Sr. Search Engine Marketing (SEM) Manager

OpenKrill; United States; On-site; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

SolarWinds is seeking a strategic, data-driven Sr. SEM Manager to own global search engine marketing for our Observability business unit.

This is a senior, strategy-owning role: you will set the vision and roadmap for how paid search drives customer acquisition, lead generation, and pipeline growth across the SMB, mid-market, and enterprise segments, while also staying hands-on with campaign structure, bidding, and optimization across Google Ads and Microsoft Advertising.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in SEM or performance marketing with proven ROI growth.
• Experience managing large-scale, multi-region paid search programs (Google Ads + Microsoft Advertising).
• Experience optimizing for B2B SaaS pipelines with full-funnel visibility.

Responsibilities

• Own global SEM strategy for Observability, setting vision for paid search across ICPs.
• Develop short- and long-term SEM growth plans and budget forecasting.
• Oversee campaign structure, bidding models, and creative optimization across Google Ads and Microsoft Advertising.
• Drive testing frameworks to improve CTR, CVR, and pipeline conversion.
• Lead adoption of audience-first approaches and first-party data integration.
• Collaborate with Analytics, Finance/RevOps, Product Marketing and Regional Leads.

Skills

SEM strategy

Paid search leadership

Google Ads

Microsoft Advertising

Analytics

Budget management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Marketing or related field

Tools

GA4

Adobe Analytics

Tableau

Marketo

Looker

Salesforce

CM360

Job description

At SolarWinds, we’re a people-first company. Our purpose is to enrich the lives of the people we serve—including our employees, customers, shareholders, partners, and communities. Join us in our mission to help customers accelerate business transformation with simple, powerful, and secure solutions.

The ideal candidate thrives in an innovative, fast-paced environment and is collaborative, accountable, ready, and empathetic. We’re looking for individuals who believe they can accomplish more as a team and create lasting growth for themselves and others. We hire based on attitude, competency, and commitment. Solarians are ready to advance our world-class solutions in a fast-paced environment and accept the challenge to lead with purpose. If you’re looking to build your career with an exceptional team, you’ve come to the right place. Join SolarWinds and grow with us!

Your Role:

SolarWinds is seeking a strategic, data-driven Sr. SEM Manager to own global search engine marketing (SEM) for our Observability business unit—SolarWinds’ largest business unit. This is a senior, strategy-owning role: you will set the vision and roadmap for how paid search drives customer acquisition, lead generation, and pipeline growth across the SMB, mid-market, and enterprise segments, while also staying hands-on with campaign structure, bidding, and optimization across Google Ads and Microsoft Advertising. You’ll partner closely with Global Performance Marketing Strategy, Product Marketing, Regional Leads, Analytics, Finance/RevOps, and Sales to ensure SEM investment translates into measurable pipeline and revenue impact.

Your Impact:

Strategy & Budget Ownership:

• - Own the global SEM strategy for Observability, setting the vision for how paid search drives customer acquisition, lead generation, and pipeline growth across SolarWinds ICPs.


• - Develop and execute short- and long-term SEM growth plans, balancing efficiency (LTV:CAC) with scale.


• - Manage annual and quarterly budget planning, pacing, and forecasting for paid search investment across Google Ads and Microsoft Advertising.


• - Design and implement a comprehensive SEM strategy aligned with SolarWinds’ business goals, ensuring optimal budget utilization.

Campaign Management & Optimization:

• - Oversee campaign structure, keyword strategy, bidding models, and creative optimization across Google Ads and Microsoft Advertising, including hands-on ad copy creation, bid management, and A/B testing.


• - Develop campaigns targeting Top-, Middle-, and Bottom-of-Funnel (TOFU/MOFU/BOFU) audiences, structuring for high-intent keywords at MOFU/BOFU while leveraging SEO-driven terms for TOFU, with a focus on pipeline growth and customer acquisition.


• - Implement testing frameworks (ad copy, landing pages, audiences, match types) to continuously improve CTR, CVR, and pipeline conversion.


