About the Role
The AVP - Performance Marketing (Paid Media) is a senior strategic leader owning the paid media charter across a portfolio of key client accounts. This role involves setting account-level strategy, owning P&L-linked performance outcomes, building and scaling a high-performing team, and acting as the primary strategic point of contact for senior client stakeholders. You will shape agency-wide paid media practice, identify new business opportunities, and represent the paid media function in critical client and platform-partner conversations.
Key Responsibilities
- Own the strategic direction and performance outcomes for a portfolio of paid search/paid media accounts, ensuring alignment with client business goals and revenue targets.
- Serve as the senior strategic point of contact for client leadership, driving trust, retention, and expansion at the relationship level.
- Lead quarterly/annual business reviews with senior client stakeholders, translating performance data into business-level strategic recommendations.
- Build, mentor, and manage a team of Performance Marketing Managers, Associates, and Senior Associates — driving capability building, performance management, and career development.
- Define and institutionalize account strategy frameworks, playbooks, and best practices across the paid media function.
- Own P&L accountability for assigned accounts, including budget efficiency, forecasting, and margin management.
- Drive cross-account and cross-channel growth by identifying whitespace within existing clients and partnering with leadership on new business pitches.
- Build and maintain strategic relationships with platform partners (Google, Meta, Bing, SA360) to secure early access to betas, features, and co-marketing opportunities.
- Set benchmarks for campaign performance, reporting rigor, and QA standards across the team's accounts.
- Partner cross-functionally with SEO, Creative, Marketing Technology, and Client Servicing leads to drive integrated account strategies.
- Represent the paid media practice in leadership forums, contributing to agency-level strategy and process improvement.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Data Analytics, Business, or a related field; MBA preferred.
- 5+ years of progressive experience in paid search/performance marketing, with prior team leadership or account ownership experience.
- Strong command of Search Engine Marketing (SEM) principles, with proven success managing complex, multi-account portfolios.
- Advanced, hands-on expertise across Google Ads, SA360, Bing Ads, and META, with a track record of scaling budgets and improving efficiency.
- Strong proficiency in web analytics platforms (Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics) and ability to translate data into strategic narratives for senior stakeholders.
- Demonstrated experience managing and developing teams (people management, not just campaign management).
- Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint) for executive-level reporting and presentations.
- SA360 certification highly desirable; Google Ads/Analytics certifications preferred.
Benefits & Perks
- Direct, close collaboration with founding/senior leadership on strategic decisions.
- Significant growth potential — positioned as a leadership track role within an expanding core team.
- Ownership of a portfolio with visible P&L and business impact.
- Culture of driven, professional, innovative thinkers encouraged to challenge the status quo.
Hiring Process
- Stage 1: Apply and submit the application form
- Stage 2: Attempt AI interview (15 min)
- Stage 3: Interview 1
- Stage 4: Interview 2
- Stage 5: Interview 3