SEM Director

PMG; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Performance-Based Rewards

Professional Development

Generous Time Off

Parental Leave

Retirement Benefits

Fertility and Family Support

Healthcare

Pet Insurance

Lifestyle Spending Account

Commuter Benefits

Volunteering Opportunities

AI Tools and Training

Job summary

PMG is seeking an experienced Paid Search Marketing Director to lead advanced search strategies that drive measurable business results for global clients. You will steer strategic client partnerships, manage complex programs, and mentor a growing SEM team.

You will collaborate with media, creative, analytics, strategy, and technology teams to maximize the impact of Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, and the Alli platform while driving innovation and efficiency through AI and automation.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in paid search, digital media, or performance marketing with a bachelor’s degree.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership across complex paid search programs.
• Lead development of advanced paid search strategies on Google Ads and Microsoft Ads.
• Serve as senior partner to clients, linking search performance to business priorities.
• Oversee performance and optimization, guide bidding, segmentation, and creative testing.
• Lead planning and budget strategy for paid search investments.
• Establish test-and-learn frameworks across paid search.
• Guide measurement and reporting to connect activity to outcomes.
• Build relationships with search platforms and partners.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to align paid search with broader programs.
• Drive adoption of Alli and automation across paid search.
• Use AI and automation to improve efficiency and decision-making.
• Stay ahead of industry developments and translate trends into opportunities.
• Mentor and develop team members.
• Help establish SEM best practices and standards.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Paid search strategy

Google Ads

Microsoft Ads

Data analysis

Forecasting

Budget management

Performance reporting

A/B testing

Cross-channel perspective

Excel

Google Analytics

Client relationship

Mentoring/talent development

Communication

Adaptability

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience

Tools

Alli platform

Job description

PMG, a global independent platform company engineered for impact, integrates business strategy, media, creative, and data within a single operating model powered by our proprietary operating system, Alli. With more than 1,000 employees, PMG partners with brands including Apple, Nike, Dropbox, Experian, Sephora, and Whole Foods. Our work has earned top industry honors, including Cannes Lions and Adweek’s Media Plan of the Year, and PMG has won 40+ workplace culture awards, including being the only company to rank among Ad Age’s Best Places to Work for 11 consecutive years.

Who You Will Be Working With

As our Paid Search Marketing (SEM) Director, you’ll join a talented and collaborative team dedicated to building innovative search strategies that drive meaningful business results for our clients. Our SEM team works at the intersection of data, technology, strategy, and creativity, partnering across media, creative, analytics, and client teams to uncover opportunities and deliver measurable impact.

This is a team that values curiosity, fresh perspectives, and continuous improvement. Together, we challenge established approaches, explore emerging capabilities, and use technology and insights to evolve how search connects brands with their audiences. In this role, you’ll provide strategic leadership across paid search programs, strengthen senior client relationships, and guide the development of team members. Your leadership will help shape the direction of our SEM practice while ensuring our teams continue to deliver innovative, high-quality work for clients.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Provide strategic leadership across complex paid search programs, ensuring campaign strategies, investments, and execution align with client business objectives and deliver measurable results.
• Lead the development and implementation of advanced paid search strategies across platforms including Google Ads and Microsoft Ads, translating channel performance into actionable business recommendations.
• Serve as a senior strategic partner to clients, connecting paid search performance, consumer behavior, and market dynamics to broader business and marketing priorities.
• Oversee paid search performance and optimization across client portfolios, guiding teams on bidding strategies, audience segmentation, keyword expansion, creative experimentation, and other opportunities to improve outcomes.
• Lead paid search planning and budget strategy, helping teams allocate investments effectively while identifying opportunities to drive incremental growth and maximize business impact.
• Establish and advance test-and-learn frameworks across paid search programs, using experimentation and analysis to inform strategy and scale successful approaches.
• Guide measurement and reporting strategies, ensuring teams move beyond platform metrics to deliver clear insights, recommendations, and narratives that connect paid search activity to client outcomes.
• Build and maintain strategic relationships with search platforms and industry partners, identifying opportunities to bring new capabilities, insights, and innovation to clients.
• Partner with leaders across media, creative, analytics, strategy, and technology to develop cohesive cross-channel approaches and strengthen the role of paid search within broader marketing programs.
• Drive adoption and strategic use of PMG’s proprietary platform, Alli, partnering cross-functionally to identify opportunities for automation, optimization, and greater efficiency across paid search programs.
• Use AI, automation, and technology to elevate the quality and efficiency of work, streamline processes, and enable faster, more informed decision-making across the SEM practice.
• Stay at the forefront of search industry developments, platform changes, consumer behavior, and emerging technologies, translating relevant trends into opportunities for clients and the broader team.
• Mentor and develop team members, providing coaching, technical guidance, and strategic context that supports professional growth and builds deeper paid search expertise across the organization.
• Help establish best practices, operating standards, and strategic priorities for the SEM discipline, identifying opportunities to continuously improve how the team works and delivers value.

