Paid Search Account Director

Oscar; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading digital marketing agency in Manchester is seeking a Paid Search Account Director to lead strategic direction and performance of paid search across their portfolio. This role involves managing key accounts, developing bespoke strategies, and inspiring a team to deliver exceptional results. The ideal candidate will have strong experience in campaign management across platforms, excellent client relationship skills, and a deep understanding of digital marketing. The position offers a competitive salary of £45,000 plus benefits.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Benefits package

Qualifications

• Proven experience in managing search campaigns across different platforms.
• Ability to develop bespoke search strategies and optimize results.
• Experience working with large clients/agency environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead the performance of paid search and set standards for quality.
• Build trusted relationships with clients, delivering impactful insights.
• Inspire and develop the team, ensuring quality of delivery.
• Drive efficiency through automation and AI.
• Identify opportunities to enhance service offerings and grow revenue.

Skills

Expertise in search campaign setup

Management and optimisation of paid search

Strong understanding of digital marketing

Project management skills

Stakeholder engagement

People management

Tools

Google Ads

Microsoft Ads

Search Ads 360

Job description

Job Title: Paid Search Account Director

Location: Manchester

Work Pattern: Hybrid

Type: Permanent, full-time

Salary: £45,000 plus benefits

About the Role

As Search Account Director, you will lead the end‑to‑end planning, strategic direction, and performance optimisation of paid search across your portfolio. Acting as the activation lead for both your team and accounts, you will set the standard for excellence in delivery and results. Drawing on deep platform expertise and strong account leadership, you’ll develop bespoke search strategies that address each client’s unique challenges, ensuring campaigns are executed flawlessly—to brief, on time, and within budget.

This role involves working with a large agency and an impressive client base. You will handle key accounts and large value clients across a range of industries, including a long‑standing client Oscars, known for its great workplace and highly effective team.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the strategic direction and performance of paid search across your accounts, setting the standard for quality, innovation and results.
• Act as the senior client lead, building trusted relationships and delivering clear, commercially‑impactful search insights.
• Ensure best‑in‑class execution by embedding platform best practices, governance and performance controls.
• Inspire, develop and manage your team, owning delivery quality, workload planning and career progression.
• Partner with the Search Director on recruitment and team growth, acting as an ambassador for the agency.
• Drive smarter, more efficient ways of working through automation, AI and continuous process improvement.
• Identify opportunities to enhance services, grow revenue and strengthen the agency’s paid search offering.
• Ensure reward initiatives are well adopted and effectively integrated.

About You: Skills & Attributes

• Expertise in search campaign setup, management, optimisation and reporting across platforms such as Google Ads, Microsoft Ads and ideally Search Ads 360.
• Strong understanding of the strategic and tactical applications of paid search and digital marketing as a whole.
• Proven experience in project management, stakeholder engagement and people management.