Associate Director, Paid Media

Ground; Canada; On-site; CAD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote-first Canada

Health & dental insurance

Professional development

Impact-driven team

Competitive compensation

Job summary

Ground News is a news comparison platform helping people see multiple sides of the story. We are seeking a senior Paid Acquisition lead to build and scale our Google Ads on Search, YouTube, and performance channels, with a focus on CAC, payback, and subscriber growth.

You will own architecture, testing frameworks, and measurement, partnering with product, engineering, and analytics to ship high-impact campaigns remotely from Canada.

Qualifications

• 5+ years managing Google Ads at scale in subscription, DTC, or app.
• Proven scaling experience from small to large accounts.
• Hands‑on YouTube experience at scale.
• Strong analytical instincts: GA4, spreadsheets, BI tools.
• Creative fluency: briefing video that converts and diagnosing why an ad failed.
• Bias to action: fast learn-build-ship loops.
• Experience managing campaigns on paid channels beyond Google.
• Genuine interest in news and media.

Responsibilities

• Build Google from scratch: account structure, campaign architecture, naming conventions, and testing frameworks.
• Own the scale path: grow spend to a major share of total paid budget, while controlling CAC and payback.
• Own Search, Performance Max, Demand Gen, and YouTube budgeting and bidding strategy.
• Collaborate with external agencies to build the YouTube creative engine and testing cadence.
• Own Google landing pages: build, test, and iterate on dedicated LPs.
• Develop measurement foundations: conversion tracking, Enhanced Conversions, attribution, and incremental testing.
• Experiment with adjacent paid channels when opportunities justify it, maintaining discipline.
• Partner with product, engineering, and analytics to ship paid initiatives.
• Report honestly and tactfully on performance, including when things aren’t working.

Skills

Google Ads management

YouTube advertising

Analytical mindset

Campaign testing & optimization

Tools

GA4

Spreadsheets

BI tools

Job description

About Us:

Ground News is a news comparison platform that makes it easy to compare sources, read between the lines of media bias, and break free from algorithms. We provide our subscribers the tools to navigate the information ecosystem with clarity and independence, rather than retreat into echo chambers or outsource their judgment.

In a world where political polarization and media distrust are at an all-time high, Ground News offers people a better way to stay informed and see every side of the story. Our mobile app, web app, and browser extension are home to a community of mindful readers who use our news comparison platform to engage critically with the news.

Unlike most news companies, our values do not align with any specific political ideology. Unlike most tech platforms, we don't rely on algorithms to keep users on our platform to sell in-app ads. We are supported by our readers who pay for a subscription to build a more nuanced understanding of the news, the world, and themselves.

Highlights:

• #1 on Product Hunt
• #2 on 2025 Apple Design Awards in the Social Impact category
• 3-time winner of US App of the Day
• Winner of Mobile Apps Showdown at CES.

The Opportunity:

Google is a growth lever we haven't fully tapped yet. Today it's a small piece of our paid budget, and we're looking for someone who can turn it into a major one, without losing discipline on CAC or subscriber payback along the way.

This is a build-from-zero mandate. You'll set the account architecture and own every Google surface (Search, Performance Max, Demand Gen, and YouTube) as the core of the role. As that engine scales, you'll also have room to define, test, and pressure-test opportunities on adjacent paid channels, applying the same rigour on measurement and payback. You'll sit in the Revenue Growth & Analytics function, partnering directly with product, engineering, and sponsorships, with a meaningful budget and very little bureaucracy standing between you and shipping.

If you've scaled a subscription or DTC account from a small base to a real share of spend, and you'd like to build it again —this time for a product that's making people better-informed— we’d love to chat.

What You’ll Do:

• Build Google from scratch: account structure, campaign architecture, naming conventions, and testing frameworks designed to scale rather than to survive.
• Own the scale path: take spend from its current low base to a major share of total paid budget, holding CAC and subscriber payback.
• Own Search, Performance Max, Demand Gen, and YouTube, including budget allocation and bidding strategy.
• Work with external agencies to build the YouTube creative engine: briefing, testing cadence, hook and format iteration, and a working point of view on what converts for a news product.
• Own Google landing pages: build, test, and iterate on dedicated LPs.
• Build the measurement foundation: conversion tracking, Enhanced Conversions, app + web attribution, incrementality testing, and reporting we actually trust.
• Google is the primary lever, but not the only paid channel: experiment, test, and stand up campaigns on adjacent paid channels when the opportunity justifies the effort, with the same testing discipline and attribution rigour.
• Partner cross-functionally with product, engineering, and analytics to ship what paid needs.
• Report honestly and tactfully on performance, including when something isn't working.

What You’ll Bring:

• 5+ years managing Google Ads at a meaningful scale, ideally in subscription, DTC, or app.
• Proven scaling experience: you've taken an account from small to large, not just managed one that was already built.
• Hands‑on YouTube experience: you've scaled video, not just enabled it inside PMax.
• Strong analytical instincts: comfortable in GA4, spreadsheets, and BI tools; you can tell signal from noise.
• Creative fluency: you can brief video that performs and diagnose why an ad failed.
• A bias to action: small team, large budget, quick learn-build-ship loops.
• Experience standing up or managing campaigns on paid channels beyond Google, without needing a full team to do it.
• Genuine interest in news and media is a real plus.

Bonus Points:

• Hands‑on experience with diverse paid social platforms, with a track record of scaling a channel from 0 to 1.
• Experience with CTV/OTT and linear TV buying (Netflix, Hulu, Roku, Amazon, YouTube TV).
• AppsFlyer experience: MMP setup, SKAN configuration, attribution debugging.
• Firebase experience: event tracking, audience building, app-side conversion signal.
• Landing page experience: you've worked closely enough with design and engineering to ship them fast.
• Apple Search Ads or app-install experience.
• Familiarity with MMM or geo-lift.

Why Work at Ground?

Co-founded by a former NASA engineer and Bain consultant, a position with Ground News provides an unparalleled learning experience both personally and professionally. At Ground, we prioritize growth: both for our business and team members. You’ll have the freedom to work remotely and play a key role in the development of Ground News products.

This is an opportunity to work with a growing and mighty team that is committed to building a world where cooperative, civil debate is the norm, media is accountable, and critical thought is the baseline of our information consumption. Ground is based in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, but this role is remote.

What you’ll enjoy at Ground News:

• Competitive total rewards: A market-benchmarked base salary, calibrated to your location.
• Remote-first environment: Work from anywhere in Canada, on your own time zone plus enjoy in-person meetups and team gatherings.
• Health & Wellness that matter: Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance coverage for you and your family.
• Keep growing: Access to professional development opportunities to keep expanding your skills and career.
• Mission-driven team: Join a group of smart, dedicated people who are building meaningful products with real-world impact.

Our culture is one of collaboration, creativity, and diverse perspectives. If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding accessibility needs, please contact [e-mail], and a member of our team will be happy to help.