Paid Media Director

Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end management of paid media campaigns across channels including paid search (Google, Bing, ChatGPT), paid social (LinkedIn, Meta, X/Twitter), programmatic display, video/CTV, and out of home from briefing through to post-campaign analysis.
• Translate client business objectives and communications strategies into actionable paid media plans, including audience segmentation, channel selection, budget allocation, and KPI frameworks.
• Conceptualize and oversee creative concepting and copy requirements for paid activations, collaborating with creative and content colleagues to ensure messaging alignment.
• Own campaign trafficking, tagging, and QA processes to ensure accurate tracking and attribution across all paid programs.
• Manage campaign budgets with rigor, maintaining pacing reports and proactively flagging optimization opportunities or risks to senior team members and clients.
• Serve as a primary day-to-day client contact on paid media accounts, communicating clearly and proactively with clients on campaign status, performance, and strategic direction.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with colleagues across Corporate Positioning & Insights and wider Strategic Communications practices—including public affairs, financial communications, crisis management and corporate reputation—to deliver integrated, multi-channel communications programs.
• Contribute to the development of client scopes, proposals, and presentations, articulating paid media strategy and measurement frameworks to senior audiences.
• Support new business development efforts by contributing paid media expertise to pitches and credential documents.
• Provide guidance and mentorship to junior analysts and associates, reviewing their work and supporting their development in paid media craft.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Communications, Marketing, Political Science, Business, or a related field.
• 5+ years of hands-on paid media experience, ideally within a communications agency, public affairs firm, or digital consultancy.
• Demonstrated experience planning and executing paid campaigns across paid search (Google Ads), paid social (LinkedIn, Meta), and programmatic display platforms.
• Proficiency in campaign measurement and analytics tools, including Google Analytics (GA4), Google Tag Manager, and native platform reporting.
• Experience with listening and monitoring tools such as Brandwatch, Meltwater and Signal AI, with proficiency in building queries using Boolean logic and establishing dashboards for reputation tracking.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to translate complex data sets into clear, client-ready narrative and recommendations.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; comfortable presenting to senior client stakeholders.
• Proven ability to manage multiple accounts and deadlines simultaneously in a fast-paced, high-stakes environment.
• Ability to travel to FTI office(s) and client site as needed
• Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States for any employer on a full-time basis; this position does not provide visa sponsorship

Preferred

• Experience in B2B or public affairs paid media, including issue advocacy, corporate reputation, or financial communications campaigns.
• Familiarity with DSPs and programmatic buying platforms.
• Experience with CTV/OTT media planning and buying.
• Working knowledge of data visualization and dashboarding tools
• Google Ads, Meta Blueprint, or other relevant platform certifications.
• Experience with audience research, social listening, and media intelligence tools (e.g., Brandwatch, Meltwater, Sprinklr).
• Familiarity with SEO, search strategy, AI-powered search, Answer Engine Optimization (AEO), Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), and evolving digital discovery trends.
• Exposure to A/B and multivariate creative testing methodologies.