Paid Media Specialist

Proactive Recruitment; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 200,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading hospitality marketing firm in Cape Town seeks a Paid Media Specialist to manage and optimize paid media campaigns for hotels and resorts. The ideal candidate will drive direct bookings and reduce reliance on OTA through strategic planning and execution on platforms like Google Ads and social media. Strong analytical skills and collaboration with creative teams are essential for success in this role.

Qualifications

• Results-driven digital marketer with proven experience in managing paid media campaigns.
• Strong analytical skills to monitor and optimize campaign performance.
• Experience in collaborating with creative and social media teams.

Responsibilities

• Develop integrated paid media strategies for various platforms.
• Plan, build, and manage PPC and paid social campaigns.
• Monitor daily performance and conduct A/B testing.

Skills

Digital marketing

Paid media campaign management

A/B and multivariate testing

Budget management

Creative collaboration

Tools

Google Ads

Meta (Facebook & Instagram)

LinkedIn

TripAdvisor

Booking.com

Expedia

Job description

About the Role

Proactive Recruitment is delighted to be hiring a Paid Media Specialist for our client, a leading hospitality sales and marketing company based in Durbanville, Cape Town.

We are looking for a results-driven digital marketer who can build, manage, and optimise paid media campaigns that drive direct bookings, reduce OTA reliance, and deliver strong ROI for our hospitality clients.

This is an exciting opportunity to work with a dynamic portfolio of hotels, lodges, and resorts across Africa.

Key Responsibilities

• Campaign Strategy & Planning
  • Develop integrated paid media strategies across Google Ads, Meta (Facebook & Instagram), LinkedIn, and hospitality-specific platforms (TripAdvisor, Booking.com, Expedia).
  • Align campaign plans with client objectives, seasonal promotions, and direct booking growth goals.
• Execution & Optimisation
  • Plan, build, and manage PPC, display, retargeting, and paid social campaigns.
  • Monitor daily campaign performance and make adjustments to meet KPIs.
  • Conduct A/B and multivariate testing on ad creative, copy, and targeting strategies.
• Creative & Content Collaboration
  • Work closely with the social media and Creative teams to produce compelling ad copy, visuals, and landing pages.
  • Ensure paid content complements organic strategies.
• Cross-Department Collaboration
  • Partner with the Sales and OTA teams to align campaigns with promotions, rate strategies, and distribution goals.
  • Act as the central link between internal departments to ensure cohesive campaign delivery.
• Budget Ownership
  • Manage campaign budgets, ensuring efficient allocation of spend and maximum ROI.
  • Track and justify investment in paid channels through reporting.
• Reporting & Insights
  • Prepare and deliver monthly performance reports, focusing on ROI, direct bookings, and OTA reliance reduction.
  • Present results and recommendations to clients and internal stakeholders in a clear, business-focused manner.
• Innovation & Market Awareness
  • Stay up to date with industry trends, algorithm changes, and competitive activity.
  • Introduce new tools, tactics, and platforms that can benefit clients.

General

• Travel to visit new and existing clients as required.
• Ensure all client folders are up-to-date and aligned with the Proactive Standard.
• Keep abreast of industry developments and apply best practices to areas of improvement.
• Evaluate Proactive standards and implement constructive adjustments to maintain industry leadership.
• Maintain an orderly workflow according to priorities.
• Discuss potential leads and opportunities that could develop into future business for both the properties and Proactive.
• Identify and report any potential risk factors that may impact revenue to PHS or the client.
• Update Monday.com client boards with relevant information; ensure My Work is maintained.