Associate Director, Social

Starcom; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 97,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Tuition Assistance

Paid time off

Flexible working arrangements

Work Your World program

Job summary

Starcom is seeking an Associate Media Director in Chicago to own day‑to‑day paid social strategy, activation, and performance for a major client within Publicis’ Platform Investment Group. The ideal candidate brings 5+ years in digital media, strong leadership, and a track record of data‑driven decisions to grow brand and performance outcomes.

You will mentor teams, lead daily client interactions, and drive innovation across social platforms while collaborating with cross‑functional partners to

Qualifications

• 5+ years of direct digital or paid media experience with emphasis on paid social.
• 2+ years of people management including coaching and performance development.
• 3+ years managing campaigns on Facebook and Instagram; TikTok experience required and API/self-serve tools preferred.

Responsibilities

• Design and lead paid social strategies across Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok to meet brand and performance goals.
• Develop action plans with KPI definitions, measurement frameworks, and optimization strategies.
• Present strategy and results to senior stakeholders and guide cross-functional teams.

Skills

Paid social strategy

Team leadership

Client management

Performance marketing

Data interpretation

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Facebook Ads

Instagram Ads

TikTok Ads

Job description

Company Description

Starcom is the world's first standalone media agency, a storied innovator that continues to lead the way for many of the world's best brands.

Starcom has long been the professional birthplace and proving ground for marketing leaders - CEOs, CMOs, sales leaders, and technology pioneers - and we continue to drive the industry with peerless talent and relentless innovation.

From the start, we've known that achieving growth for our clients requires understanding and connecting with real people where they live and work, in ways they value.

In an AI era, we remain "Guided By Humanity," a phrase that describes our foundational belief that human expertise must remain in the driver's seat, supported by the best processes and technology.

With our proprietary capabilities and Publicis Media's industry-leading resources and clout, we create ideas that move people and drive transformative business outcomes for brands.

Overview

The Associate Media Director is a highly motivated, technically savvy, and detail‑oriented leader responsible for the day‑to‑day ownership of paid social strategy, activation, and performance for a dedicated client within the Platform Investment Group. This role leads the paid social vision while continuing to strengthen and evolve the client’s brand through thoughtful, data‑driven media solutions. A successful candidate brings deep paid social expertise, strong client leadership, and a passion for developing high‑performing teams. With 5+ years of digital media experience, the Associate Media Director is a confident decision‑maker who fosters a culture of curiosity, creativity, and continuous learning. This role serves as the primary client point of contact and requires comfort leading daily client interactions, presentations, and strategic discussions. Our social team partners with some of the largest and most dynamic brands in the industry across a diverse range of sectors. We’re looking for an enthusiastic paid social leader who is eager to drive innovation, mentor teams, and immerse themselves across multiple initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Design and lead paid social strategies across key platforms (including Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok) to deliver against brand and performance objectives
• Develop and oversee action plans for achieving and measuring social media success, including KPI definition, measurement frameworks, and optimization strategies
• Serve as a paid social thought leader, advocating for the channel and educating clients, partners, and internal teams on evolving capabilities, best practices, and platform innovation
• Apply deep social media expertise and creativity to brainstorming and strategic planning sessions, contributing to integrated media solutions
• Lead regular performance reviews and client check‑ins, tracking results against KPIs and guiding strategic optimizations
• Provide direction on improving campaign performance through advanced optimization techniques, testing frameworks, and adoption of new platform features
• Create and deliver clear, compelling presentations to senior client stakeholders and internal teams that articulate strategy, performance insights, and forward‑looking recommendations
• Develop informed points of view on emerging technologies, trends, and opportunities, including the responsible use of AI‑enabled tools for optimization, insights, and efficiency
• Foster strong, collaborative relationships with internal cross‑functional teams and client partners

Qualifications

• 5+ years of directly relevant digital or paid media experience, with a strong emphasis on paid social strategy and execution
• 2+ years of people management experience, including coaching, mentoring, and performance development
• 3+ years of hands‑on experience managing and optimizing campaigns across Facebook and Instagram, with experience in TikTok required; experience leveraging API‑based and/or self‑serve buying tools strongly preferred
• Proven experience applying paid social to drive results across brand‑building and direct‑response KPIs
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret performance data and translate insights into strategic recommendations and optimization roadmaps
• Deep understanding of best practices for social media brand communication and performance marketing
• Demonstrated leadership presence with the ability to present confidently to senior client stakeholders
• Comprehensive knowledge of paid social campaign management, including optimization, testing, and measurement methodologies
• Resourceful, curious, and self‑motivated, with the ability to work independently while thriving in a highly collaborative environment
• Strong organizational, problem‑solving, and communication skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, with intermediate to advanced Excel skills (e.g., formulas, pivot tables, data analysis)
• Bachelor’s degree preferred

Additional Information

Starcom is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our employment decisions are made without regard to actual or perceived race, color, ethnicity, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, disability, medical condition as defined by applicable state law, genetic information, marital status, military service and veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws and ordinances.

Benefits

The Power of One starts with our people! To do powerful things, we offer powerful resources. Our best‑in‑class wellness and benefits offerings include:

• Paid Family Care for parents and caregivers for 12 weeks or more
• Monetary assistance and support for Adoption, Surrogacy and Fertility
• Monetary assistance and support for pet adoption
• Employee Assistance Programs and Health/Wellness/Comfort reimbursements to help you invest in your future and work/life balance
• Tuition Assistance
• Paid time off that includes Flexible Time off Vacation, Annual Sick Days, Volunteer Days, Holiday and Identity days, and more
• Matching Gifts programs
• Flexible working arrangements
• 'Work Your World’ Program encouraging employees to work from anywhere Publicis Groupe has an office for up to 6 weeks a year (based upon eligibility)
• Business Resource Groups that support multiple affinities and alliances

The benefits offerings listed are available to U.S. based employees, are reviewed on an annual basis, and are governed by the terms of the applicable plan documents.

If you require accommodation or assistance with the application or onboarding process specifically, please contact [e-mail].

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

Compensation Range: USD $97,375.00 - USD $139,965.00/Annually. This is the pay range the Company believes it will pay for this position at the time of this posting. Consistent with applicable law, compensation will be determined based on the skills, qualifications, and experience of the applicant along with the requirements of the position, and the Company reserves the right to modify this pay range at any time. Temporary roles may be eligible to participate in our freelancer/temporary employee medical plan through a third‑party benefits administration system once certain criteria have been met. Temporary roles may also qualify for participation in our 401(k) plan after eligibility criteria have been met. For regular roles, the Company will offer medical coverage, dental, vision, disability, 401k, and paid time off. The Company anticipates the application deadline for this job posting will be 11/1/2026.