Director, Paid Media (Hybrid)

Weedmaps•Austin, TX

6d•$160,000 - $184,080•Hybrid

About The Position

Director, Paid Media (Hybrid) Overview: Weedmaps is seeking a Director of Paid Media to lead our full-funnel paid media strategy across both performance and brand channels. This role will own media planning, buying, optimization, and measurement across digital and offline channels, while building and developing a high-performing paid media team. The Director of Paid Media will architect a scalable, data-driven paid media engine that balances near-term performance with long-term brand impact. This is a highly cross-functional leadership role, partnering closely with Creative, Brand Marketing, Finance, Data, Engineering, Marketing Operations, Field Marketing, and Events to deliver integrated, measurable growth. The impact you'll make: Recruit, manage, and develop a high-performing paid media team across performance and brand disciplines. Establish clear roles, operating rhythms, goals, and expectations to support scale and accountability. Coach team members on strategy, execution, measurement, and effective cross-functional collaboration. Foster a culture of rigor, experimentation, ownership, and continuous improvement. Own Paid Media Strategy & Vision Define and lead Weedmaps' paid media strategy across performance and brand channels, ensuring alignment with company growth goals and brand objectives. Build an integrated, full-funnel media approach that balances acquisition efficiency with sustained brand investment. Establish a clear point of view on channel mix, investment strategy, experimentation, and measurement frameworks. Lead Planning, Buying & Optimization Oversee media planning and execution across channels including paid search, paid social, display, mobile app acquisition, video, audio, influencer, and offline channels such as out-of-home (OOH) and streaming. Own budget allocation, pacing, and optimization to maximize ROI while supporting long-term brand health. Drive a strong test-and-learn culture with clear hypotheses, structured experimentation, and insights that inform future investment decisions. Measurement, Reporting & Insights Partner with Data, Marketing Operations, and Analytics to define and evolve paid media measurement frameworks, including attribution, incrementality, and channel-level performance. Ensure consistent, actionable reporting that supports executive decision-making and investment tradeoffs. Translate complex performance data into clear insights, recommendations, and strategic narratives. Cross-Functional Collaboration Work closely with Creative and Brand teams to improve asset strategy, channel fit, and creative testing frameworks. Partner with Finance on forecasting, budget management, and performance reviews. Collaborate with Engineering, Data, and Marketing Operations to ensure the tooling, infrastructure, and integrations needed to support paid media at scale. Align with Field Marketing and Events to integrate paid media into regional, experiential, and tentpole initiatives. Vendor & Partner Management Own relationships with media platforms, vendors, and agency partners, setting clear performance expectations and operating standards. Determine when to leverage in-house execution versus agency support to optimize effectiveness and efficiency. Partner with Lifecycle Marketing to ensure seamless coordination between paid and owned channels for a cohesive customer journey.

Requirements

10+ years of experience in paid media, growth marketing, or media leadership roles.
5+ years of people management experience, including hiring and developing high-performing teams.
Deep experience across performance and brand media channels, including digital and offline.
Strong understanding of attribution, incrementality, experimentation, and media measurement methodologies.
Experience managing large media budgets and making data-informed investment decisions.
Advanced proficiency in data analysis with comfort partnering closely with data and analytics teams.

Nice To Haves

Experience leading paid media functions in highly regulated industries (e.g., cannabis, alcohol, fintech, healthcare, or other compliance-driven categories).
Background managing both in-house teams and agency partners, with a clear point of view on when and how to leverage each model.
Hands-on experience with mobile app marketing, including app install, re-engagement, and app-centric measurement frameworks.
Familiarity with modern marketing technology stacks and attribution tools (e.g., MMPs, analytics platforms, experimentation tools).
Strong understanding of full-funnel measurement, including incrementality testing, lift studies, and media mix modeling.
Experience integrating paid media with lifecycle marketing, CRM, field marketing, and events.
Proven ability to operate in fast-paced, high-growth environments and adapt strategy as business priorities evolve.
Experience presenting performance insights and investment recommendations to executive leadership.

Responsibilities

Recruit, manage, and develop a high-performing paid media team across performance and brand disciplines.
Establish clear roles, operating rhythms, goals, and expectations to support scale and accountability.
Coach team members on strategy, execution, measurement, and effective cross-functional collaboration.
Foster a culture of rigor, experimentation, ownership, and continuous improvement.
Define and lead Weedmaps' paid media strategy across performance and brand channels, ensuring alignment with company growth goals and brand objectives.
Build an integrated, full-funnel media approach that balances acquisition efficiency with sustained brand investment.
Establish a clear point of view on channel mix, investment strategy, experimentation, and measurement frameworks.
Oversee media planning and execution across channels including paid search, paid social, display, mobile app acquisition, video, audio, influencer, and offline channels such as out-of-home (OOH) and streaming.
Own budget allocation, pacing, and optimization to maximize ROI while supporting long-term brand health.
Drive a strong test-and-learn culture with clear hypotheses, structured experimentation, and insights that inform future investment decisions.
Partner with Data, Marketing Operations, and Analytics to define and evolve paid media measurement frameworks, including attribution, incrementality, and channel-level performance.
Ensure consistent, actionable reporting that supports executive decision-making and investment tradeoffs.
Translate complex performance data into clear insights, recommendations, and strategic narratives.
Work closely with Creative and Brand teams to improve asset strategy, channel fit, and creative testing frameworks.
Partner with Finance on forecasting, budget management, and performance reviews.
Collaborate with Engineering, Data, and Marketing Operations to ensure the tooling, infrastructure, and integrations needed to support paid media at scale.
Align with Field Marketing and Events to integrate paid media into regional, experiential, and tentpole initiatives.
Own relationships with media platforms, vendors, and agency partners, setting clear performance expectations and operating standards.
Determine when to leverage in-house execution versus agency support to optimize effectiveness and efficiency.
Partner with Lifecycle Marketing to ensure seamless coordination between paid and owned channels for a cohesive customer journey.

Benefits

Physical Health (Medical, Dental & Vision)
100% employer-paid premium for employees
Up to 80% coverage for dependents
Company HSA contribution with the High Deductible Health Plan
401(k) Retirement Plan (employer will match contribution up to 3.5% of employee contribution)
Basic Life, Voluntary Life and AD&D Insurance options
Supplemental, voluntary benefits
Student Loan Repayment/529 Education Savings with a monthly company contribution
FSA (Medical, Dependent, Transit and Parking)
Voluntary Life and AD&D Insurance
Critical Illness Insurance
Accident Insurance
Short- and Long-term Disability Insurance
Pet Insurance
Identity theft protection
Legal access to a network of attorneys
PTO, paid sick leave, and company holidays (including a 2026 holiday shutdown)
Paid parental leave