Senior Manager, Paid Search

OVERVIEW

McGarrah Jessee is looking for a Senior Manager, Paid Search — someone who doesn’t just manage keywords and bids, but architects how search drives full-funnel retail growth in a world where discovery is being rewritten in real time.

This role sits at the intersection of performance marketing, retail strategy, data and emerging AI-driven discovery — translating business ambition into search ecosystems that capture demand, create demand and defend against it being intercepted upstream.

You’ll lead SEM for a major national retail brand, overseeing a multimillion dollar monthly investment while partnering directly with senior client leadership to connect business priorities to platform execution.

This is not a “manage the account” role. This is a shape how search works in a post-search world role.

• Own the full-funnel role of search across the retail business — from demand capture to demand creation to demand defense.
• Translate merchandising priorities, seasonal moments and inventory realities into search strategy.
• Define how search shows up across key retail moments — from everyday intent to peak events to cultural spikes.
• Architect how search integrates with broader media, retail media networks and owned channels.

• Drive the
  
  Roadmap:
  
  Own the holistic SEM strategy for a major retail account, aligning paid search efforts with the client’s seasonal calendar, merchandising priorities and inventory fluctuations.
• Client Partnership:
  Act as the primary point of contact for the client’s marketing team. Translate complex campaign data into clear, business-centric narratives for VP+ level audiences.
• Budget Stewardship:
  Direct the allocation of monthly budgets exceeding $1MM, ensuring agile fund movement to capture demand during peak sales events.

• Omnichannel Growth:
  Develop strategies that simultaneously drive online ROAS and local store visits, utilizing the full suite of search products (Performance Max, Shopping, Local Inventory Ads, You Tube and Demand Gen).
• AI & Automation:
  Lead the agency’s adoption of scripts and AI tools to automate bidding, streamline reporting, and visualize data. You will test new workflows to optimize output and create efficiencies.
• Data-Driven Optimization:
  Move beyond basic metrics. Analyze full-funnel performance (from impression to conversion) to provide actionable insights that inform not just bids, but creative and landing page decisions.

• Mentorship:
  Manage and mentor a team of SEM Managers and Specialists. Foster a culture of rigorous QA, testing and continuous professional development.
• Cross-Channel Integration:
  Collaborate with the client’s internal and external partners (SEO, Affiliate, Display) to ensure a unified market presence and consistent messaging.

• 7+ years of paid search experience, with a background in high-volume B2C campaigns.
• 2+ years of management experience with at least two direct reports.
• Budget Scale:
  Proven track record of directly managing monthly ad spends of $1MM+.
• Bachelor’s degree in marketing, business or analytics, or equivalent experience.

• Deep Platform Knowledge:
  Expert-level proficiency in Google Ads (Search, Shopping, PMax), Microsoft Ads, and SA360 (or similar enterprise tools).
• Analytics & Reporting:
  Advanced proficiency in GA4 or Adobe Analytics and Excel/Google Sheets. Experience with visualization tools like Power BI, Looker Studio or Tableau is highly preferred.
• Automation Fluency:
  Comfort with script adoption and using AI for reporting insights. Willingness to embrace new technology to solve old problems.

• Retail Acumen:
  You understand retail math (margins, inventory turn, seasonality) and how digital marketing impacts the bottom line.
• Clear Communicator:
  You can explain complex SEM concepts to non-technical stakeholders without getting lost in the jargon.
• Detail-Oriented:
  You have a "zero-defect" mentality regarding campaign setup, budget pacing, and QA.

• Impact:
  You will be guiding the strategy for a household brand name, where your decisions have an immediate, measurable impact on revenue.
• Innovation:
  We are looking for a change maker who wants to push the boundaries of what is possible with AI and automation in paid search.
• Culture:
  Join a team that values autonomy, smart collaboration and a people-first approach to agency life.

This is a remote position.