Paid Search Account Director

Zenith UK; 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

Zenith UK, part of Publicis Media, is hiring a Paid Search Account Director to shape brilliant paid search work at Performics. You will lead strategic thinking, partner with senior clients and guide a team of specialists to deliver high-impact campaigns.

You’ll drive performance across Search, Shopping, Performance Max, App and Demand Gen, while maintaining strong QA, reporting and budget discipline to achieve measurable client outcomes.

Qualifications

• Strong understanding of paid search strategy and platforms such as Google Ads, Microsoft Ads and Apple Search Ads.
• Experience using campaign and bid-management technology, with knowledge of SA360 particularly valuable.
• Ability to turn complex performance data into clear insights, recommendations and client conversations.
• Experience advising advertisers on paid search campaigns with significant media investment and linking activity to wider business outcomes.
• People leadership experience with coaching, development, inclusive working and supporting different individual needs.
• Strong analytical thinking and attention to detail, alongside an understanding of web analytics platforms such as Google Analytics or Adobe Analytics.
• Clear, confident communication and writing skills, with a collaborative mindset and an interest in improving the work, the product and the experience for clients and colleagues.

Responsibilities

• Lead the strategic direction and development of paid search activity, connecting client business goals with wider Publicis Media strategy.
• Partner with senior clients as a trusted adviser, bringing clear recommendations, fresh thinking and commercially focused solutions.
• Guide specialists delivering campaigns across Search, Shopping, Performance Max, App and Demand Gen, championing high-quality planning and execution.
• Build strong operational standards across QA, campaign optimisation, reporting and financial management, continuously improving how the team works. Shape commercial strategy by accurately tracking revenue, identifying growth opportunities and connecting clients with relevant Publicis Media products and services.
• Create a culture of experimentation and innovation, encouraging test-and-learn approaches, automation, measurement and privacy-conscious use of data.
• Support and develop your team, creating an inclusive environment where people have the opportunity to grow, contribute and produce work they are proud of.

Skills

Paid search strategy

Google Ads

Microsoft Ads

Apple Search Ads

SA360

Data analysis

Client leadership

Communication

Team coaching

Tools

SA360

Google Analytics

Adobe Analytics

Job description

Company Description

Zenith is the ROI agency. We help brands make Bold Moves in communications to drive profitable, measurable growth. At Zenith, Bold Moves are big, brave shifts to strategy, data, audience or activation. They’re grounded in evidence, backed by rigorous forecasting and designed to deliver stronger returns for clients and better experiences for consumers. We work as empathetic partners, taking the time to understand our clients’ businesses and tying our success to theirs. Part of Publicis Media, Zenith has over 5,000 specialists across 90 markets. In the UK, we work with leading organisations including The Very Group, Macmillan and Morrisons – helping them make smarter, more impactful choices to unlock growth. We believe an inclusive culture strengthens our business, enabling greater idea exchange, innovation and creativity, and we actively encourage our people to drive positive change.

Overview

We are hiring a Paid Search Account Director to help shape brilliant paid search work at Performics, part of Publicis Media. This is an opportunity to combine strategic thinking, client partnership and people leadership, helping ambitious campaigns deliver meaningful business impact. You’ll work alongside talented channel specialists, turning client goals into smart, innovative paid search strategies while helping your team do their best work.

Responsibilities

• Lead the strategic direction and development of paid search activity, connecting client business goals with wider Publicis Media strategy.
• Partner with senior clients as a trusted adviser, bringing clear recommendations, fresh thinking and commercially focused solutions.
• Guide specialists delivering campaigns across Search, Shopping, Performance Max, App and Demand Gen, championing high-quality planning and execution.
• Build strong operational standards across QA, campaign optimisation, reporting and financial management, continuously improving how the team works. Shape commercial strategy by accurately tracking revenue, identifying growth opportunities and connecting clients with relevant Publicis Media products and services.
• Create a culture of experimentation and innovation, encouraging test-and-learn approaches, automation, measurement and privacy-conscious use of data.
• Support and develop your team, creating an inclusive environment where people have the opportunity to grow, contribute and produce work they are proud of.

Qualifications

• Strong understanding of paid search strategy and platforms such as Google Ads, Microsoft Ads and Apple Search Ads.
• Experience using campaign and bid-management technology, with knowledge of SA360 particularly valuable.
• The ability to turn complex performance data into clear insights, recommendations and compelling client conversations.
• Experience advising advertisers on paid search campaigns, including working with significant media investment and connecting activity to wider business outcomes.
• People leadership experience, with a thoughtful approach to coaching, development, inclusive working and supporting different individual needs.
• Strong analytical thinking and attention to detail, alongside an understanding of web analytics platforms such as Google Analytics or Adobe Analytics.
• Clear, confident communication and writing skills, with a collaborative mindset and an interest in improving the work, the product and the experience for clients and colleagues.

Additional Information

Zenith UK 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:

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 Zenith UK, 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.