Head of Paid | Hybrid / Remote | Full-Time | Permanent

Sleeping Giant Media; Folkestone; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading digital marketing agency in Folkestone is seeking a Head of Paid to lead its Paid Media strategy, overseeing innovation, team development, and performance metrics. This full-time role offers a salary range starting from £50,000 to £70,000, with flexibility for hybrid or remote work. The ideal candidate should possess proven senior leadership experience in Paid Media, with expertise in major advertising platforms and a passion for driving results. Closing date for applications is December 12th, 2025.

Qualifications

• Proven senior leadership experience in Paid Media within an agency environment.
• Strong commercial and analytical acumen.
• Excellent communicator, confident with clients and internal teams.

Responsibilities

• Define and deliver the Paid Media vision and strategy.
• Lead innovation across Paid Search and Paid Social.
• Oversee team performance and development.

Skills

Google Ads

Meta Ads

Microsoft Ads

LinkedIn Ads

Attribution

Conversion optimization

Audience strategy

Team development

Analytical acumen

Tools

GA4

Looker Studio

Job description

Overview

Location: Top Floor, The Civic Centre, Castle Hill Avenue. Sleeping Giant Media is an award-winning digital marketing agency. We’re looking for a Head of Paid to join our growing team. We’re a B Corp and Real Living Wage employer, balancing profit with purpose. From our Folkestone HQ, we help brands grow through strategy, creativity and data-driven marketing while championing sustainability, inclusivity and continuous learning.

Role: Head of Paid

Department: Client Delivery - Paid Team

Right to Work: Applicants must have the right to work in the UK, as we are unable to provide visa sponsorship.

No Recruitment Agencies: We are not seeking assistance from recruitment agencies for this role.

Work Location & Flexibility: Folkestone, Kent. Hybrid/Remote. We’re open to discussing arrangements that work best for you.

Duration: Permanent, Full Time. Working Monday to Friday 9am-5:30pm (37.5 hours weekly).

Package: Starting from £50,000 - £70,000 DOE + Benefits.

We’re proud to be B Corp certified and a Real Living Wage employer. We publish salaries in all job ads to ensure transparency and fairness for every candidate.

The Role

We’re looking for an inspiring Head of Paid to lead, shape and elevate our Paid Media service, spanning Paid Search, Paid Social and emerging platforms. Working closely with the Director of Data & Performance, you’ll define the Paid Media vision and strategy, drive innovation (especially through AI and automation) and empower the team to deliver exceptional client results. This is a senior leadership role at the heart of the agency, blending strategy, people development and commercial growth.

Key Responsibilities

• Define and deliver the Paid Media vision, strategy and service roadmap.
• Lead innovation across Paid Search, Paid Social and emerging platforms.
• Oversee team performance, training and development — fostering accountability, collaboration and growth.
• Champion ethical and effective use of AI to drive smarter performance.
• Partner with senior leaders to ensure Paid Media integrates seamlessly with other channels.
• Support the Commercial team in pitches and growth opportunities.
• Drive delivery excellence through process, documentation and performance tracking.
• Represent Sleeping Giant Media externally as a Paid Media thought leader.

The Person

You’re a strategic, people-first leader with a passion for Paid Media innovation. You combine analytical thinking with creativity, thrive on collaboration and have the confidence to lead both the vision and delivery.

AI & Innovation

We’re committed to embracing innovation and evolving with the digital landscape, including the smart use of AI. We see AI as a tool to enhance our work, not replace it. Whether it’s streamlining processes, uncovering insights, or supporting creativity, we’re always exploring how AI can help us deliver smarter, more effective results for our clients. You’ll lead our responsible use of AI, exploring how technology can unlock creativity, efficiency and better performance. You don’t need to be an AI expert to work here — just open-minded, curious and willing to experiment. We’ll support you with tools, training and opportunities to learn so you can confidently engage with AI in a way that enhances your work and adds value to your role. If you’re excited about the future of digital and want to be part of a team that uses technology with purpose and responsibility, you’ll feel right at home.

Other Information

We are passionate about fostering a workplace where everyone can be their authentic selves and feel supported to thrive. We encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, including those from underrepresented backgrounds, people with disabilities and individuals of all faiths or beliefs.

• Please note that applicants must have the right to work in the UK, as we are unable to provide visa sponsorship.
• We do not ask about criminal convictions during our recruitment process. We believe in fair access to employment for everyone.
• We are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. If you need reasonable adjustments or specific support during the recruitment process, or once in the role, we’ll do everything we can to accommodate your needs.
• Our interview process will involve getting in touch with you over email - never WhatsApp. And we will never ask for any payment or payment information from you. If in doubt, just get in touch!
• If you’re not sure you’re 100% qualified but are excited about the role, apply anyway. We value potential and passion just as much as experience.

If you need to discuss any adjustments, get in touch at [e-mail].

Skills & Criteria

Required Criteria

• Proven senior leadership experience in Paid Media within an agency environment.
• Expertise across Google Ads, Meta, Microsoft Ads, LinkedIn Ads and other major platforms.
• Strong commercial and analytical acumen — able to turn insight into action.
• Strategic mindset with hands-on understanding of performance delivery.
• Excellent communicator, confident with clients and internal teams.
• Deep understanding of attribution, conversion optimisation and audience strategy.
• Passion for developing teams and driving innovation.

• Desired Criteria
• Experience with GA4, Looker Studio or similar analytics tools.
• Leading or supporting AI adoption in marketing.
• Awareness of evolving social platform trends and ad technologies.
• Informal or formal qualifications preferred, but not necessary

Closing Date: Friday 12th December, 2025

Contract Type: fulltime

Salary: Starting from £50,000.00 Yearly