Head of Paid Advertising

Optimizon Group; Swindon; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A digital marketing agency in the UK is seeking a Head of Paid Advertising to oversee their Amazon advertising portfolio. The ideal candidate will have deep expertise in paid media, strong analytical skills, and experience leading teams. Responsibilities include managing ad strategies, innovation projects, and contribution to overall business goals. The role offers a competitive salary and benefits in a dynamic team environment.

Benefits

Competitive salary with quarterly OTE bonus

Generous holidays including Duvet Day Policy

Free Amazon Prime after probation

Pension plan

Qualifications

• Proven success managing multiple client accounts in an agency environment.
• Target-driven and focused on achieving client goals.
• 3-4+ years in a senior advertising or digital marketing role.

Responsibilities

• Lead all paid advertising activity across our client base.
• Own targets, budgets, profitability, and ad strategy.
• Champion testing and innovation in advertising strategy.

Skills

Amazon Paid media expertise

Strong data and analytical skills

Relationship building

Excellent verbal and written communication

Detail-oriented

Skilled in AI automation

Education

Degree in Marketing, Business or related field

Certifications in Amazon Ads or Google Ads

Tools

Amazon Media Services (AMS)

Demand Side Platform (DSP)

Amazon Marketing Cloud (AMC)

Job description

We're seeking a commercially minded, strategic leader to join us as Head of Paid Advertising. In this high-impact role, you'll oversee performance across our Amazon advertising portfolio, managing multi-millions in marketing spend and contributing to sales across a portfolio of clients. You will lead and develop a talented team, drive innovation across AMS, DSP, and AMC, and play a pivotal role within the leadership team.

Responsibilities

• Lead all paid advertising activity across our client base
• Own targets, budgets, profitability and ad strategy
• Act as the senior lead on key accounts and point of escalation
• Align paid strategies with organic performance and wider business goals
• Lead strategic advertising projects and support the team with clear direction and resources

Product & Innovation

• Define and evolve best practice across AMS, DSP, and AMC
• Champion testing and innovation in advertising strategy and tools
• Collaborate with data and tech teams to enhance reporting and automation
• Stay ahead of Amazon platform changes and ensure the team is informed and ready

Business Leadership

• Contribute to wider company strategy and planning
• Represent advertising in new business proposals and pitches
• Act as a thought leader across blog content, awards, and events
• Manage the Amazon PDM relationship to unlock betas, training, and incentives

Team Leadership

• Recruit, onboard and lead a growing team of 8 specialists from seniors to juniors
• Manage senior team members and allocate support across client accounts
• Promote a culture of continuous learning with tailored development plans
• Provide regular feedback and coaching to maximise team performance

Operational Oversight

• Oversee seamless access to platforms like Intentwise and AMC
• Ensure smooth coordination of billing and communication processes
• Refine workflows and improve internal collaboration across functions

Recruitment Process

Our recruitment process is designed to help us get to know you, and for you to get a feel for how we work. Here's what to expect:

1. Stage 1: First Interview – meet with our Chief Client Officer and another member of the Leadership team for an initial conversation to discuss your experience, skills, and suitability for the role.
2. Stage 2: Interview task – if successful after the first interview, you'll be invited to complete a task to demonstrate your practical knowledge and approach to advertising strategy and management.
3. Stage 3: Second Interview – you'll present your task to us, where we'll discuss your thinking, recommendations, and how you approach real‑world challenges.
4. We aim to make the process clear, collaborative, and transparent, giving you the opportunity to showcase your expertise and understand how you could contribute to our team.

Qualifications

• Amazon Paid media expert with experience across PPC and Programmatic
• Proven success managing multiple client accounts in an agency environment
• Strong data and analytical skills, turning insights into results at scale
• Target-driven and focused on achieving and exceeding client goals
• Skilled at building relationships with both clients and internal teams
• Curious and proactive, always testing and iterating
• Passion for retail and enthusiasm for learning about client products
• Excellent verbal and written communication
• Ecommerce or retail background preferred
• Organised, able to multitask and prioritise in a fast‑paced setting
• Independent, self‑motivated, and quick to adapt
• Detail-oriented with strong presentation and reporting skills
• Confident working with KPIs like ROI and ACoS
• Skilled in AI automation and how this affects business outcomes

Desirable Skills & Qualifications

• 3-4+ years in a senior advertising or digital marketing role
• Hands‑on experience with AMS, DSP, and AMC
• Proven experience managing and developing high‑performing teams
• Commercially aware with a strong analytical mindset
• Comfortable presenting to clients and senior stakeholders
• Degree in Marketing, Business or related field (preferred)
• Certifications in Amazon Ads, Google Ads, Search Ads 360 or GA4 (advantageous)

Founded in 2016, Optimizon Group is a digital agency that specialises in helping retail brands manage and grow their marketplace businesses. We operate in an extremely exciting space; Amazon & e‑commerce continue to grow at phenomenal pace globally, and we want to be part of that journey with our partners. We manage over €100M in annual Amazon GMV (gross merchandise value) for a growing list of partner brands, in categories that vary from consumer goods like Baby, Beauty & Pet Supplies, to Home, Lawn & Garden, Automotive, Fashion, Electronics & more. Our brand partnerships range from full-service Amazon account management, advertising only or specific Amazon projects like launch plans for new-to‑Amazon brands, or brand content. Our services are wide-ranging – they include product range strategy, channel management, Amazon advertising (PPC) management, brand management (Amazon stores, product content), operational excellence, global marketplace expansion, program management, reporting & troubleshooting. Our partners range from SMEs to globally recognised brands, stretching from startups that are completely new to Amazon, to those with long established marketplace businesses. Whilst their needs are diverse, our mission remains the same; to set up and deliver best‑in‑class Amazon businesses for them.

Benefits

• Competitive salary on offer per annum with quarterly OTE bonus
• Social events
• Generous holidays (33 days holiday including public holidays, Duvet Day Policy, Birthday off)
• Fun working environment in a friendly, fast‑paced team
• Free Amazon Prime after passing your probationary period
• Pension: 3% Employer / 5% employee (postponed for 3 months)