Senior Paid Search Activation Lead (AI-Driven)

Citi; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work arrangement

AI-driven search capabilities

Learning & development opportunities

Cross-functional collaboration

Competitive benefits

Wellbeing resources

Job summary

Citi's U.S. Consumer Cards Paid Media team seeks an experienced SEM Associate Director to lead enterprise-scale paid search across multiple lines of business.

You will own end-to-end campaign activation, drive optimization, and mentor the Paid Search Activation team, leveraging AI-driven capabilities and cross-functional collaboration. In this senior role, you will partner with Analytics, Risk, Legal, and Finance to ensure compliant, high-performing programs while advancing platform innovations

Qualifications

• 6-10 years of paid search experience
• Hands-on experience building, launching, optimizing, troubleshooting paid search campaigns in Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, and SA360
• Experience managing large-scale paid search programs and budgets
• Deep expertise in search campaign structure, keyword strategy, match types, and conversion tracking
• Advanced proficiency with tCPA, tROAS, portfolio bidding, shared budgets, and AI-driven optimization
• Experience operating in regulated environments with Risk, Compliance, and Legal stakeholders
• Familiarity with tagging, tracking implementation, and marketing tech solutions with Data/Engineering teams
• Experience with enterprise-scale campaign automation and first-party data activation

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end paid search activation across multiple lines of business
• Serve as subject matter expert for paid search activation and platform optimization
• Manage and develop the Paid Search Activation team
• Establish activation standards across Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, and SA360
• Design and refine standardized workflows, playbooks, and operating procedures
• Coordinate with Risk, Legal, and Compliance on regulatory requirements
• Operationalize AI-powered and automated search capabilities
• Partner with Analytics to build reporting frameworks and dashboards
• Collaborate with Marketing, Technology, Product, Risk, Legal, and Finance to align priorities
• Partner with Analytics, Technology, and Operations to enhance measurement and activation capabilities

Skills

Paid search

Google Ads

Microsoft Ads

SA360

AI-driven optimization

Bidding strategies

Campaign management

Digital analytics

Attribution

Risk/compliance

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Google Ads

Microsoft Ads

SA360

Job description

Citi's U.S. Consumer Cards Paid Media team seeks an experienced SEM Associate Director to lead enterprise-scale paid search across multiple lines of business.

You will own end-to-end campaign activation, drive optimization, and mentor the Paid Search Activation team, leveraging AI-driven capabilities and cross-functional collaboration. In this senior role, you will partner with Analytics, Risk, Legal, and Finance to ensure compliant, high-performing programs while advancing platform innovations