Senior Manager, Paid Search
OVERVIEW
McGarrah Jessee is looking for a Senior Manager, Paid Search — someone who doesn’t just manage keywords and bids, but architects how search drives full-funnel retail growth in a world where discovery is being rewritten in real time.
This role sits at the intersection of performance marketing, retail strategy, data and emerging AI-driven discovery — translating business ambition into search ecosystems that capture demand, create demand and defend against it being intercepted upstream.
You’ll lead SEM for a major national retail brand, overseeing a multimillion dollar monthly investment while partnering directly with senior client leadership to connect business priorities to platform execution.
This is not a “manage the account” role. This is a shape how search works in a post-search world role.
This role sits at the intersection of performance marketing, retail strategy, data and emerging AI-driven discovery — translating business ambition into search ecosystems that capture demand, create demand and defend against it being intercepted upstream.
You’ll lead SEM for a major national retail brand, overseeing a multimillion dollar monthly investment while partnering directly with senior client leadership to connect business priorities to platform execution.
This is not a “manage the account” role. This is a shape how search works in a post-search world role.
WHAT YOU’LL LEAD
SEARCH STRATEGY AND GROWTH PLANNING
- Own the full-funnel role of search across the retail business — from demand capture to demand creation to demand defense.
- Translate merchandising priorities, seasonal moments and inventory realities into search strategy.
- Define how search shows up across key retail moments — from everyday intent to peak events to cultural spikes.
- Architect how search integrates with broader media, retail media networks and owned channels.
STRATEGIC ACCOUNT LEADERSHIP
- Drive the Roadmap: Own the holistic SEM strategy for a major retail account, aligning paid search efforts with the client’s seasonal calendar, merchandising priorities and inventory fluctuations.
- Client Partnership: Act as the primary point of contact for the client’s marketing team. Translate complex campaign data into clear, business-centric narratives for VP+ level audiences.
- Budget Stewardship: Direct the allocation of monthly budgets exceeding $1MM, ensuring agile fund movement to capture demand during peak sales events.
EXECUTION, INNOVATION & AI
- Omnichannel Growth: Develop strategies that simultaneously drive online ROAS and local store visits, utilizing the full suite of search products (Performance Max, Shopping, Local Inventory Ads, YouTube and Demand Gen).
- AI & Automation: Lead the agency’s adoption of scripts and AI tools to automate bidding, streamline reporting, and visualize data. You will test new workflows to optimize output and create efficiencies.
- Data-Driven Optimization: Move beyond basic metrics. Analyze full-funnel performance (from impression to conversion) to provide actionable insights that inform not just bids, but creative and landing page decisions.
TEAM MANAGEMENT & COLLABORATION
- Mentorship: Manage and mentor a team of SEM Managers and Specialists. Foster a culture of rigorous QA, testing and continuous professional development.
- Cross-Channel Integration: Collaborate with the client’s internal and external partners (SEO, Affiliate, Display) to ensure a unified market presence and consistent messaging.
EXPERIENCE & BACKGROUND
- 7+ years of paid search experience, with a background in high-volume B2C campaigns.
- 2+ years of management experience with at least two direct reports.
- Budget Scale: Proven track record of directly managing monthly ad spends of $1MM+.
- Bachelor’s degree in marketing, business or analytics, or equivalent experience.
TECHNICAL MASTERY
- Deep Platform Knowledge: Expert-level proficiency in Google Ads (Search, Shopping, PMax), Microsoft Ads, and SA360 (or similar enterprise tools).
- Analytics & Reporting: Advanced proficiency in GA4 or Adobe Analytics and Excel/Google Sheets. Experience with visualization tools like Power BI, Looker Studio or Tableau is highly preferred.
- Automation Fluency: Comfort with script adoption and using AI for reporting insights. Willingness to embrace new technology to solve old problems.
SOFT SKILLS & ATTRIBUTES
- Retail Acumen: You understand retail math (margins, inventory turn, seasonality) and how digital marketing impacts the bottom line.
- Clear Communicator: You can explain complex SEM concepts to non-technical stakeholders without getting lost in the jargon.
- Detail-Oriented: You have a "zero-defect" mentality regarding campaign setup, budget pacing, and QA.
WHY THIS ROLE?
- Impact: You will be guiding the strategy for a household brand name, where your decisions have an immediate, measurable impact on revenue.
- Innovation: We are looking for a changemaker who wants to push the boundaries of what is possible with AI and automation in paid search.
- Culture: Join a team that values autonomy, smart collaboration and a people-first approach to agency life.
This is a remote position.
Apply Now