Director of Performance Marketing

Manifest; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 125,000 - 155,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work environment

Health plans

401(k) match

Paid parental leave

Job summary

Manifest is seeking a Director of Performance Marketing to lead omni-channel paid media strategy across a diverse client portfolio. This hands-on leadership role requires deep expertise in paid search and Meta, with programmatic experience a plus, and reports to the SVP, Head of Performance & Data Intelligence.

The position offers hybrid work options in Chicago, with travel up to 15%. You will mentor 1–2 staff, drive client success, and contribute to organic growth through strategic counsel and

Qualifications

• 10+ years in performance/digital media with hands-on paid search & Meta.
• Agency experience required; broad paid media helpful.

Responsibilities

• Own holistic paid media strategy and omni-channel planning (paid search, paid social, programmatic).
• Serve as client-facing media leader with strategic counsel and clear deliverables.
• Coordinate with Account, Operations and other disciplines to align timelines and resourcing.
• Lead senior-level client communications, including SOWs and reports.
• Mentor 1-2 direct reports and foster a data-driven optimization culture.
• Support growth initiatives, pitches, and market research for proposals.

Skills

Performance marketing

Paid search

Meta advertising

Programmatic

Agency experience

Tools

CRM platforms

Data providers

Marketing analytics tools

Job description

At Manifest, our work is fueled by data, ignited by creativity and driven by results. We are a proudly independent, full-service agency represented by diverse talents, backgrounds and expertise, and we have one goal: to deliver breakthrough ideas and brand experiences that drive emotional connections and measurable impact. Let’s chat.

We’re hiring a Director of Performance Marketing with agency experience to work with us across a diverse client portfolio. Our ideal candidate will have ~10+ years in performance/digital media, a true player-coach with current hands-on expertise in paid search and Meta, with programmatic and broader paid social experience a plus. The Director reports to the SVP, Head of Performance & Data Intelligence. This role can be based (hybrid) in Chicago, D.C., NYC or Phoenix.

Responsibilities

• Own holistic paid media strategy and omni-channel planning (primarily digital advertising including paid search, paid social & programmatic) – translating audience and market insights into performance driving-campaigns.
• Accountable for campaign and client success from a Performance perspective, serving as the client-facing media leader, building trust through strategic counsel, quality deliverables and confident presentation.
• Connect Performance Marketing with Account, Operations, and other agency disciplines, aligning strategy, timelines, and resourcing to drive unified client outcomes.
• Lead senior-level client communication touchpoints, with crystal clarity on SOWs, deliverables and reports.
• Lead, mentor, and elevate 1-2 direct reports, ensuring that performance meets and exceeds benchmarks, and driving a culture of continual analysis, testing, and optimization.
• Support departmental contributions to organic growth and new business proposals and pitches, competitive research, staff planning and SOWs.
• Identify audience and market trends to inform planning and continuously optimize campaign performance.

Requirements

• Approximately 10+ years in performance/digital media, a true player-­coach with current hands‑on expertise in paid search and Meta; agency experience required. Broader paid media channel (including programmatic) and brand experience a plus.
• Ability to get into the weeds with the team to help problem solve.
• Strategic thinker who can translate high-level client goals into actionable, results-driven media strategies across accounts.
• Proven ability to present with authority and credibility in high-visibility settings, including large group and client-facing presentations, on screen and in person.
• Experience managing pure-play paid media accounts end-to-end, with deep knowledge SEM and paid social media platforms.
• Experience navigating data ecosystems including 1st‑party data, CRM platforms, data providers, and tools, and responsible for relationships with performance vendors.
• Highly self-motivated, proactive, and detail-oriented; able to operate both independently and as a team player and delegate when appropriate.
• Innovation-minded with a forward-looking perspective on the future of performance marketing, A.I. adoption, and evolving media landscapes.
• Hybrid 3x week onsite.
• Ability to travel 15% of the time.

What We Offer

• Private Company (Independent Agency) – Being a private organization allows us to move quickly so that we can deliver our best for our teams and our clients.
• Flexibility – We have a hybrid work environment and a flexible PTO plan that allows teams to take time off when they need it. The annual salary range for this role in the Chicago market is $125k-$155k in base pay, and the base pay offered will be determined on a case-by-case basis based on experience, skills, training, certifications, education, etc., and will be informed by market data.
• Competitive Benefits and Salary – Multiple options for health plans based on your and/or your family’s needs, plus a 401(k) match and paid parental leave.

Manifest is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. Manifest recruits qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, gender, age, ethnicity, national origin, protected veteran status, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, gender identity, marital status, pregnancy, citizenship status, or any other protected groups covered by federal, state or local laws.