Senior Manager, Paid Search/Search Engine Marketing

Target • Minneapolis, MN

4d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Media & Integrated Commerce team at Target is at the forefront of driving profitable sales by increasing guest traffic, trips, and engagement across channels. This role involves partnering cross-functionally with marketing, merchandising, analytics, and finance to translate media insights into actions that drive enterprise growth and customer engagement. As a trusted expert in paid performance media, you will influence strategy, guide investment decisions, and shape how Target activates across search platforms. In a fast-paced retail environment, you will also identify and scale innovative capabilities—from emerging channels to AI-driven solutions—ensuring Target remains at the forefront of media excellence and continues to strengthen its connection with guests. As a Senior Manager, Paid Search/Search Engine Marketing, you will lead the strategy, execution, and optimization of Target’s digital media investments across paid search platforms, including Google, Bing, Pinterest, Apple, and OpenAI. In this role, you are accountable not only for campaign performance, but for shaping scalable, full-funnel media strategies that drive new customer acquisition, customer engagement, and measurable outcomes within our Home and A&A businesses. You will oversee day-to-day activation while elevating the team’s approach through advanced optimization frameworks, test-and-learn agendas, and data-driven decisioning. This includes guiding bidding strategies, audience architecture, creative and content planning, and budget allocation to maximize efficiency and impact across channels. You will translate complex data into clear, actionable insights, delivering executive-level reporting and recommendations to key stakeholders. You will also establish and evolve best-in-class processes, ensuring consistency and scalability across campaign setup, trafficking, measurement, and performance pacing. You are expected to stay ahead of the rapidly evolving paid media landscape, proactively identifying emerging trends, platform innovations, and industry shifts, and translating them into forward-looking strategies that advance Target’s enterprise media capabilities. Additionally, you will play a key role in mentoring team members, influencing cross-functional partners, and driving alignment across broader marketing and business objectives.

Requirements

• 4-year degree with relevant business marketing experience or equivalent experience; MBA preferred
• 6+ years paid digital marketing experience; emphasis in paid search retail strategies
• Activation and media strategy experience with paid search and/or social platforms including, but not limited to: Google Ads, Pinterest, Meta Ads, Tiktok, Apple Search Ads, Snapchat, Microsoft Ads
• Detailed knowledge and experience with paid search bid management platforms (i.e. Search Ads 360, Skai, Marin, etc.)
• Intimate knowledge of technical aspects of data configuration, optimization and measurement of paid media campaigns activated to drive enterprise outcomes (i.e. pixels, attribution, CAPI, prospecting vs. retargeting, etc.)
• Experience in the retail style business is preferred
• Outstanding communication and relationship building, uniting teams towards common goals and outcomes
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with an ability to analyze data and effectively story tell
• Highly organized and detail oriented, with a lens towards streamlining and managing multiple projects
• Comfortable navigating through ambiguity with a strong sense of prioritization for action
• Ability to work with all levels of management with a high level of autonomy, motivation, and self-direction, tailoring messages as appropriate

Responsibilities

• Own, define, and evolve the paid search performance media strategy, aligning to enterprise growth objectives and full-funnel outcomes
• Lead end-to-end execution across platforms—from strategic planning and activation through measurement, optimization, and closed-loop reporting
• Drive performance through advanced optimization strategies, including audience design, bidding frameworks, creative strategy, and budget allocation
• Build, manage, and influence strong relationships with internal and external partners, establishing trust, credibility, and accountability
• Influence senior stakeholders and cross-functional partners to evolve media strategies, measurement frameworks, and investment decisions that drive enterprise impact
• Serve as a subject matter expert in paid performance media, bringing forward innovative approaches across search platforms
• Partner cross-functionally with marketing, merchandising, finance, analytics, and product teams to develop integrated strategies that connect external media signals to internal business outcomes
• Champion a culture of inclusivity, connection, and drive while mentoring and developing team members
• Define and lead a robust test-and-learn agenda, identifying and scaling new opportunities to drive incremental performance and unlock new capabilities
• Evaluate, test, and scale AI-driven media solutions (e.g., Performance Max, Demand Gen, AI-powered bidding/creative, emerging platforms) to improve efficiency and business outcomes
• Establish, standardize, and scale best practices, processes, and frameworks to improve consistency, efficiency, and performance across campaigns
• Develop and operationalize multi-channel performance media roadmaps, ensuring alignment with broader marketing strategies and enterprise priorities
• Continuously monitor industry trends, platform changes, and competitive dynamics, translating insights into forward-looking strategies

Benefits

• Comprehensive health benefits and programs, which may include medical, vision, dental, life insurance
• 401(k)
• Employee discount
• Short term disability
• Long term disability
• Paid sick leave
• Paid national holidays
• Paid vacation

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Associate degree