Associate Media Director - Paid Search & Soci

Location: Minneapolis, MN

Job Type: Exempt

Reports to: Director of Media & Communications Strategy

Overview: We are seeking a strategic, performance-driven Associate Media Director to lead the development and execution of paid search and paid social programs. This role blends high-level strategic leadership with deep channel expertise, driving measurable business outcomes while fostering innovation and team growth. The ideal candidate is both a forward-thinking strategist and a hands-on expert, with a strong command of performance marketing platforms and a passion for translating data into impactful media strategies. Experience across industries such as retail, CPG, travel, pet, and sports & entertainment is highly valued, though not required.

Responsibilities: Strategic Leadership & Planning Lead the development of integrated paid search and paid social strategies aligned to client business goals and KPIs Translate marketing objectives into full-funnel media approaches, including audience strategy, channel mix, and investment allocation Identify opportunities for growth through testing roadmaps, emerging platforms, and innovative activation strategies Collaborate cross-functionally with analytics, creative, SEO, and broader media teams to deliver cohesive, insight-driven strategies Campaign Execution & Performance Optimization Oversee the execution, management, and optimization of campaigns across platforms including Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, Meta, LinkedIn, TikTok, and others Ensure campaigns are structured for scalability, efficiency, and sustained performance Provide guidance on bidding strategies, audience segmentation, creative testing, and conversion tracking best practices Maintain a strong focus on performance metrics such as ROAS, CPA, CTR, and conversion rate Lead, mentor, and develop a team of media managers and specialists, fostering a high-performance culture Provide clear direction, constructive feedback, and ongoing coaching to support career growth Establish and uphold best practices, ensuring consistency and quality across all accounts Client Partnership & Communication Serve as a senior strategic partner to clients, building trusted, long-term relationships Present strategies, performance insights, and recommendations with clarity and confidence Translate complex data into actionable insights for both technical and non-technical stakeholders Proactively identify opportunities to drive incremental growth and innovation Data, Measurement & Insights Oversee reporting frameworks to ensure accuracy, transparency, and actionable insights Analyze performance data to inform optimizations and future strategy Partner with analytics teams on attribution models, tracking infrastructure, and measurement solutions Leverage insights to guide budget allocation and forecasting Innovation & Thought Leadership Stay ahead of industry trends, platform updates, and emerging technologies Champion the adoption of new tools, automation, and beta opportunities Contribute to internal knowledge sharing and continuous process improvement

Qualifications: 6–10+ years of experience in digital media, with deep expertise in paid search and paid social Proven success managing large-scale, multi-channel campaigns and budgets Strong platform expertise Demonstrated experience leading and developing high-performing teams Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and strategic thinking skills Strong communication and presentation abilities, with client-facing experience preferred Agency experience strongly preferred Experience across industries such as retail, CPG, travel, pet, and sports & entertainment is highly valued, but not required Familiarity with advanced attribution models, measurement frameworks and Looker Studio Understanding of the broader digital ecosystem, including GEO, SEO and CRO What we expect of each other Embrace our company values by seeing challenges as opportunities, welcoming diverse ideas and perspectives, creating new futures, and celebrating our successes. Build and maintain positive relationships with clients and colleagues. Accept direction openly and demonstrate a willingness to grow and learn. Take pride in our work by meeting deadlines and holding ourselves accountable. Bring a positive, solution-oriented attitude to the office each day. Mentor and support the growth of teammates who can benefit from our experience and perspective.