What You’ll Bring

10+ years of experience in paid search, digital media, performance marketing, or a related field, with a bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.

Advanced expertise in paid search strategy and activation across platforms such as Google Ads and Microsoft Ads, with experience leading sophisticated programs focused on measurable business outcomes.

Demonstrated experience providing strategic leadership across large or complex client engagements, connecting paid search investments and performance to broader marketing and business objectives.

Advanced proficiency in data analysis, measurement, forecasting, budget management, and performance reporting, with the ability to translate complex information into clear strategic recommendations.

Deep understanding of advanced paid search strategies, including bidding optimization, audience segmentation, keyword strategy, automation, creative experimentation, and test-and-learn frameworks.

Experience developing experimentation strategies, including A/B testing and other structured approaches to identifying and scaling opportunities for performance improvement.

Strong cross-channel perspective with the ability to integrate paid search strategy with broader media and marketing efforts, including social, programmatic, creative, analytics, and other disciplines.

Proficiency with tools such as Microsoft Excel and Google Analytics, with the ability to leverage data and technology to uncover insights, improve performance, and support strategic decision-making.

Advanced relationship-building and communication skills, with experience developing trusted partnerships with senior clients, platform partners, and cross-functional stakeholders.

Demonstrated experience mentoring and developing talent, building team capabilities, and creating an environment where people can contribute, learn, and grow.

A commitment to curiosity and adaptability as a Continual Learner, staying at the forefront of search and media innovation while prioritizing client success with a Customer-Focused mindset that identifies opportunities to deliver meaningful value.

A dedication to People-Focused leadership, fostering collaboration, innovation, and professional growth by Leading by Example and building strong relationships that empower others to excel.

What We Offer

Performance-Based Rewards: Your impact should be part of your reward. This role is eligible for PMG’s annual bonus program—a standout part of our total compensation offering and an opportunity to share in our success. Bonus awards are informed by individual impact and performance, as well as team and company results, and are subject to applicable program terms.

Professional Development: Keep growing through learning and development programs, mentorship opportunities, and support for career advancement.

Generous Time Off: Take the time you need to recharge, connect with loved ones, and enjoy life outside work.

Parental Leave: Receive paid parental leave during life’s important family moments.

Retirement Benefits: Build for your future with competitive retirement benefits, including employer contributions or matching where applicable.

Fertility and Family Support: Access fertility and family-building benefits for eligible employees and their spouses or partners.

Healthcare: Choose from medical, dental, and vision coverage designed to support you and your family.

Pet Insurance: Access optional coverage for the four-legged members of your family.

Lifestyle Spending Account: Receive company-funded support for eligible health and well-being expenses.

Commuter Benefits: Access support for your commute where available.

Volunteering Opportunities: Receive eight paid hours each year to give back to your community.

AI Tools and Training: Access enterprise AI tools and ongoing training that helps PMGers use AI effectively, creatively, and responsibly.

Our benefits and compensation programs may vary by location and eligibility and are subject to applicable plan terms. We’ll share full details during the hiring process.

What Sets Us Apart

Being part of PMG means joining a company culture that’s unmatched in digital. We're dedicated to working hard to serve our employees and clients, delivering value, results, and innovation—which often requires true grit and agility. We believe in taking care of ourselves and each other to continuously improve in every way.

In alignment with our core values to be inclusive and always change for the better, PMG is committed to creating a more diverse and inclusive culture, and we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We believe that we only change for the better by bringing diverse perspectives to our company. PMG recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey.Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiringprocess or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in aconfidential file.

As set forth in PMG’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy,we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

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