Associate Director, Paid Search

Responsibilities

• Own and drive the overarching paid search strategy across a portfolio of high-growth U.S. brands, ensuring alignment between media investment, search demand, creative output, and business objectives.
• Serve as the point of contact for senior client stakeholders, presenting quarterly business reviews, growth roadmaps, and performance forecasts to CMOs and marketing leadership.
• Partner with the Managing Director to define team OKRs, capacity planning, and service delivery standards across the Paid Search practice.
• Champion Darkroom’s paid search point of view, staying ahead of auction dynamics, bidding and algorithm changes, and the evolution of AI search products to inform both client strategy and internal best practices.
• Lead the development of annual and quarterly paid search plans, including budget allocation, channel mix across traditional search, YouTube, and AI search, keyword and audience strategy, and creative roadmaps.
• Oversee campaign architecture, bidding strategy, optimization frameworks, and testing methodologies across key paid media accounts with aggregate monthly spends ranging from $500K to $5M+.
• Drive best-in-class performance across Google, YouTube, Bing, App Install, and emerging AI search platforms (Koah, Kontext, and others as they launch ad products), with deep mastery of the paid search auction, bid systems, and market dynamics to convert customers at the lowest possible cost for the brand.
• Set the standard for real-time, proactive, and reactionary ad-buying decisions in response to up-or-down trends on ad platforms, staying close enough to the accounts to lead by example.
• Pioneer innovative paid search strategies that blend traditional search, YouTube, and emerging AI search, piloting new platforms as AI search products evolve.
• Establish and enforce rigorous KPI frameworks (CPA, CAC, iROAS, nCAC, MER, aMER, CTR, and CPM), ensuring data-driven decision-making at every level.

Requirements

• 7+ years of paid media advertising experience, with at least 5+ years specializing in Paid Search and Google in particular.
• 5+ years managing paid search advertising for high-growth consumer brands with aggregate monthly spends of $1M+ across a portfolio.
• Demonstrated experience leading and developing a team of 3+ paid media practitioners in a fast-paced agency or in-house environment.
• Proven track record of scaling Google ad accounts beyond $1M USD/month while maintaining or improving efficiency metrics.
• Executive-level client management skills: ability to build trust with CMOs and senior marketing leaders, present strategic recommendations with confidence, and navigate complex stakeholder dynamics.
• Expert-level command of Google Ads and deep familiarity with YouTube, Microsoft Advertising (Bing), and the emerging AI search ad ecosystem.
• Mastery of the e-commerce marketing funnel, from offer to ad to landing page to conversion.
• Mastery of e-commerce performance metrics (CPA, CAC, iROAS, nCAC, MER, aMER, CTR, CPM) and the ability to translate these into clear client-facing narratives.
• Expertise in developing, testing, and optimizing ad copy and short-form video creative, from concept briefing to performance analysis.
• Strong background in data-derived decision-making, budget forecasting, and spend projection modeling.

Benefits

• Unlimited PTO + US holidays: Rebooting is part of the work. Take the time you need to stay sharp.
• Remote-First Culture: Many roles are fully remote. Employees based in or near our New York or Lisbon HQs are expected to work hybrid with weekly in-office time. Hub locations include Brazil and Spain.
• Health & Wellness: Company-sponsored medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• Finances, growth, and retirement: Darkroom offers a robust 401(k) program with company match and profit-sharing opportunities to help you save and grow as the company grows.
• Parental Leave: Flexible parental leave to support new parents during this important transition.
• Growth: Our interdisciplinary model gives every Darkroomer exposure far beyond their core role. Grow your skills, expand your influence, and stay at the forefront of the industry.