Senior Manager, Paid Search

Journey Further; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 48,000 - 56,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension matched up to 4%

Private medical insurance

Enhanced maternity, paternity & adopt.

25 days annual leave

Home working allowance

Job summary

Journey Further in the United Kingdom is seeking an ambitious Senior Paid Search Lead to own strategy across a portfolio of major accounts. You will direct teams and client leadership, shaping paid media approaches rather than simply executing on platforms.

The role requires senior expertise in search strategy, strong consultancy skills, and a commercial focus to drive ROAS and business outcomes. Hybrid working with competitive benefits is offered.

Qualifications

• Advanced expertise in Google Ads and Paid Search strategy across large or complex accounts.
• Proven ability to develop and implement long-term strategic roadmaps.
• Strong consultancy skills with confidence advising senior stakeholders.
• Commercial mindset with the ability to align performance with business outcomes.
• Experience leading, mentoring and developing team members.

Responsibilities

• Build long term Paid Search roadmaps for key accounts aligned to commercial targets.
• Oversee multiple accounts ensuring strategic consistency and commercial impact.
• Decide where automation earns its place and where human judgement wins: bidding, Performance Max, feeds, first-party data and measurement.
• Be the senior Paid Search voice for marketing and ecommerce directors and push back when data says so.
• Ensure robust measurement frameworks connect Paid Search to commercial outcomes.
• Lead innovation and testing frameworks across key accounts.
• Build strong, trust-based relationships with senior client stakeholders.
• Spot growth opportunities across accounts and advocate for new markets or services.
• Develop and mentor Managers and Analysts to raise the team’s capability.
• Maintain expertise in industry trends and emerging tech.
• Lead Paid Search in new business pitches from analysis to presentation.

Job description

Paid Search has changed. Automation runs the bids, AI is reshaping the results page, and a good ROAS on its own doesn't prove much any more. The people who stand out now are the ones who can connect the platform to the client's P&L.

That's this job. You'll own Paid Search strategy across a portfolio of our biggest accounts across a number of industries. Your time goes on direction, people and client leadership, not just living in the platforms.

What you will do

• Build long term Paid Search roadmaps for our key accounts, tied to the client's commercial targets, not just channel KPIs.
• Oversee multiple accounts to ensure strategic consistency, executional excellence, and commercial impact.
• Decide where automation earns its place and where human judgement still wins: bidding, Performance Max, feeds, first-party data and measurement.
• Be the senior Paid Search voice for marketing and ecommerce directors. Bring the recommendations, and the confidence to push back when the data says so.
• Ensure we have robust measurement frameworks that connect Paid Search to commercial outcomes.
• Lead innovation and testing frameworks across key accounts.
• Build strong, trust-based relationships with senior client stakeholders.
• Spot where accounts can grow, from new markets to extra services, and make the case for it.
• Develop and mentor Managers and Analysts, raising the overall capability of the Paid Media team.
• Maintain expertise in industry trends, automation developments and emerging technologies.
• Lead Paid Search in new business pitches, from the opportunity analysis to presenting on the day.
• Keep quality high across every account you oversee, and shape how work and resource are split across the team.
• Raise the standard across Paid Media by sharing what's working and setting up tests worth learning from.

*Line management - We are ideally looking for someone who wants to manage a team, but it isn't a requirement.

• Advanced expertise in Google Ads and Paid Search strategy across large or complex accounts.

• Proven ability to develop and implement long-term strategic roadmaps.
• Strong consultancy skills, with confidence advising senior stakeholders.
• Commercial mindset with the ability to align performance with business outcomes.
• Experience leading, mentoring and developing team members.
• Deep understanding of automation, bidding strategies and cross-channel integration.
• Excellent presentation and communication skills.
• Commercial mindset with the ability to align performance with business outcomes.

• High level of attention to detail and commitment to quality.

• Ambitious, proactive and driven to continually improve standards

Pension - Matched up to 4%

Health - Private medical insurance

Family - Enhanced maternity, paternity & adoption pay

Flexibility - 25 days annual leave, Christmas shutdown and home working allowance

Salary

Leeds - £46,000 - £55,000

Manchester - £48,000 - £56,000

London - £51,000 - £60,000