Associate Director, SEM

WPP Media•Los Angeles, CA

12d•$75,000 - $180,000•Hybrid

About The Position

As an Associate Director, Paid Search, you will be accountable for day-to-day Paid Search operations and serve as the main point of contact for an account. You will provide strategic direction and leadership within the digital group to deliver effective, advanced communication plans. You will manage career paths for supporting Paid Search staff, lead teams across multiple accounts, and maintain strong client relationships. The role includes leading search team workflow and overseeing recommendations, execution details, budgets, accounting, and performance. You will build relationships with the search community, vendors, and Directors; understand clients’ products, marketing objectives, and digital goals; and present regularly to senior clients. You will train and develop Search Managers, Senior Associates, and Associates, and create methodologies to improve operational efficiency. You will also keep senior management informed about client opportunities, risks, and other factors affecting business health. WPP Media describes a hybrid working approach, with teams in the office around four days per week. The position offers a US base salary range of $75,000–$180,000, with individual compensation varying according to job-related factors. Benefits may vary by office or country.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Analytics, Marketing, Communications, or Advertising, or equivalent professional work experience.
5+ years of experience with analytical tools such as Google Analytics, Webtrends, or Omniture, and search engine desktop tools such as Google AdWords Editor or Bing Ads Editor.
Significant client-facing and relationship-management experience.
Prior experience managing a team, with a proven track record of training and developing junior team members.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Exceptional organizational skills, multitasking capabilities, and attention to detail.
Appropriate participation in team, agency, and industry initiatives.

Responsibilities

Lead and own day-to-day search team workflow and oversee search recommendations, execution details, budgets, accounting, and performance.
Develop positive relationships with the search community, vendors, and Directors to support service levels and results.
Understand clients’ products, marketing objectives, and digital goals, and provide insightful, consistent Paid Search recommendations.
Interface with and present to senior clients regularly.
Train, motivate, and develop Search Managers, Senior Associates, and Associates, including helping team members become strategic about Paid Search’s role in the media mix.
Develop and document standard methodologies to improve operational efficiencies within the team and group.
Keep senior management informed about key client opportunities, potential risks, and other factors affecting business health.
Manage supporting staff career paths, teams across multiple accounts, and client relationships.