Responsibilities

• Own and deliver Whitbread's paid search strategy, ensuring activity aligns with commercial objectives and delivers maximum return on investment.
• Manage and optimise an annual paid search budget, providing forecasting, performance monitoring and recommendations to maximise value.
• Lead the execution and optimisation of campaigns across Paid Search, Performance Max, AI Max and other search advertising platforms.
• Act as the primary relationship owner for agency partners and key platform providers including Google and Microsoft.
• Identify opportunities for innovation, automation and channel growth, staying ahead of industry trends and developments in AI-powered search marketing.
• Work closely with marketing technology, data and technical teams to enhance channel capabilities, measurement and reporting.
• Develop reporting frameworks, dashboards and performance insights to support decision making and communicate results to senior stakeholders.
• Lead, coach and develop a Senior Paid Search Executive, fostering a high-performing and collaborative team culture.

Requirements

• Proven experience managing large-scale paid search programmes within a B2C environment.
• Strong expertise across Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, Performance Max and wider paid search channels.
• Experience managing significant paid media budgets, ideally £10m+.
• Strong commercial acumen with experience forecasting, managing spend and delivering ROI.
• Demonstrable experience leading agency relationships and managing external partners.
• Experience working within large, complex organisations with established governance, processes and stakeholder groups.
• Excellent analytical skills, with the ability to interpret large datasets and translate insights into actionable recommendations.
• Strong stakeholder management skills with experience presenting to and influencing senior leaders.
• Previous experience managing and developing direct reports.
• Strong understanding of attribution, measurement and performance reporting frameworks.

Preferred

• Experience within hospitality, travel, aviation, rail, cruise or a large eCommerce environment would be highly advantageous.
• A passion for digital marketing trends, innovation and the growing role of AI within search marketing.

Benefits

• Bonus up to 20%
• Up to 10% contributory pension
• Up to 60% off Premier Inn and Hub stays
• Individual and company-wide performance incentives
• Discounts and cashback from a wide range of retailers and leisure providers
• Excellent development opportunities within one of the UK's leading hospitality businesses