Company Overview
PHD is a global communications planning and media buying agency network delivering smart strategic thinking and creative innovation for the world’s leading brands. Brilliant media thinking is in our DNA. A culture of thought-leadership, creativity and innovation has seen us grow from a challenger agency in the UK, to a global leader with over 6,000 employees in over 100 offices worldwide. We combine the latest industry insight with the best creative minds to produce planning innovation and create award-winning work for some of the world’s largest advertisers. Finding a better way is our ethos and sums up how we approach everything – from a new client brief to the way we work.
Overview
We build culture one hire at a time. Our constant pursuit of a better PHD starts with talking to people like you. Our goal is simple. We want to build great teams; the kind of teams people want to be a part of, and the kind of teams clients can’t live without. Great teams do things individuals could never dream of and they have more fun doing it.
Our thriving paid search team culture is characterized by a blend of collaboration, innovation and shared passion for data-driven marketing. Our individuals feel inspired, supported and empowered to excel in their roles while contributing to the team's overall success. Our search practitioners tap into the Omnicom Search Center of Excellence group to gain access and benefit from the specialized knowledge and resources like: training, development, sharing best practices, access to tools and collaboration.
The Search Team
Our thriving paid search team culture is characterized by a blend of collaboration, innovation and shared passion for data-driven marketing. Our individuals feel inspired, supported and empowered to excel in their roles while contributing to the team's overall success. Our search practitioners tap into the Omnicom Search Center of Excellence group to gain access and benefit from the specialized knowledge and resources like training, development, sharing best practices, access to tools and collaboration.
The Opportunity - Senior Director, Head of Search
As a Paid Search agency leader, the Senior Director, Head of Search is responsible for providing strategic leadership and oversight to the search practice at PHD. This role involves developing thought leadership, representing the agency internally and externally and ensuring effective management of the search program to ensure we are the industry’s leader in Paid Search.
A successful candidate will have great attention to detail and be able to take complete ownership of educating team members and getting tasks completed to bring value to our clients.
The ideal candidate will be process oriented with demonstrated experience in leading an agency practice and implementing new, stronger processes. They ensure team members fully understand the client's business and how market factors impact the business and make recommendations around expanding or adjusting the search program. The Senior Director, Paid Search will foster strong cross-team collaboration with other Paid Search leads to enhance overall culture and team performance. Additionally, the Senior Director, Paid Search should regularly identify and bring opportunities to the client, such as beta tests and industry insights.
Key Responsibilities
- Paid Search Strategic Planning: Develop long-term execution plans that align with client business and agency objectives.
- Implement these plans and track key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure success.
- Paid Search Data Analysis: Demonstrate analytical skills to extract meaningful insights from data.
- Relate these insights back to business goals and identify actionable recommendations.
- Team Leadership: Lead and manage a team of search professionals, assigning tasks, tracking progress, and ensuring consistent workstream execution.
- Provide regular training and mentorship to develop junior team members.
- Client Communication: Effectively present strategic and tactical plans to clients, staff, and internal teams.
- Build strong relationships with clients and maintain open communication.
- Paid Search Financial Management: Oversee forecasting, budgeting, and pacing for search campaigns.
- Ensure efficient allocation of resources and optimize campaign performance within budget constraints.
- Business Acumen: Understand business concepts and client objectives to identify opportunities for campaign expansion and growth.
- Asset Creation: Support the team in the strategic vision of all paid search asset creation with a test/learn/scale mindset.
- Cross Team Collaboration: Working with broader investment / strategic leadership.
- Thought Leadership: Drives best practices in managing platform execution and produces POVs.
- Testing Oversight: Ensure testing plans are implemented across the practice.
- Process Improvement: Identify opportunities to streamline workflows and improve efficiency within the team.
- Escalation Point: Serve as the point of contact for day-to-day issues and challenges.
- Growing existing business: Presenting new ideas and approaches to the client team, including upsell opportunities with 3rd party technology vendors or internal PHD technologies such as Omni or SEO/SEM integration.
- Leadership & strategic direction: As a Senior Director, you will interface with the Omnicom Media Group Center of Excellence to define the most optimal pathway forward for Paid Search teams to effectively execute their buys.
- Case studies: Distributing effective approaches and new tests to the wider internal team.
- Submitting client work for industry awards, shining a spotlight on teams.
- Agency vendor lead: Based on discussions with Google & Bing, the Senior Director will give direction to internal teams to help boost Optiscore and account quality score, adopt new features and betas, and continually innovate their approach to maximize results.
- Comfortable with complexity: Directors are highly familiar with complex Paid Search structures that span multiple accounts and thousands of keywords.
- They can quickly cut through the clutter and make sense of what needs to be prioritized.
Qualifications
- Relevant post-secondary education, training, or equivalent experience.
- 10+ years of relevant Paid Search Experience and 6+ years managing junior team members.
- In-depth understanding of Paid Search campaign management and optimization best practices.
- Strong knowledge/understanding of search in social environments, Generative AI, Pmax and other evolutions of the search practice.
- Hands on keyboard experience with: Google Ads, MSFT Ads.
- Hands on keyboard experience with bid management tools like SA360, SKAI or Marin.
- Hands on keyboard experience with Adobe or Google Analytics.
- Experience troubleshooting site tags.
- Strong analytical skills and ability to leverage data to drive decision-making.
- Be a proactive self-starter who enjoys a fast-paced, results-oriented agency and work environment.
- Experience in multiple AI buying agents such as Google, Bing Performance Max.
- Advance usage of Scripts.
- Be a team player and committed to training, and cross-functional collaboration and communication.
- Have strong program management and organizational skills, being able to manage multiple projects, deadline and priorities with ease.
- Excellent storyteller, both written and verbal.
- Experience leading and managing teams, with a proven ability to develop and mentor talent.
- Test, Learn and Scale mindset.
Preferred Certifications
- Google Ads Search Certification.
- Microsoft Ads Certification.
- Google Search Ads 360 Certification.
- AI Powered Shopping Ads Certification.
- Google Analytics Certification.
- AI Powered Performance Ads.
Compensation Range
This is the pay range the Company believes it will pay for this position at the time of this posting. Consistent with applicable law, compensation will be determined based on relevant experience, other job-related qualifications/skills, and geographic location (to account for comparative cost of living). The Company reserves the right to modify this pay range at any time. For this role, benefits include: health insurance, vision insurance, dental insurance, 401(k), Healthcare Flexible Spending Account, Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account, vacation days, sick days, personal days, paid parental leave, paid medical leave, and STD/LTD insurance benefits.
$180,000—$250,000 USD
This role is hybrid, requiring three (3) days per week in the office. The remaining two (2) days may be worked remotely. Specific in-office days will be discussed during the interview process, with flexibility to align with team needs. Please note that the number or required in-office days may be adjusted over time, potentially increasing the number of required in-office days based on business needs.
Equal Opportunity Employment
PHD is An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status, age or any other federally protected class.
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