Paid Media Director

Marketwake•Atlanta, GA

54d•Hybrid

About The Position

Marketwake is in search of a seasoned, innovative, and strategic Director of Paid Media to lead and elevate our Paid Media department. As a pivotal leader in our growing agency, this individual will oversee the performance, growth, and cohesion of the Paid Media team while also contributing directly to high-impact client accounts. This is a hybrid role that blends strategic leadership, team development, and hands-on campaign execution. The ideal candidate is an expert in digital advertising strategy across Google, Meta, LinkedIn, and emerging platforms - paired with a strong passion for mentoring and scaling high-performing teams. If you're equal parts strategic thinker, tactical executor, and team leader, this role is for you. This role will report directly to the VP of Marketing and work cross-functionally with Account Management, Creative, and Analytics to drive exceptional client outcomes and scale Marketwake’s paid media service offering.

Requirements

Expert-level proficiency with Google Ads, Meta Ads Manager, and other paid platforms (LinkedIn, Microsoft Ads, TikTok, Programmatic, etc.)
Strong experience with reporting platforms like Looker Studio, Google Analytics 4, and Google Tag Manager
Proficient in media forecasting, budget management, and cross-channel strategy development
Advanced Excel/Google Sheets skills for campaign analysis and decision-making
Experience with team leadership, project management tools (Asana, etc.), and marketing tech integrations
Exceptional presentation and storytelling skills to translate data into strategic recommendations
8+ years of experience in digital advertising, with 2+ years in a team leadership or director-level role
Deep experience in both Paid Search and Paid Social required
Agency experience strongly preferred

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business, Communications, or related field preferred
Various Paid Media certifications are a plus

Responsibilities

Own the vision and execution of Marketwake’s paid media department, driving consistent innovation, performance, and collaboration across channels.
Lead, coach, and develop a team of Paid Media Managers and Channel Leads, fostering a culture of growth, accountability, and performance.
Partner with agency leadership to define quarterly and annual goals for the Paid Media department, including revenue, retention, and team KPIs.
Assist in team resourcing, recruitment, onboarding, and performance evaluations to scale a high-functioning department.
Serve as the senior strategic lead on key accounts, developing and communicating holistic paid media strategies that align with broader business objectives.
Attend and lead key client presentations and check-ins as a strategic partner and paid media expert.
Ensure all paid media efforts across Search, Social, etc. and are best-in-class and grounded in performance data.
Maintain a portion of platform work and “hands-on keys” time, especially for new business, key client launches, or high-stakes campaigns.
Provide guidance on campaign architecture, budget allocation, creative testing, and data interpretation.
Support the implementation of new tools, processes, or beta opportunities to keep our offering ahead of industry trends.
Work closely with Account Management, Creative, and Strategy teams to develop integrated strategies that deliver measurable ROI.
Lead cross-functional brainstorms and campaign audits, ensuring media strategy is aligned with messaging and creative direction.