Paid Media Lead

Foster-Marian; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 85,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work options

Medical coverage

401(k) match

Unlimited PTO

Summer Fridays

Pet benefits

Wellness programs

Parental leave

Job summary

Foster-Marian partners with a leading marketing and analytics agency to hire a Paid Media Lead for their Marketing team. This hands-on leadership role blends strategic paid media planning with execution across Google Ads, DV360, SA360, Campaign Manager, and Meta Ads Manager to drive measurable client results.

You will mentor a small team of 1–3 Marketing Analysts, collaborate with Analytics, and translate data into actionable recommendations for multi-channel campaigns and client strategy.

Qualifications

• Hands-on leadership in multichannel paid media campaigns.
• Experience optimizing campaigns across Google, DV360, SA360, and Meta.
• Bachelor's degree with 4–6+ years in paid media or advertising.

Responsibilities

• Lead development and execution of audience-first paid media strategies.
• Oversee multichannel campaign setup, targeting, budgeting, and optimization.
• Mentor 1–3 Marketing Analysts and collaborate with analytics teams.
• Translate performance data into actionable client insights and recommendations.
• Present strategic recommendations to clients and internal teams.

Skills

Google Ads

DV360

SA360

Campaign Manager

Meta Ads Manager

Education

Bachelor's degree in Marketing or related

Job description

About the Opportunity

We're partnering with a leading marketing and analytics agency to hire a Paid Media Lead for their Marketing team.

Our client is a data-driven organization that combines marketing strategy, advanced analytics, and technology to help brands achieve measurable business results. They've built an award-winning, people-focused culture that encourages innovative thinking, continuous improvement, collaboration, and work-life balance.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced paid media professional who can operate at the intersection of performance marketing, digital advertising technology, client strategy, and team leadership.

We're looking for someone who brings both strategic thinking and advanced, hands-on campaign management experience across multiple paid media platforms.

The Role

The Paid Media Lead will lead the development and execution of sophisticated, audience-first paid media strategies that drive measurable results for client accounts.

This individual will be responsible for overseeing multichannel campaign strategy, directly managing and optimizing campaigns within advertising platforms, developing innovative testing initiatives, and translating performance data into actionable business recommendations.

Working closely with Marketing, Media Analytics, and other internal teams, this person will also serve as a strategic partner to clients while providing guidance, mentorship, and coaching to a small team of Marketing Analysts.

This is a hands-on leadership position that requires someone who is equally comfortable developing high-level media strategies and working directly within advertising platforms to execute, troubleshoot, and optimize campaigns.

Key Responsibilities

Paid Media Strategy & Campaign Execution

• Develop and execute comprehensive, audience-first paid media strategies aligned with client objectives and business goals.
• Lead the planning, activation, management, and optimization of multichannel digital advertising campaigns.
• Demonstrate advanced hands-on expertise across platforms including Google Ads, Display & Video 360 (DV360), Search Ads 360 (SA360), Campaign Manager, Meta Ads Manager, and other advertising platforms.
• Oversee campaign setup, targeting, budget allocation, bidding strategies, performance monitoring, and ongoing optimization.
• Develop integrated paid search, paid social, and programmatic advertising strategies to drive customer acquisition, engagement, and conversions.
• Identify opportunities to improve campaign efficiency, audience engagement, conversion rates, and overall return on advertising investment.

Performance Optimization & Innovation

• Analyze campaign performance to identify trends, opportunities, and areas for improvement.
• Partner closely with Analytics teams to evaluate media effectiveness and implement data-driven optimizations.
• Develop and execute sophisticated testing strategies across audiences, creative, messaging, channels, and campaign structures.
• Monitor key performance indicators, including conversion rates, customer acquisition costs, return on ad spend, and other relevant business metrics.
• Identify emerging advertising technologies, industry trends, and innovative approaches to improve campaign performance.
• Evaluate media vendors and support the implementation of new advertising solutions.

Client Strategy & Communication

• Serve as a strategic point of contact for assigned client accounts.
• Lead client discussions related to paid media strategy, campaign performance, optimization opportunities, and future initiatives.
• Translate complex campaign data and performance metrics into clear, actionable business insights.
• Lead the development of client presentations, performance reporting, and strategic recommendations through compelling data storytelling.
• Collaborate with internal teams to ensure marketing strategies align with broader client objectives.
• Manage competing priorities while maintaining strong client relationships and delivering high-quality work.

Team Leadership & Collaboration

• Provide ongoing guidance, coaching, and mentorship to a team of approximately 1–3 Marketing Analysts.
• Support team development while maintaining high standards for campaign execution, optimization, and performance.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Marketing, Media Analytics, and other internal stakeholders.
• Help establish efficient workflows, campaign management best practices, and quality assurance standards.
• Foster a collaborative, accountable, and results-oriented team environment.

What We're Looking For

Paid Media & Advertising Technology

• Advanced hands-on experience building, managing, and optimizing paid media campaigns across multiple digital advertising platforms.
• Strong proficiency with Google Ads, including campaign strategy, execution, bidding, targeting, and performance optimization.
• Experience working with advertising technologies such as DV360, SA360, Campaign Manager, and Meta Ads Manager.
• Deep understanding of paid search, paid social, programmatic advertising, and integrated media strategies.
• Ability to independently troubleshoot campaign performance issues and implement effective solutions.
• Experience managing advertising budgets and optimizing campaigns against measurable performance goals.

Performance Marketing & Analytics

• Strong understanding of digital marketing KPIs, conversion tracking, campaign attribution, and performance measurement.
• Ability to interpret campaign data and translate findings into actionable optimization strategies.
• Experience developing testing frameworks and identifying opportunities for continuous performance improvement.
• Familiarity with performance metrics such as ROAS, CPA, CPC, CTR, and conversion rates.
• Comfortable collaborating with analytics professionals to evaluate campaign effectiveness and business impact.

Client Communication & Strategic Leadership

• Experience managing client relationships and leading strategic marketing conversations.
• Strong presentation, communication, and data storytelling skills.
• Ability to translate technical advertising concepts into clear recommendations for non-technical stakeholders.
• Confidence balancing client expectations, campaign performance, and competing priorities.
• Ability to proactively identify opportunities and provide strategic recommendations that support client growth.

Team Management & Collaboration

• Experience mentoring, coaching, or supervising junior marketing professionals.
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Comfortable working in a collaborative, fast-paced, client-focused environment.
• Ability to balance strategic planning with hands-on campaign execution.

Education & Experience

• 4–6+ years of relevant professional experience in paid media, digital advertising, performance marketing, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience independently managing and optimizing multichannel paid media campaigns.
• Experience working in a marketing agency or managing multiple client accounts is highly desirable.
• Google Ads certifications preferred.
• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Advertising, Business, Communications, or a related field preferred.

Benefits & Perks

Our client offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Competitive salary of $85,000–$100,000 annually
• Employer-paid base medical coverage for employees
• Medical, dental, and vision options
• Unlimited PTO
• Employer-paid short-term disability coverage
• Paid parental leave for eligible employees
• Supplemental insurance options
• 401(k) with a 4% employer match
• Hybrid work options for employees based near designated offices
• Employee wellness initiatives
• Summer Fridays with an early office close
• Pet benefits
• Anniversary milestone gifts

Foster-Marian is supporting this search on behalf of a confidential client. The hiring organization is an equal opportunity employer and considers qualified applicants without regard to legally protected characteristics. Reasonable accommodations are available throughout the recruiting process.