Associate Director, Paid Search

DEPT®•San Diego, CA

18h•$100,000 - $115,000•Remote

About The Position

As an Associate Director, you are a strategic paid search leader with a proven ability to manage complex SEM accounts from end to end. You excel at developing and executing paid search strategies, building and leading high-performing teams, and translating insights into clear, compelling roadmaps and client-ready presentations. Your leadership combines analytical rigor, creativity, and a strong commitment to performance excellence, ensuring both client success and sustainable growth. As a trusted mentor and collaborator, the Associate Director fosters strong team cohesion and maximizes individual potential through hands-on coaching and thoughtful guidance. You take a deep-dive approach to onboarding and development, helping new team members quickly understand client priorities, business objectives, and technical best practices. In this role, you set the standard for paid search excellence—driving profitability, elevating strategic thinking, and empowering your team to consistently deliver outstanding results.

Requirements

Minimum of 5 years of experience in paid search advertising.
Minimum of 3 years of experience in client facing roles.
Proven track record of managing successful paid search campaigns for enterprise-level accounts.
Proficiency in paid search tools and technologies, including Google Ads, Bing Ads, and analytics platforms.
Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data and provide actionable insights.
Experience leading and managing a team, with a focus on mentorship and professional development.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build strong relationships with clients and internal teams.
Ability to foster a collaborative and high-performing team environment.
Ability to develop and implement strategic paid search plans that align with client objectives and drive business growth.
Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to adapt to changing market conditions and client needs

Responsibilities

Lead channel-specific paid search strategy for complex, multichannel accounts, leveraging deep expertise in paid search, SA360, and DEPT’s broader service offerings to drive client growth across the funnel.
Serve as the day-to-day paid search strategist for the largest and most complex paid media accounts, aligning tactics with client goals, attribution models, and spend levels.
Own the paid search component of client roadmaps, ensuring strategic alignment with client priorities, performance goals, and cross-channel initiatives.
Maintain accountability for paid search budget management, performance delivery, forecasting, and profitability, recommending strategic pivots when needed to meet or exceed KPIs.
Establish, enforce, and evolve paid search processes and best practices, ensuring consistent use of tools such as Asana, Qontrol, and QA checklists across teams.
Partner closely with Client Partners and activation teams to deliver cohesive paid search strategies, contribute and approve paid search content for key client deliverables, and provide strategic consultation throughout deck development.
Act as the primary escalation point for paid search within your portfolio, resolving performance challenges, prioritization conflicts, and team coordination issues to ensure timely execution.
Build, develop, and lead high-performing teams by overseeing onboarding, driving effective delegation, coaching people managers, and fostering inclusive, collaborative team environments.