Paid Search Account Director

Starcom Worldwide, Inc.; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension

Life Assurance

Private Medical cover

Reflection Days

Shared Parental Leave

Job summary

Starcom Worldwide, Inc. in London is seeking a Paid Search Account Director to lead strategy, performance and growth for a major beauty client portfolio.

You will work with senior stakeholders to deliver innovative paid search solutions and build a high-performing team. Key focus areas include campaigns across Google Ads and Microsoft Ads, developing growth plans, and driving value through data-driven decisions and automation.

Qualifications

• Experience in performance marketing within an agency setting.
• Proven ability to develop strategic client relationships and influence stakeholders at different levels.
• Strong commercial awareness with ability to identify opportunities that create value for clients and the business.
• Confidence using data and insights to inform decision-making and shape recommendations.
• Experience coaching and developing a high-performing Paid Search team.

Responsibilities

• Lead the strategic direction of Paid Search activity across a portfolio of well-known brands, ensuring campaigns deliver against commercial objectives.
• Build strong relationships with senior client stakeholders, acting as a trusted partner and advisor.
• Develop growth plans that identify new opportunities to improve performance, drive value and strengthen client partnerships.
• Shape best-in-class Paid Search strategies across platforms including Google Ads, Microsoft Ads and emerging advertising solutions.
• Champion innovation through testing, automation, measurement and the adoption of new technologies.
• Coach, support and develop a team of Paid Search specialists, creating an environment where people can thrive and grow.
• Drive operational excellence through effective planning, quality assurance, forecasting and continuous improvement.

Skills

Performance marketing

Paid Search campaigns

Client relationship development

Stakeholder communication

Data-driven decision making

Team leadership

Strategic thinking

Tools

Google Ads

Microsoft Advertising

Job description

Company description

With a history that dates back over 80 years, Starcom is a global communications planning and media leader. We are an agency still grounded in our founding principle that people are at the centre of all we do. Each day, we apply this belief to harness the transformative power of data and technology to inspire and move people and business forward. With more than 7,000 employees in over 100 offices around the world, we are the flagship Publicis Media agency that uses our ‘Power of One’ business model, with teams that span multiple disciplines across clients such as Aldi, P&G, Primark, Samsung, Stellantis, and Visa.

We place a huge focus on our People, and have driven flagship D&I and L&D programmes within Publicis Media; our goal is to help every individual reach their fullest potential, and we encourage everyone to make “Brave Plays” in how they approach their work and their own career development. As a result, we have an exceptionally energised and committed talent base, all of us proud of our welcoming and supportive culture, as evidenced by our recognition as one of Campaign’s Best Places to Work for five years in a row, Media Week's Agency of the Year 2025 and one of the Sunday Times Best Places to Work 2025.

Overview

Paid Search Account Director

Location: White City, London

We are hiring a Paid Search Account Director to lead the strategy, performance and growth of a major beauty client portfolio. This is an exciting opportunity to shape innovative paid search solutions, build trusted client partnerships and help drive meaningful business results. Working alongside talented specialists and senior stakeholders, you'll combine media, technology and data to deliver exceptional outcomes while supporting the development of a high-performing team. If you're passionate about performance marketing and creating lasting client impact, we'd love to hear from you.

What you'll be doing

• Lead the strategic direction of Paid Search activity across a portfolio of well-known brands, ensuring campaigns deliver against commercial objectives.
• Build strong relationships with senior client stakeholders, acting as a trusted partner and advisor.
• Develop growth plans that identify new opportunities to improve performance, drive value and strengthen client partnerships.
• Shape best-in-class Paid Search strategies across platforms including Google Ads, Microsoft Ads and emerging advertising solutions.
• Champion innovation through testing, automation, measurement and the adoption of new technologies.
• Coach, support and develop a team of Paid Search specialists, creating an environment where people can thrive and grow.
• Drive operational excellence through effective planning, quality assurance, forecasting and continuous improvement.

Skills we're looking for

• Strong experience within a performance marketing, digital marketing or media agency environment.
• Proven expertise managing and optimising Paid Search campaigns across leading advertising platforms.
• Experience developing strategic client relationships and influencing stakeholders at different levels.
• Commercial awareness with the ability to identify opportunities that create value for clients and the business.
• Confidence using data and insight to inform decision-making and shape recommendations.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills with a collaborative approach to problem solving.
• A passion for innovation, continuous learning and helping others succeed.

Additional information

Starcom offers a wide range of benefits to support our employees. Full details are shared when you join, but highlights include core benefits such as Pension, Life Assurance, and Private Medical cover, alongside enhanced policies like Reflection Days and Shared Parental Leave. You’ll also have access to a range of additional initiatives, including:

• Pension
• Life Assurance
• Private Medical cover
• Reflection Days
• Shared Parental Leave

Please check out the Publicis Career Page which showcases our Inclusive Benefits and our EAG’s (Employee Action Groups).

Publicis Groupe works primarily from the office or our clients' office four days per week.

At Starcom, we are proud to be an equal opportunities employer. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, and do not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, nationality, religion or belief, disability, age, citizenship, relationship status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other protected characteristic.

We are committed to providing a fair, accessible, and inclusive recruitment process. If you have any access needs - for example, related to disability, neurodivergence, or a health condition - please let us know. We’ll work with you to ensure the process works for you. Sharing this information will never impact your application.

Guided by our values, we listen with empathy, uplift each other, take responsibility, and embrace change - building a culture where everyone feels seen, respected, and genuinely included.

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