Associate Director, Paid Search and Social

University of Chicago•Chicago, IL

1d•$73,000 - $85,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Associate Director of Paid Search and Social is results-driven, creative individual responsible for developing, executing, and optimizing paid digital advertising campaigns to elevate Chicago Booth's brand presence and drive prospective student engagement. This role requires a strong understanding of both paid search and paid social strategies, with a focus on lead generation. The ideal candidate will be data-driven, collaborative, and proficient in managing campaigns across various platforms. This position is not eligible for employer-sponsored employment authorization.

Requirements

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.
Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 5-7 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree.
Proven experience in digital advertising and PPC campaign management.
Strong analytical skills with proficiency in Google Analytics, Search Ads 360, and other reporting tools.
Proficient in Adobe Analytics.
Understanding of A/B testing, audience segmentation, and conversion rate optimization.
Familiar with CRM platforms, Slate.
Demonstrated success in managing social media advertising platforms and executing effective campaigns.
Develop, execute, and manage multi-channel marketing campaigns.
In-depth understanding of bid strategies, quality score, ad copywriting best practices, and landing page optimization.
Outstanding verbal, written, and presentation skills, as well as organizational skills.
Work independently with little supervision; possess a self-motivated disposition; identify opportunities for improvement and recommend effective changes, all while achieving key objectives resulting in desired outcomes.
Excellent strategic planning, critical thinking, analytical, and persuasion skills.
Manage multiple detailed tasks and projects simultaneously, while meeting strict deadlines and handling frequent interruptions.
Professional demeanor, including tact, discretion, and a customer service-oriented approach.

Responsibilities

Refines and optimizes paid advertising campaigns to maximize lead quality and conversion rates.
Develops and implements a comprehensive paid social media strategy to enhance brand awareness and generate high-quality leads.
Builds, manages, and executes campaigns across diverse social media platforms, including but not limited to Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok.
Oversees an external paid search agency by establishing priorities, evaluating strategic recommendations, reviewing implementation, and ensuring accountability for campaign performance.
Develops, monitors, and optimizes ad performance and landing pages, leveraging A/B testing, audience segmentation, and performance analytics.
Analyzes campaign data, generates insightful reports, and provides actionable recommendations to measure effectiveness, adjust strategies, and maximize ROI.
Collaborates closely with content, creative, and brand teams to develop compelling ad creatives and messaging to optimize ads for an enhanced user experience and improved conversions.
Collaborates with the data analytics, brand, and admissions teams to develop targeting strategies for paid campaigns, including global targeting for paid search and audience-based targeting, such as LinkedIn, and retargeting for paid social.
Collaborates with web development teams to optimize website conversion paths and user experience.
Develops annual paid-media plans, forecasts, budget allocations, and pacing recommendations to ensure investments remain aligned with program and fiscal-year objectives.
Collaborates closely with the admissions team to ensure seamless integration between digital marketing activities and the CRM, including Slate.
Tracks lead progression and analyzes conversion rates across the enrollment funnel.
Stays current with industry trends, emerging ad formats, and platform updates, to continuously improve and innovate digital marketing strategies.
Implements remarketing strategies to nurture leads and improve customer acquisition.
Monitors paid-media spending and budget pacing throughout the fiscal year and coordinates with Finance, Accounting, agencies, and advertising platforms to support invoice processing, reconciliation, and continuity of advertising accounts.
Maintains clear documentation of campaign structures, platform requirements, workflows, and key decisions to support consistent execution and effective cross-team collaboration.
Develops and manages annual paid-media plans across program portfolios and global regions, aligning campaign timing, channel mix, and budget allocation with enrollment and marketing priorities.
Develops, plans, and disseminates information designed to keep the public informed of the organization's programs, accomplishments, or point of view.
Solves moderate to complex problems related to the writing, preparation, and/or delivery of information from or about the unit. Develop and ensure execution of strategies that increase effectiveness of communications; create metrics to drive evaluation of effectiveness.
Performs other related work as needed.