Paid Search Account Director

Publicis Groupe; Greater London; On-site; 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 in London is hiring a Paid Search Account Director to lead strategy, performance and growth for LEGO Education. You will unite media, tech, data and creative thinking to deliver measurable results while building trusted relationships with senior clients.

You’ll also guide a talented team to produce outstanding work and help shape the account’s direction. The role emphasizes strategic direction, data-driven decision making, and cross-functional collaboration to drive sustainable client

Qualifications

• Proven track record in leading paid search initiatives for major brands.
• Experience building trusted relationships with senior client stakeholders.
• Strong ability to translate data into actionable strategy and growth.

Responsibilities

• Set the paid search strategy aligned with client objectives.
• Build and nurture senior stakeholder relationships and present clear recommendations.
• Develop practical roadmaps to improve performance and identify growth opportunities.
• Lead paid search across Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, SA360 and emerging platforms.
• Leverage testing, automation and data insights to boost campaign results.
• Coach and develop a high-performing paid search team.
• Oversee campaign quality, forecasting and cross-functional collaboration for growth.

Skills

Paid search

Client relationships

Team leadership

Strategic thinking

Tools

Google Ads

Microsoft Ads

SA360

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

We are hiring a Paid Search Account Director to lead strategy, performance and growth for LEGO Education.

You’ll bring together media, technology, data and creative thinking to deliver measurable results while building trusted relationships with senior clients. Alongside shaping the account’s direction, you’ll support a talented team to produce outstanding work. This is an opportunity to influence meaningful client outcomes and help develop the future of paid search.

Responsibilities

• Set the strategic direction for paid search, connecting activity to the client’s wider business and marketing objectives.
• Build trusted relationships with senior stakeholders, bringing clear recommendations and a strong understanding of their priorities.
• Develop practical roadmaps that improve performance, encourage innovation and uncover new growth opportunities.
• Lead paid search activity across platforms including Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, SA360 and emerging advertising technologies.
• Use testing, automation, measurement and data‑led insight to improve campaign effectiveness and business results.
• Coach and support a team of paid search specialists, creating an environment where people can learn, collaborate and do their best work.
• Oversee campaign quality, financial forecasting and ways of working while contributing to client retention and sustainable account growth.

Qualifications

• Strong experience in paid search, gained within a digital, media or performance marketing agency.
• Practical expertise across Google Ads and Microsoft Ads, with experience using SA360 for campaign and bid management.
• The ability to turn data and insight into focused strategies, clear recommendations and measurable action.
• Experience building effective client relationships and communicating confidently with senior stakeholders.
• A collaborative approach to leading, coaching and developing colleagues with different strengths and perspectives.
• Commercial awareness, including the ability to recognise opportunities that create additional value for clients.
• Curiosity about technology, automation and emerging media, combined with a commitment to high‑quality delivery.

Additional information

Starcomoffers 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:

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.