Responsibilities

• Owns end-to-end paid search strategy for Strayer University, translating enrollment and revenue targets into channel goals, budget allocation, and bid strategy across brand and non-brand
• Accountable for a multi-million dollar annual paid search budget, including forecast development, in-quarter pacing, reallocation decisions, and defending spend and performance recommendations to Media Strategy, Finance, and business leadership
• Owns the multi-quarter paid search roadmap and test-and-learn agenda; prioritizes initiatives based on enrollment impact rather than channel-level efficiency alone
• Makes and defends independent channel decisions within approved budget and performance guardrails; escalates to the Director only where decisions carry cross-brand or enterprise consequences
• Serves as enterprise subject matter expert on paid search; authors points of view on platform changes, forced migrations, and emerging campaign types, and recommends an enterprise position to the Director
• Directs campaign architecture and ongoing management, including new builds, restructures, match type and audience strategy, budget changes, bid adjustments, and ad copy, ensuring industry, brand, and legal compliance
• Sets strategy for automated and AI-driven campaign types, including Performance Max, AI Max for Search, and value-based and portfolio bidding; exercises judgment on when to rely on platform automation and when to override it
• Owns signal quality as a primary performance lever, including conversion definitions, offline conversion imports, value rules, audience feeds, and first-party data inputs, in partnership with Marketing Analytics and Marketing Operations
• Accountable for the configuration, governance, and return on investment of the paid search bid management platform and related channel technology; evaluates and recommends platform renewals and changes
• Directs the creation, automation, and maintenance of SEM reporting and analytics; partners with Marketing Analytics on standardized dashboards and on incrementality and geo-holdout testing to validate channel contribution

Requirements

• 6+ years’ experience focused on PPC/SEM responsibilities, including a minimum of 2 years of direct people leadership. Experience managing paid search in a regulated, lead generation, or considered-purchase category preferred; higher education experience is a plus.
• Bachelor Degree, MBA preferred.
• Expert-level proficiency in paid search strategy, with demonstrated ability to own a channel budget and defend forecast and investment recommendations to senior leadership
• Strong quantitative and analytical skills; able to build and pressure-test forecasts, size opportunities, and design statistically valid tests
• Fluency in automated bidding and AI-driven campaign types, with sound judgment about when to rely on platform automation and when to intervene
• Proven people leadership; able to hire, develop, and retain talent and to deliver direct, actionable feedback
• Effective communicator and presenter; can translate complex, technical search concepts into a clear business narrative for executive audiences
• Ability to influence without authority across analytics, operations, creative, brand, and product partners
• Sound decision making under ambiguity in a fast-paced, constantly evolving environment
• Meticulous attention to detail, paired with the discipline to prioritize at the portfolio level

Preferred

• Google Ads certifications preferred

Benefits

• SEI offers a comprehensive package of benefits to employees scheduled 30 hours or more per week. In addition to medical, dental, vision, life and disability plans, SEI employees may take advantage of well-being incentives, parental leave, paid time off, certain paid holidays, tax saving accounts (FSA, HSA), 401(k) retirement benefit, Employee Stock Purchase Plan, tuition assistance as well as entertainment and retail discounts. Non-exempt employees are eligible for overtime pay, if applicable.