• - Drive adoption of value-based bidding (VBB) and audience-first approaches (RLSA, Customer Match, CRM-based targeting), including retargeting and audience segmentation using tools like 6sense and LinkedIn.


• - Ensure strong campaign hygiene, naming conventions, and tracking governance (UTMs, conversion imports, offline events).


• - Work closely with our Private Equity counterparts to ensure we are hitting weekly, monthly and quarterly goals.

Performance Analysis & Attribution:

• - Track and analyze key performance indicators (KPIs) such as CTR, CVR, CPL, and Cost Per Solutioning Dollar to ensure campaigns deliver strong returns.


• - Use advanced analytics tools like Google Analytics 4, Adobe Analytics, and Tableau to provide actionable insights and regular reporting.


• - Partner with Analytics and Data teams to ensure end-to-end visibility into ROI, pipeline contribution, and attribution across campaigns.


• - Leverage Enhanced Conversions for Leads and first-party data to optimize bidding and performance tracking.


• - Deep expertise in SA360 and CM360

Cross-Functional Strategy & Collaboration:

• - Partner with Global Performance Marketing Strategy, Product Marketing, and Regional Leads to localize SEM campaigns for each market’s commercial priorities.


• - Collaborate with Product Marketing and Content to align messaging, creative, and offers with product value propositions.


• - Partner with Lifecycle and Growth Product teams to build cohesive acquisition-to-activation journeys.


• - Work with Finance and RevOps on pacing, forecasting, and ROI analysis to guide data-driven budget allocation.


• - Align with Sales and Regional Marketing to ensure SEM efforts support pipeline coverage and demand generation goals.

Innovation, Governance & Team Enablement:

• - Develop playbooks and best practices across Global campaigns.


• - Partner with platform reps at Google and Microsoft to stay ahead of algorithm updates, betas, and emerging trends.


• - Drive operational excellence through consistent QA, documentation, and performance review cadences.


• - Stay updated on search algorithm changes, trends, and emerging technologies to continually improve campaign efficiency and ROI.

Your Experience:

• - 8+ years of experience in SEM or performance marketing, with proven success driving measurable growth and ROI, including management of multi-million-dollar budgets.


• - Strong expertise managing large-scale, multi-region paid search programs (Google Ads + Microsoft Advertising).


• - Experience optimizing for B2B SaaS pipelines with full-funnel visibility (from lead to closed-won).


• - Hands-on familiarity with Marketo, Looker, SQL, Salesforce, and offline conversion tracking workflows.


• - Demonstrated analytical strength—comfortable with bid modeling, forecasting, and performance attribution.


• - Exceptional leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.

Skills:

• - Advanced knowledge of keyword strategies, bid management, and remarketing techniques. Analytical mindset with proficiency in creating actionable insights from data.


• - Knowledge of Enhanced Conversions for Leads and integration of first-party data for campaign improvements.


• - Expertise in Google Ads, Microsoft Advertising, SEMrush, and advanced analytics tools like Adobe Analytics, Google Analytics 4, SA360 and CM360.


• - Strong understanding of funnel-based campaign structures and audience segmentation.

Education:

• - Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business, Economics, Data Analytics, or a related field (MBA a plus). Google Ads and Microsoft Advertising certifications are preferred.

Preferred Qualifications:

• - Experience building global SEM frameworks that scale across markets.


• - Knowledge of multi-touch attribution (MTA), MMM, or incrementality testing.


• - Exposure to AI-driven ad copy generation or creative automation systems.


• - Familiarity with SEO/SEM alignment strategies to maximize paid–organic synergy.


• - Strong relationships with platform partners (Google, Microsoft) for co-marketing and innovation programs.


• - Multi-lingual, particularly Mandarin or Cantonese.

SolarWinds is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. SolarWinds will consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.

All applications are treated in accordance with the SolarWinds Privacy Notice: https://www.solarwinds.com/applicant-privacy-notice