Paid Media Director (Freelance)

Highwire•Washington, DC

About The Position

Highwire is seeking a contract Director, Paid Media to provide strategic leadership across integrated paid media programs for B2B clients. Direct agency experience supporting B2B technology and/or healthcare clients is required. The Director will translate client business priorities into data-driven media strategies that strengthen market positioning and deliver measurable impact, connecting brand awareness, audience engagement, pipeline development, and lead generation. Working across paid media, integrated communications, and demand generation, the Director will advise clients and internal teams, oversee multi-channel programs, guide planning and investment decisions, and strengthen collaboration across functions. The role also includes performance measurement and optimization, client leadership, mentoring and knowledge transfer, and ensuring compliance with applicable privacy regulations and advertising policies. As a contract engagement, the position is focused on delivering immediate strategic value and advancing client priorities throughout the engagement. The position is offered at $115 per hour. Highwire describes its work environment as hybrid or remote depending on the candidate’s location. Candidates near the New York or San Francisco offices follow a hybrid schedule with three in-office days per week; remote hiring is limited to the listed states and Washington, D.C.

Requirements

At least 8 years of experience in digital marketing, paid media, or performance marketing, including developing and leading integrated paid media strategies.
Agency experience working directly with B2B technology and/or healthcare clients.
Experience leading complex, multi-channel paid media programs and translating business objectives into actionable strategies.
Strong expertise across paid search, paid social, programmatic display and video, native advertising, sponsored content, retargeting, and ABM platforms.
Experience developing full-funnel media programs supporting brand awareness, engagement, demand generation, and lead generation.
Strong analytical skills and ability to connect media performance to business outcomes through measurement, testing, and optimization.
Experience advising clients, presenting strategic recommendations, and influencing senior stakeholders.
Experience mentoring team members and providing strategic oversight across multiple client programs.
Strong project management skills and ability to prioritize competing demands in a fast-paced agency environment.
Excellent communication, presentation, and relationship-management skills.
Ability to assess existing programs quickly, identify opportunities, and deliver value within a defined contract engagement.
Strategic, solutions-oriented mindset and interest in media innovation, continuous improvement, and measurable client impact.

Responsibilities

Develop and lead integrated paid media strategies aligned with client business objectives, marketing priorities, and communications programs.
Oversee multi-channel programs spanning paid search, paid social, programmatic display and video, native advertising, sponsored publisher content, retargeting, and ABM platforms.
Guide media planning, audience segmentation, budget allocation, forecasting, and investment recommendations.
Identify emerging platforms, technologies, targeting capabilities, and media opportunities.
Establish best practices for campaign planning, execution, measurement, optimization, and reporting.
Integrate paid media into broader marketing and communications strategies supporting brand awareness, engagement, demand generation, and pipeline growth.
Advise on full-funnel media strategies connecting audience insights, content, messaging, and conversion objectives.
Partner with account leadership and teams across communications, content, digital, and marketing to deliver integrated programs.
Develop strategies to amplify content, reach priority audiences, support ABM initiatives, and accelerate lead generation.
Improve the connection between media performance and downstream outcomes, including lead quality, conversion rates, and pipeline contribution.
Establish measurement frameworks, performance benchmarks, and KPIs aligned with client objectives.
Oversee performance analysis using paid media platforms, Google Analytics, and platform-specific reporting systems.
Translate data into actionable insights, strategic recommendations, and client-facing performance narratives.
Guide testing and experimentation to improve performance and inform media investment decisions.
Lead performance reviews and communicate campaign effectiveness, learnings, and optimization recommendations to client stakeholders.
Serve as a senior strategic partner to clients and lead planning discussions, presentations, and performance reviews.
Partner with account leadership to align media programs with client objectives and account strategies.
Build collaborative relationships across client and internal teams, identify challenges, recommend solutions, and support timely delivery of priorities.
Provide strategic direction, mentorship, and day-to-day guidance to paid media team members as needed.
Support team development in media planning, analytics, client communication, and performance optimization.
Establish processes and recommendations to strengthen campaign execution and operational efficiency.
Share industry insights, platform developments, and best practices, and document strategies and workflows for continuity and knowledge transfer.
Ensure programs comply with data privacy regulations, platform policies, advertising standards, and client requirements.
Apply responsible audience-targeting, consent-based data, and secure personally identifiable information handling practices; advise teams on evolving privacy requirements.