Associate Director, Digital Paid Media

UnitedHealth Group•St. Louis, MO

13h•$112,700 - $193,200•Remote

About The Position

The Associate Director of Digital Paid Media leads planning, processes, performance analysis, and opportunity identification across UnitedHealthcare’s integrated paid digital media programs. The role translates business and marketing objectives into actionable media plans spanning paid search, paid social, programmatic display, online video, connected TV (CTV), native, and affiliate marketing. Working with the Senior Director of Digital Media, Digital Channel Leads, channel managers, specialists, analytics and measurement teams, and external media partners, this position connects channel strategies, promotes consistent planning and operating processes, and identifies opportunities to improve performance and efficiency. The role calls for broad digital media expertise, business acumen, analytical thinking, and the ability to influence a highly matrixed organization. It leads planning, evaluates performance and investment across the media portfolio, manages complex initiatives, and communicates recommendations to marketing and business leaders. The position may be performed remotely from anywhere within the United States. Remote employees must follow UnitedHealth Group’s Telecommuter Policy. The listed annual salary range is $112,700 to $193,200 for full-time employment, with pay dependent on factors including local labor markets, education, work experience, and certifications. Benefits and incentives are subject to eligibility requirements. Candidates must pass a drug test before beginning employment.

Requirements

At least 7 years of experience in digital media, digital marketing, or advertising.
Experience developing and managing integrated paid media programs.
Demonstrated experience across multiple digital paid media channels, including paid search, paid social, programmatic display, online video, CTV, and/or affiliate marketing.
Experience developing integrated digital media strategies and plans that connect business objectives, audiences, channels, investment, measurement, and optimization.
Solid understanding of performance media strategy and the digital advertising ecosystem, including brand, acquisition, engagement, conversion, media buying platforms, audience and data platforms, ad serving, brand safety, verification, and privacy considerations.
Demonstrated experience analyzing media and marketing performance data and applying measurement, attribution, testing, and optimization approaches to develop business and investment recommendations.
Experience managing digital media budgets, forecasting, pacing, and investment planning across multiple channels.
Advanced analytical, problem-solving, organizational, and project management skills.
Advanced proficiency with Excel and PowerPoint.

Nice To Haves

Experience in healthcare, financial services, insurance, or another highly regulated industry.
Experience in an in-house digital media organization and managing relationships with agencies, platforms, publishers, affiliates, technology providers, and other external media partners.
Experience with digital advertising, data, and measurement technologies such as DSPs, Campaign Manager, Adobe Analytics, LiveRamp, DoubleVerify, FreshPaint, Invoca, DOMO, Tableau, or similar platforms.
Experience with advanced measurement approaches, including incrementality, attribution, media mix modeling, experimentation, and full-funnel measurement, and with first-party data and audience strategies in digital media.
Experience using automation and AI-enabled tools to improve digital media planning, activation, optimization, measurement, analysis, or operational efficiency.
Demonstrated ability to lead complex processes and initiatives through collaboration and influence within a highly matrixed organization.
Effective communication and presentation skills, including the ability to synthesize complex digital media concepts and performance data into clear recommendations for business and marketing leaders.

Responsibilities

Lead integrated paid digital media planning across paid search, paid social, programmatic display, video, CTV, native, and affiliate marketing, aligned with business and marketing objectives.
Translate marketing and paid media strategies into actionable plans, investment approaches, testing priorities, measurement frameworks, and optimization opportunities.
Partner with Digital Channel Leads and paid media channel leads to align channel plans, priorities, performance, and opportunities; collaborate with internal stakeholders, agencies, platforms, publishers, and technology partners as needed.
Evaluate cross-channel performance and recommend ways to improve media effectiveness, efficiency, consumer acquisition, engagement, and return on media investment.
Partner with analytics, measurement, data, and technology teams to advance campaign measurement, attribution, incrementality, and audience strategy.
Lead paid media budget and forecasting processes, including investment planning, pacing, and financial management; work with channel leads to monitor investment against goals and recommend adjustments.
Identify opportunities to improve media performance and capabilities through channel learnings, innovative technologies, data sources, automation, AI-enabled solutions, and industry best practices.
Develop and improve paid media processes, governance, documentation, and quality controls to support consistent and scalable planning and execution.
Synthesize and present paid media performance, insights, opportunities, risks, and recommendations to the Senior Director of Digital Media, marketing leaders, and cross-functional stakeholders.
Monitor developments in digital advertising, including platforms, consumer behavior, privacy, measurement, data, technology, brand safety, and regulation, and assess their impact on paid media programs.