Director, Paid Search

Carnegie; United States; On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Carnegie is seeking a Director of Paid Search to lead strategy for a portfolio of high-impact clients and manage a team of 2–4 professionals. You will shape how campaigns are built, run, and optimized, aligning with client goals and outcomes while growing Carnegie's Paid Search practice as AI reshapes the landscape.

You will also coach, train, and evaluate team members, participate in hiring and planning, and collaborate with Google Premier partners to maintain high-quality delivery and client

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing or Advertising.
• 5+ years of Paid Search experience in Google Ads.
• Minimum 2 years of management experience with direct reports.
• Google Ads certification, or willingness to get certified.
• Experience with Asana or similar PM tools and Google Workspace a plus.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end Paid Search strategy and execution for assigned accounts.
• Guide campaign strategy through the AI-driven search landscape, using automation and AI features.
• Partner with Digital Strategists on proposals, RFPs, and pivots; join client calls as needed.
• Use Clarity, GA4, and dashboards to track performance against goals.
• Work with cross-functional teams to share best practices and drive process improvements.

Skills

Paid Search

Team leadership

Data analysis

Google Ads

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Marketing or Advertising

Tools

Asana

GA4

Google Workspace

Clarity

Job description

Carnegie | A Career That Helps Higher Education Thrive

We partner with colleges and universities to create lasting impact—for institutions, students, and the world they’ll shape. At Carnegie, your work contributes to something bigger: advancing opportunity through higher education. We invest in people, not just positions, and build careers that grow with you.

About the Role

The Director, Paid Search leads Paid Search strategy for a portfolio of high-impact clients while managing a team of 2–4. You own how campaigns get built, run, and optimized, making sure the work lines up with client goals and delivers results. You also develop the team, hold the quality bar, and help grow Carnegie's Paid Search practice as AI reshapes how search works.

What You'll Own

• Manage and coach 2–4 Paid Search team members on campaign strategy, setup, and optimization
• Lead training, onboarding, and professional development for direct reports
• Run performance evaluations and give clear, constructive feedback
• Support hiring and workflow planning for the team

Campaign Management & Reporting

• Own end-to-end Paid Search strategy and execution for assigned accounts
• Guide campaign strategy through the AI-driven search landscape, putting automation and new AI features to work for performance
• Partner with Digital Strategists on proposals, RFPs, and strategic pivots, and join client calls as needed
• Use Clarity, GA4, and dashboards to keep campaigns on track against performance goals

Internal Team & Thought Leadership

• Work with cross-functional teams to share best practices and push new ideas forward
• Stay current on Paid Search trends and bring back process improvements, tests, and company-wide training opportunities
• Work closely with Google Account Executives to support Carnegie's Google Premier Partnership

What You Bring

• Bachelor's degree required; Marketing or Advertising major or concentration preferred
• 5+ years of Paid Search experience in Google Ads; lead generation a plus
• Minimum 2 years of management experience with direct reports
• Team leadership experience in an agency or digital marketing department
• Data analysis skills, especially reading digital campaign metrics to measure success
• Google Ads Paid Search certification, or willingness to get certified
• Experience with Asana or similar project management tools and Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides) a plus
• Sharp attention to detail and the ability to juggle multiple deadlines
• Strong problem-solving instincts — you troubleshoot on your own before escalating
• Quick learner who adapts as tools and technology change
• Clear written communication, internally and with clients
• Energy and enthusiasm for digital marketing and client success
• Strong communication and time-management skills, along with comfort switching between multiple technology platforms, given the remote environment
• Ability to sit at a desk and work on a computer for extended periods

Why This Role

Paid Search is changing fast, and this role sits at the center of it. You'll shape strategy for a portfolio of clients who count on search to drive enrollment, and you'll build a team that can keep pace as AI changes how campaigns get planned and run. There's room to influence how Carnegie approaches Paid Search overall, not just how individual accounts perform.