Director of Paid Search (Hybrid)

Chicago, IL (Hybrid)

$140K/yr – $230K/yrDirector/ExecutiveFull time

Posted 4 days ago

Job Summary

Own the end-to-end paid search program in a fast-growing, hybrid setting, guiding multi-product acquisition and retention while coordinating in-house teams and agency partners with a data- and AI-driven approach.

  • Lead hybrid teams and agency partnerships to drive search performance
  • Allocate budgets across products with seasonal demand and forecast impact
  • Leverage Google Ads, Microsoft Advertising, analytics, and AI tools to optimize targeting and measurement

Job Description

Requirements

  • Experience: 10+ years in digital marketing, including significant hands-on paid search experience and time leading search teams
  • Service company context: Background in a conversion-driven service business — financial services, insurance, SaaS, or banking — where the company's success depends on acquiring and retaining customers. Experience in CPG or physical product marketing is not a substitute for this context.
  • People leadership: Experience leading practitioners and managing a hybrid model of in-house teams and agency partners
  • Paid search expertise: Deep, hands-on knowledge of Google Ads and Microsoft Advertising, including bid strategies, automation, AI-driven campaign types, and how they change targeting and control
  • Multi-product experience: Experience managing search across several products or lines with different seasonality, margins, and availability, and allocating budget among them
  • Data & technology: Well-versed in SEM bid management platforms, conversion tracking, and web analytics; strong understanding of the data privacy landscape
  • Measurement: Experience with attribution beyond last click, incrementality testing, and forecasting for products with seasonal or uneven demand
  • Executive communication: Demonstrated ability to present to senior leadership, manage up on performance reads, and incorporate feedback to sharpen strategy
  • AI fluency: Hands-on comfort with AI tools (e.g., Claude, Copilot) and a working view of how AI-driven search is changing ad formats, targeting, and buyer research
  • Operating range: Ability to manage multiple priorities and resources in a fast-paced, growth-oriented organization

Preferred

  • Note: This is a Hybrid role based out of the following Office Locations: Manhattan Bethesda Chicago
  • Experience: 10+ years in digital marketing, including significant hands-on paid search experience and time leading search teams
  • Service company context: Background in a conversion-driven service business — financial services, insurance, SaaS, or banking — where the company's success depends on acquiring and retaining customers. Experience in CPG or physical product marketing is not a substitute for this context.
  • People leadership: Experience leading practitioners and managing a hybrid model of in-house teams and agency partners
  • Paid search expertise: Deep, hands-on knowledge of Google Ads and Microsoft Advertising, including bid strategies, automation, AI-driven campaign types, and how they change targeting and control
  • Multi-product experience: Experience managing search across several products or lines with different seasonality, margins, and availability, and allocating budget among them
  • Data & technology: Well-versed in SEM bid management platforms, conversion tracking, and web analytics; strong understanding of the data privacy landscape
  • Measurement: Experience with attribution beyond last click, incrementality testing, and forecasting for products with seasonal or uneven demand
  • Executive communication: Demonstrated ability to present to senior leadership, manage up on performance reads, and incorporate feedback to sharpen strategy
  • AI fluency: Hands-on comfort with AI tools (e.g., Claude, Copilot) and a working view of how AI-driven search is changing ad formats, targeting, and buyer research

Benefits

  • Great Company: At GEICO, we help our customers through life's twists and turns. Our mission is to protect people when they need it most and we're constantly evolving to stay ahead of their needs. We're an iconic brand that thrives on innovation, exceeding our customers' expectations and enabling our collective success. From day one, you'll take on exciting challenges that help you grow and collaborate with dynamic teams who want to make a positive impact on people's lives.
  • Great Careers: We offer a career where you can learn, grow, and thrive through personalized development programs, created with your career — and your potential — in mind. You'll have access to industry leading training, certification, career mentorship and coaching with supportive leaders at all levels.
  • Great Culture: We foster an inclusive culture of shared success, rooted in integrity, a bias for action, and a winning mindset. Grounded by our core values, we have an established culture of caring, inclusion, and belonging that values different perspectives.
  • Great Rewards: We offer compensation and benefits built to enhance your physical well-being, mental and emotional health, and financial future — including market-competitive compensation, a 401K savings plan vested from day one with a 6% match, performance and recognition-based incentives, tuition assistance, mental healthcare, fertility and adoption assistance, and the GEICO Flex program offering up to four weeks of remote work per year.
GEICO logo

GEICO

GEICO (Government Employees Insurance Company) offers a variety of insurance such as vehicle, property, business, life, umbrella, travel, pet, jewelry and more. The company, which was founded in 1936, is the third-largest auto insurer in the United States and insures vehicles in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. GEICO, a member of the Berkshire Hathaway family of companies, constantly strives to make lives better by protecting people against unexpected events while saving them money and providing an outstanding customer experience. Visit geico.com to learn more ▪️ Building a Diverse Workforce ▪️We are building a diverse and inclusive workforce. GEICO is dedicated to fostering a workplace where everyone feels valued, respected and supported. Our company is focused on building a diverse workforce through a culture of intentional inclusion. ▪️ Supporting Our Communities ▪️Our commitment to being an engaged and involved corporate citizen is important to us. We work with supportive partners across the country that help us provide resources for people in need. Authenticity and inclusiveness are paramount as we give back to our communities. ▪️GEICO Cares ▪️ Our employees can make a big impact by participating in company-wide social impact programs such as Giving Back Together and FastPitch. They can also volunteer with local and national organizations such as Shoes That Fit, Reading is Fundamental, and more. To learn more, visit GEICO in the Community. GEICO Has Office Locations In: Regional offices: •Buffalo, New York •Dallas, Texas •Fredericksburg, Virginia •Indianapolis, Indiana •Lakeland, Florida •Macon, Georgia •San Diego, California •Tucson, Arizona •Virginia Beach, Virginia •Woodbury, New York Service centers: •Honolulu, Hawaii •Kansas City, Kansas •Iowa City, Iowa Claims centers: •Houston, Texas •Marlton, New Jersey •Seattle, Washington Headquarters Chevy Chase, MD

Founded in 1936
Chevy Chase, Maryland, USA
31K employees (459 in marketing)

Salaries

Posted range

$140K/yr – $230K/yr

Taken straight from the job posting.

Paid Search median pay in the United States

$90K/yr

Most pay falls between $73K and $110K. Based on 1,215 salaries.

See all GEICO salaries

Traffic Signals

Monthly Visitors
13.1M
Traffic Source Mix
Search
31.3%
Direct
62.4%
Referral
4.3%
Social
0.2%
Paid
1.7%

Headcount Trend

Current headcount: ~31K
GEICO logo

Director of Paid Search (Hybrid)

GEICO · Chicago, IL · Hybrid