Director, Paid Search

twentysix; Hilversum; On-site; EUR 99,000 - 117,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Excellent health coverage (medical, 
d

Generous PTO

401k with company contribution

Parental leave

Career growth in a disruptor space

Diversity & inclusive culture

Job summary

Monks is seeking a seasoned Paid Search Lead to drive growth and strategic oversight across major client accounts. You will lead the paid search function, deliver end-to-end strategy, and work closely with cross-functional teams to optimize performance and ROI.

The role requires strong leadership, hands-on optimization, and the ability to present insights to senior stakeholders. Hybrid work arrangement applies with periodic in-person meetings.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of Paid Search experience.
• Passion and willingness to embrace Automation and AI.
• Strong POV on the future of search and the role of AI/automation across SEM/Shopping.
• Experience handling direct management of Paid Search budgets of at least $1MM in monthly ad spend.
• Experience directing strategy for B2B Lead Generation clients.
• Experience with YouTube, App Campaigns, Performance Max, Demand Gen, plus traditional paid search/shopping.
• Advanced slide presentation skills; proficient in Excel/Sheets.
• Strong communication for discussing performance with clients and teams.
• Ability to collaborate across large teams and present to executives (VP+).
• 3+ years of management with at least two direct reports.
• Bid management platforms such as SA360, Skai, Marin preferred.

Responsibilities

• Serve as Paid Search Lead on large client accounts, delivering strategy and hands-on optimization.
• Own Paid Search strategy for multiple accounts.
• Present strategy, performance, and priorities to client stakeholders.
• Create holistic media plans with forecasting, testing, and reporting.
• Translate insights into actionable optimization decisions.
• Define roles and delegate work within Paid Search teams.
• Manage pacing and ensure campaigns spend to targets.
• Drive strategy, innovation, and quarterly/annual roadmaps for top accounts.
• Develop advanced SEM skills across teams and with clients.

Skills

Paid Search

Automation & AI

Budget management

B2B Lead Gen

YouTube Campaigns

Performance Max

Executive communication

Team leadership

Bid management platforms

Excel/Google Sheets

Slide presentation

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

4-year college degree or equivalent

Tools

SA360

Skai

Marin

Job description

Please note that we will never request payment or bank account information at any stage of the recruitment process. As we continue to grow our teams, we urge you to be cautious of fraudulent job postings or recruitment activities that misuse our company name and information. Please protect your personal information during any recruitment process. While Monks may contact potential candidates via LinkedIn, all applications must be submitted through our official website monks.com/careers.

About the Role

We are looking for a strong, passionate, and energetic Paid Search professional to drive growth and strategic oversight across the paid search department with a focus of working on our largest accounts. We are looking for someone passionate about search-driven performance marketing and well-versed in other digital acquisition channels. This individual should be a people-focused leader who enjoys hands-on, cross-functional collaboration and wants to join a fast-growing, innovative digital agency that is hyper-focused on client performance and ROI.

Responsibilities:

• Serve as Paid Search Lead on one or more of the larger search accounts in the agency, delivering strategy and hands-on optimizations with other Paid Search and channel team members

Will be responsible for owning Paid Search strategy for multiple accounts

• Present Paid Search strategy, performance, and tactical priorities to client stakeholders

Use storytelling to simplify complex search strategies and present them as clear, impactful campaign recommendations.

• Partner with cross-channel leads on creating a holistic media plan, inclusive of forecasting/budgets, testing, tactical plans, and reporting

Understanding insights to inform performance changes and direct optimizations

• Responsible for defining roles & responsibilities for client Paid Search teams, and responsible for delegating work to supporting team members
• Own pacing across your book of business and ensure all campaigns are spending to the desired target
• Drive Paid Search strategy, innovation & testing on your book of business while improving performance, developing quarterly or annual roadmaps to keep advanced accounts with the latest trends and opportunities
• Opportunity to manage others, from Account Managers to Associate Directors

Manage your team in advanced SEM skills, multi-channel digital marketing strategy, and client management skills, including projections, analytics reporting, etc.

