Head of Digital Performance

Hewitt Matthews; Havant; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading marketing agency in Havant is seeking a Head of Performance to take ownership of their performance-led growth offering. This senior leadership position involves leading a team, driving commercial strategies, and ensuring cohesive client services. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in digital marketing and performance management, with responsibilities including overseeing performance functions and contributing to strategic direction. This role offers the chance to shape a key department and impact overall agency success.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in a leadership role with accountability for performance.
• Strong background in commercial strategy and digital marketing.
• Experience in managing and developing teams.

Responsibilities

• Own and innovate the performance function for agency growth.
• Lead and develop a team, driving performance accountability.
• Translate commercial strategy into actionable plans.

Skills

Commercial thinking

Team leadership

Performance management

Innovation

Job description

Direct message the job poster from Hewitt Matthews

The Head of Performance is responsible for owning, scaling and evolving Hewitt Matthews’ performance-led growth offering. This includes Paid Media today, but extends beyond channels into integrated commercial strategy, innovation, diagnostics and multi-service execution to drive revenue growth for our customers.

This is a senior leadership role with full ownership of the performance function as a commercial unit. You will lead and develop a small team of three, push the department forward strategically, and be accountable for results, standards, innovation and future readiness.

You will work closely with the Web, SEO and Strategy teams to ensure clients experience one joined‑up growth engine rather than disconnected services. You will also play a central role in diagnostic phases, helping translate insight into executable roadmaps that drive real commercial outcomes.

This is not a caretaker role. It is an opportunity to take full ownership of a performance function, shape its future direction, and build something with real commercial, technical and leadership legacy.

Core Responsibilities

You fully own the performance function as a commercial unit within the agency.

• Inputting into the vision, direction and growth plan for performance within the agency and managing the execution.
• Being accountable for the department hitting the commercial goals of our clients.
• Supporting the creation of pitches and delivering them to existing clients and net‑new prospects.
• Defining how the department evolves beyond traditional PPC into broader performance and growth delivery.
• Owning delivery standards, quality control, pricing & profitability and client outcomes.
• Being accountable to SLT for wins, losses, margin, client performance and future readiness.

You are expected to build, not just manage.

Team Leadership, Performance & Accountability

You directly manage the current team of three and are responsible for:

• Setting clear expectations and standards and ways of working.
• Coaching, developing and upskilling the team, to create future leaders of services.
• Challenging underperformance quickly and constructively.
• Making recommendations to SLT on role changes, restructures or exits where required.

This is not a “protect the team at all costs” role. It is a “build a team good enough to carry the agency forward” role.

Integrated Client Strategy & Roadmaps

You are responsible for ensuring that:

• Paid Search/Social, SEO/GEO, Web (landing pages, smaller tactical websites, CRO), Attribution, Data and Strategy work as a joined‑up growth system.
• Our performance services align with the requirements of clients as the world rapidly changes.
• Client roadmaps make commercial sense, not just tactical sense.
• Multi‑service clients experience one coherent growth plan rather than separate silos and disconnected activity.

You will:

• Contribute to diagnostic and digital maturity sessions through a commercial lens.
• Work alongside the strategist to shape priorities, sequencing and investment logic.
• Take full ownership of translating strategy into executable performance plans.
• Be capable of running these sessions yourself and delivering on the resulting strategies.

Innovation, Channels & Forward Strategy

You are expected to actively identify & push the agency forward via:

• New performance channels.
• New formats.
• New tools.
• New models of execution.
• AI and automation, where commercially relevant.
• Attribution, data and reporting processes.

All of which must be tied to:

• Measurable performance improvements for clients.
• Operating margin improvement.
• Building competitive advantages for the agency.

You are responsible for making sure Hewitt Matthews’ performance arm does not become a legacy department, trapped in outdated models.

Commercial Performance & SLT Reporting

You will:

• Own departmental forecasting, performance reporting and commercial insights.
• Present performance, risks and opportunities to SLT, with clear recommendations.
• Flag underperformance early and propose solutions.
• Act as the commercial conscience of the performance function.

You are expected to think in terms of:

• Revenue.
• Retention.
• Margins.
• Lifetime value.
• Client dependency risks.
• Scalability.

What Success Looks Like

At 6 months:

• The team is aligned behind a clear vision, operating and commercial standards.
• Performance delivery is more consistent and more accountable for client outcomes.
• Integration with other services is materially stronger, with an increase in multi‑service clients.
• You are confidently contributing to client diagnostics and roadmap creation.
• SLT trusts your view on what is really happening in the department and asks for your insight to make strategic decisions.

At 12 months:

• Performance is no longer viewed internally, or externally, as only channel‑specific.
• The department has a clear growth and evolution roadmap.
• Clients experience a genuinely joined‑up growth function.
• Underperformance is dealt with quickly and decisively and high performance is recognised and rewarded.
• New channels, tools or delivery models are in live use.
• You are operating as a true departmental owner, shaping direction, standards and commercial outcomes, not simply overseeing execution.

Who This Role Is For

• Thinks commercially and creatively, not just tactically.
• Is as happy selling to clients as they are setting up systems and operations.
• Enjoys building things, not just maintaining what’s already there.
• Is comfortable challenging people, decisions and legacy ways of working.
• Understands how digital performance connects to revenue, not just leads.
• Has already outgrown purely channel‑specific roles and wants broader commercial ownership.
• Wants real ownership without owning the entire business.

Who This Role Is Not For

• Only wants to optimise accounts rather than build a growth machine.
• Avoids uncomfortable conversations or accountability.
• Needs rigid structure before they can perform.
• Sees innovation as just testing new ad formats.

Seniority Level

Director

Employment Type

Full‑time

Job Function

Marketing and Sales

Industries

Advertising Services

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