Senior Paid Search Specialist

Carnegie Dartlet; Westford (MA); Hybrid; USD 85,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

Carnegie Dartlet is seeking a Senior Paid Search Specialist to lead Google Ads campaigns for higher education clients from setup to performance optimization. You will own strategy, execution, and ongoing improvements, while translating data into client-ready insights.

The role emphasizes collaboration with digital strategists, mentoring junior staff, and staying current with evolving search features and automation in a remote work environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing or Advertising preferred.
• 3–5 years of hands-on Google Ads Paid Search experience.
• Experience analyzing digital campaign metrics.
• Agency or client-service environment experience.
• Google Ads certification required; strong communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead Paid Search strategy and execution across client campaigns.
• Develop and present keyword recommendations for review and approval.
• Optimize keyword performance, structure, and targeting.
• Audit and restructure Google Ads accounts for performance gains.
• Track metrics (CPC, CPA, conversions, impression share) for client reporting.
• Identify testing opportunities and automation based on goals.
• Collaborate with Digital Strategists to integrate Paid Search into proposals.
• Mentor junior team members on strategy and best practices.
• Share new tactics and industry updates with the team.

Skills

Paid Search

Google Ads

Digital Analytics

Team Leadership

Communication

Project Management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Marketing/Advertising

Google Ads Certification

Tools

Asana

Google Docs

Google Sheets

Google Slides

Job description

CAREERS

Senior Paid Search Specialist

Location:

Remote

About the Role

The Senior Paid Search Specialist runs Google Ads Paid Search for Carnegie’s higher ed clients, from campaign build to performance strategy. This person owns the Paid Search strategy for each client, from campaign execution through ongoing optimization and performance recommendations. It’s a role for someone who’s as comfortable in the weeds of a campaign as they are explaining what the data means and what to do next.

What You’ll Own

• Paid Search Strategy & Execution
  • Lead the strategy and execution of client Paid Search campaigns — keyword development, ad group and campaign setup, bid strategy, and goal achievement
  • Develop and organize keyword recommendations for client review and approval, presenting proposed changes in a clear, organized format before implementation in Google Ads
  • Optimize keyword performance, campaign structure, and targeting
  • Audit and restructure Google Ads accounts to improve performance, efficiency, and scalability
  • Track campaign performance — conversion rate, cost per conversion, cost-per-click, impression share, quality score, and other key metrics — to inform client reporting
  • Identify opportunities for testing, optimization, and automation based on client goals and campaign performance
  • Evaluate new Google Ads features, betas, and emerging search features and determine when they should be incorporated into client strategies
  • Partner with Digital Strategists to incorporate Paid Search expertise into proposals, RFPs, strategic recommendations, and broader digital strategies
• Reporting & Analysis
  • Turn campaign performance, keyword structure, and targeting data into clear insights
  • Read complex performance metrics and translate them into recommendations that tie paid search back to client business goals
  • Evaluate performance trends and build recommendations for client review that will move the needle
  • Present Paid Search performance insights and recommendations clearly to clients and internal stakeholders
• Team Leadership & Innovation
  • Mentor and provide guidance to junior team members on Paid Search strategy, optimization, and best practices
  • Contribute to team training, documentation, and development of Paid Search processes and best practices
  • Proactively share new tactics, industry developments, and testing opportunities with the broader digital team
  • Stay current on the evolving search landscape, including Google AI-powered search experiences, AI Max, automation, and the intersection of Paid Search, SEO, and AEO
  • Evaluate emerging technologies and industry changes and translate them into actionable opportunities for clients and the Paid Search team
• Internal Team
  • Collaborate with Digital Strategy, SEO, and other digital team members to deliver organized, high-quality client work
  • Serve as a Paid Search resource for teammates and help troubleshoot campaign, strategy, and platform questions
  • Communicate proactively about campaign performance, client needs, approvals, timelines, and potential issues
  • Contribute to team training, processes, documentation, and Paid Search best practices

What You Bring

• Bachelor’s degree required; a Marketing or Advertising major or concentration is preferred
• Typically 3-5 years of hands‑on experience running Paid Search in Google Ads; lead generation experience a plus
• Experience analyzing digital campaign metrics to measure success
• Experience working in a structured agency or client-service environment where Paid Search recommendations are prepared, organized, and presented for client review and approval before implementation
• Experience with Asana or similar project management tools, and Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides, a plus
• Current Google Ads Paid Search certification
• Sharp attention to detail and able to juggle multiple priorities in a deadline‑driven environment
• Strong problem‑solver who troubleshoots independently before escalating
• Quick learner who adapts easily to new and changing technology
• Clear written communicator, both internally and with clients
• Strong ability to explain complex Paid Search concepts, performance trends, and recommendations to non‑Paid Search audiences
• Strong communication and time‑management skills, with the ability to manage multiple client priorities and work effectively across a remote digital team
• Demonstrated interest in staying current with changes in Paid Search, Google Ads, and the broader search landscape

Why This Role

Paid search performance drives outcomes for Carnegie’s clients, and this role owns that engine. You’ll have a direct hand in shaping strategy, sharpening how the team reports on and talks about performance, and helping keep Carnegie ahead of where the industry is headed.

About Carnegie

For more than 30 years, Carnegie has been a leader and innovator in higher education marketing and enrollment strategy, offering groundbreaking services in the areas of Research, Strategy, Digital Marketing, Lead Generation, Slate Optimization, Student Search, Website Development, and Creative that generate authentic connections.

Learn more about who we are, what we do, and what we care about.

No phone calls or unscheduled visits to the office, please. Carnegie is an equal‑opportunity employer.