This is an opportunity to work alongside a world-class team of specialists, tackle complex challenges, and shape innovative, people-first marketing that reaches millions of consumers every day.

You’ll join a connected community, united by a shared purpose: creating meaningful experiences that drive real impact. As part of one high-performing, integrated team, you will collaborate across disciplines and markets, and continually push the boundaries of what's possible. At the heart of it is a culture built on togetherness, excellence, integrity, resilience, and humanity. Local by design, human-first by nature, and ready to move at the Speed of Samsung.

As our Associate Digital Activation Director, you'll play a pivotal role across Samsung's Paid Search and Social ecosystem, overseeing significant digital investment and helping drive commercial outcomes across one of the most diverse and sophisticated digital portfolios in the market.

This is far more than an activation management role. You’ll be a trusted advisor to Samsung clients and stakeholders - leading strategic conversations, presenting business-critical performance insights and influencing how one of Australia's largest advertisers approaches customer acquisition, media investment, data utilisation and digital growth.

Whether you're leading client WIPs, shaping activation roadmaps or helping unlock new opportunities through AI, first-party data and marketing technology, you'll have genuine visibility, influence and impact. You’ll also lead a talented team of digital specialists, helping elevate capability, foster innovation and create an environment where great people can do their best work.

Alongside some of the industry's leading minds, you'll have the opportunity to test emerging technologies, partner closely with major platforms and help define the next evolution of performance marketing for one of the world's most innovative brands.

If you're looking for a role where you can broaden your commercial impact, accelerate your leadership career and work on a brand that sets the pace for innovation globally, this could be your next defining move.

What key accountabilities does this role have?

• Partner with senior Samsung stakeholders to shape performance marketing strategies that drive customer growth, eCommerce outcomes and business impact.
• Lead activation and optimisation of Samsung’s Search and performance-driven Social ecosystem, ensuring campaigns deliver against commercial objectives while maintaining and leading the team through best-in-class execution standards.
• Translate performance data, market trends and customer insights into clear strategic recommendations, helping clients unlock opportunities across AI, first-party data, Martech, and emerging media solutions.
• Mentor and develop a high-performing team of Digital Activation specialists, creating a culture of collaboration, innovation and continuous learning.
• Foster strong relationships across clients, platform partners and internal specialist teams to deliver connected solutions and exceptional client outcomes.
• Maintain ownership of account performance, operational excellence and commercial delivery, ensuring outstanding service and measurable business results.
• Develop and execute structured testing frameworks that enhance creative performance and campaign effectiveness.
• Use AI-powered tools and analytics to drive pacing, performance, budget allocation and ongoing optimisation across the Digital Activation team.
• Measure campaign effectiveness through conversion lift studies, advanced analytics and reporting frameworks.
• Maintain best-practice governance, campaign hygiene, taxonomy and operational excellence across all activity.

What are the key skills and requirements for this role?

• Significant experience leading Search, Social or integrated Performance Media programs within a media agency, digital agency or high-performing in-house team.
• Strong expertise planning and implementing across Google Ads, Search, Performance Max, Shopping and/or performance-focused Social.
• Experience managing senior client relationships and presenting strategic recommendations to stakeholders.
• Proven ability to lead, mentor and develop high-performing teams.
• Strong commercial acumen, including budget management, forecasting and performance accountability.
• Experience translating performance data, insights and trends into clear client recommendations and business outcomes.
• Exposure working across a Tier 1 tech, E-commerce, or mobile client (nice to have), ideally within a multi-market team structure (also a nice to have, but not essential).
• Knowledge of first-party data strategies, Martech ecosystems, customer identity solutions and AI-powered activation approaches.
• Exposure to Google Marketing Platform, bid management technologies and advanced measurement solutions.
• A strategic thinker who can balance big-picture business objectives with day-to-day execution excellence.
• A confident communicator who thrives in front of clients and can influence stakeholders at all levels.
• A collaborative leader who brings teams together and creates an environment where people do their best work.
• Naturally curious about technology, AI, platform innovation and the evolving digital landscape.
• Confidence interpreting campaign data and translating insights into clear recommendations and actions.
• Experience managing budgets, reporting frameworks, measurement and campaign governance.
• A growth mindset and passion for continuous learning within a fast-moving environment.

What we can offer you!

Be a part of the Publicis Groupe family, recent winner of the Employer of Choice Awards and one of the world’s most progressive and dynamic modern communications businesses. You can learn more about us at www.publicisgroupeanz.com.

Enjoy all the benefits that come with our network offering:

• A comprehensive Wholeself program supporting Physical, Mindful and Financial wellbeing.
• A creative, lively and rewarding office environment where people love working with each other, supported by our Publicis Liberté flexibility approach "working your way, with us!"
• Access to our Global AI Platform, Marcel, connecting Publicis Groupe employees with opportunities for career mobility and collaboration across our global network.
• Extensive Learning & Development opportunities, including more than 15,000 learning programs via our online learning platform Marcel Classes.
• A culture of open feedback and support to reach your goals through our Career Conversations program.
• A committed Diversity, Equality and Inclusion strategy driven through our Viva! Women, Égalité, enABLE, EmbRACE and Ecologique committees.
• Leave benefits including Birthday Leave, Flexible Public Holidays, and an additional 5 days of leave (after 2 years of service).
• Work Your World program enabling employees the flexibility to work from anywhere in the world for up to 6 weeks per year.
• Parental leave policy with up to 18 weeks (based on tenure) paid primary carer leave, secondary carer swap and Cub Care leave.
• Access to counsellors, psychologists and professionals through Sonder - an all-in-on digital wellbeing technology platform designed to support psychological, medical & safety needs.
• Proud partners of Diversity Council Australia, Pride in Diversity, Family Friendly Workplaces, Supply Nation and the Australian Disability Network.

Diversity. Inclusion. Equity. More than just words, these are part of our DNA. At Publicis Groupe we are committed to the inclusion and recognition of all people, regardless of race, age, culture, ability, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, and religious affiliation. We believe that to deliver the best solutions to our clients, our people need to reflect the diverse communities in which our clients operate in. We value diversity and the skills, knowledge and experience that difference brings to our culture and solutions.

Uniqueness is powerful; without it we wouldn’t be where we are today. So be you – we like it that way.

We are committed to providing reasonable adjustments for people with disability or those that require additional support throughout the application process. If you need any assistance or adjustments, please contact us via [e-mail] - your personal information will be kept confidential.