• Deliver feedback, performance reviews, support, and recognition in pursuit of achieving team goals
• Serve as a senior sponsor on your team’s accounts, developing senior client relationships and guiding holistic digital strategy
• Willingness to join in-person team meetings, events, and client presentations as business needs arise, est. 1-2 times per quarter

Strong communication and professional presence required

• Work closely with Google, Bing, and other vendor partners on client strategy and planning, goals, testing, expansion opportunities, and account health
• Contribute to overall department trainings, POVs, award submissions, and case studies
• Participate in new business pitches and conduct audits across the Google ecosystem

About You

The essentials:

• 7+ years of Paid Search experience
• Passion and willingness to embrace Automation and AI
• Possess a strong POV on the future of search and the role of AI/automation across SEM/Shopping
• Experience handling direct management of Paid Search budgets of at least $1MM in monthly ad spend
• Experience directing strategy for B2B Lead Generation clients
• Experience in YouTube, App Campaigns, Performance Max, Demand Gen, in addition to traditional paid search and shopping
• Advanced slide presentation skills
• Intermediate to advanced Excel and Google Sheet skills
• You can use strong and persuasive communication when discussing paid search performance with clients and your team
• Ability to work collaboratively across large teams
• Experience presenting paid search strategy to marketing executives, large teams, and senior audiences (VP+)
• Have 3+ years of management experience with at least two direct reports
• Experience with a bid management platform is preferred such as SA360, Skai, Marin, etc.
• 4-year college degree or equivalent work experience

At Monks, we believe in fostering an environment where a diversity of perspectives can thrive. We proactively work to design hiring processes that promote equity and inclusion while mitigating bias. We celebrate diversity and are committed to building a team that reflects the communities we serve. We welcome and encourage qualified applicants, from all backgrounds, who are excited to contribute to our mission.

#LI-OG1 #LI-Hybrid

What We Offer

Benefits

• Excellent, full coverage medical, dental, and vision insurance - more about our coverage here!
• Generous PTO and 15 company-wide holidays
• 401k with company contribution
• Paid parental leave
• Work-life balance with an emphasis on personal well-being
• Career growth in a disruptor space & entrepreneurial opportunities within the Monks network
• A globally diverse & inclusive culture with employee resource groups such as S4 Melanin, Pride.Monks, Cultura.Monks, and more!
• Authentic commitment to DEI efforts and sustainable growth. (Why Sir Martin Sorrell signed The Climate Pledge here!)

This role is subject to our Return to Office (RTO) policy. If you reside within a commutable distance of one of our office locations, you will be expected to work from the office a set number of days per week. The specific details, including the number of required office days, will be in accordance with the company’s then-current RTO policy, which is subject to change from time to time.

Monks has provided a compensation range that represents its good faith estimate of what Monks may pay for the position at the time of posting. Monks may ultimately pay more or less than the posted compensation range. The salary offered to the selected candidate will be determined based on job-related factors, but not based on a candidate’s sex or any other protected status.

Salary Range: $115,000—$135,000 USD**About Monks **

Monks is the global, digital-first, data-driven, unitary operating brand of S4 Capital plc. With a legacy of innovation and specialized expertise, Monks combines an extraordinary range of global Marketing and Technology Services to redefine how brands interact with the world. Through Monks.Flow, its flagship AI ecosystem for marketing orchestration, Monks transforms marketing into a growth engine, collapsing timelines and connecting brands to culture in real time. By deploying bespoke intelligent agents across disciplines and delivering culturally relevant, high-impact creative and digital solutions, Monks solves key critical business challenges across the entire brand enterprise to help brands sustain long-term impact.

Monks was named a Contender in The Forrester Wave™: Global Marketing Services, ranks among Cannes Lions' Top 10 Creative Companies (2022-25) and remains the only partner featured in AdExchanger’s Programmatic Power Players list every year (2020-24). Named Adweek’s first AI Agency of the Year (2023) and The One Show’s inaugural AI Pioneer Organization, Monks was also awarded Business Intelligence Group’s 2025 Excellence in Artificial Intelligence Award in both the Organizational and AI Product categories. As a trusted partner to cutting-edge innovators in tech, Monks earned titles such as Optimizely Experimentation Partner of the Year (2025), runner-up for the Adobe Firefly Partner Award (2024), and Workato’s AI Visionary Customer Impact Award (2024). Additionally, Monks achieved a record-breaking number of FWAs and continues to hold the most of any partner.

We are an equal-opportunity employer committed to building a respectful and empowering work environment for all people to freely express themselves amongst colleagues who embrace diversity in all respects. Including fresh voices and unique points of view in all aspects of our business not only creates an environment where we can all grow and thrive but also increases our potential to produce work that better represents—and resonates with the world around us.