Paid Media Associate

Must be eligible to work in the USA and located in one of the following states: TN, GA, AL, FL, NC, SC, NV, NH, TX, MN, VA, IL

Johnson Group helps brands slay the giants that stand in the way of their success by blending fresh ideas with proprietary direct-response tools to forge deeper brand connections and more profitable conversions. We provide full-funnel marketing and advertising from brand positioning, research, data science and full-stack development to video/photo content, and strategy and creative.

If you are looking for a team instead of a holding company and you dream about the perfect blend of collaboration and autonomy, keep reading. Johnson Group is a place where every person is truly a part of building what the future of the agency looks like. Everyone is empowered to Dig for Big. This means we are looking for big skills, big outside-the-box thinking, and big passion.

We're looking for an articulate, detail-oriented, and organized individual to join our team as a Paid Media Associate. This entry-level role requires exceptional attention to detail, the ability to juggle multiple tasks with accuracy, and strong communication skills. The ideal candidate has some prior exposure to media work through internships or 1–2 years of experience, particularly in search, social, or digital media.

Agency experience is a plus, not a requirement. This Associate will report to a Paid Media Manager, supporting multi-channel campaigns across multiple clients — and increasingly, using AI tools to work faster and smarter, not to replace judgment.

• Social: Support Meta and other social platform campaigns. Exposure to Meta Business Manager and similar paid social platforms (Linked In Ads, Pinterest Ads, Tik Tok Ads) is highly preferred.
• Programmatic & Retail Media: Prior experience with programmatic platforms or retail media networks (e.g., Walmart Connect, Kroger Precision Marketing) is a bonus, not required.
• Paid Search:
  Prior experience with Google Ads suite and additional Google campaign types (Demand Gen, Performance Max) is a bonus, not required.

• Assist in campaign setup and trafficking for digital media campaigns, including paid social, retail media, and programmatic.
• Collaborate with the Paid Media Manager to ensure campaigns are built, launched, and executed to meet client objectives throughout the flight.
• Build working knowledge of media partners, platforms, pricing, and inventory to support planning and buying.
• Manage billing processes and maintain accurate, up-to-date documentation.
• Partner with the finance team to ensure timely, accurate billing and resolve discrepancies.

• Monitor pacing and ensure budgets are spent according to plan.
• Support tracking and optimization of budget allocations across campaigns.
• Proactively identify and flag pacing or performance concerns for manager review.

• Assist the Paid Media Manager in building client-facing reports on campaign performance.
• Use AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini) to help summarize performance data, draft first-pass reporting narratives, and speed up QA — all AI-assisted output is reviewed and finalized by a manager before it reaches a client.
• Gather data for planners and buyers, including competitive spend reporting and insertion order accuracy checks.

• College degree in Marketing, Advertising, Communications, Business, or a related field preferred.
• Exceptional organizational and time-management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities effectively.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to articulate ideas clearly and professionally.
• Exposure to media work, especially search, social, or digital channels, is preferred. Agency experience is a bonus, not required.
• Proficiency in Google Suite (Sheets, Slides, Drive); familiarity with Excel, Word, and PowerPoint is beneficial.
• Comfort using — or willingness to quickly learn — AI tools (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, etc.) to support reporting, research, and daily workflows.
• A proactive, team-oriented attitude and a willingness to learn and grow in a fast-paced environment.

• Hybrid work environment for locals in our beautifully renovated downtown Chattanooga office (with paid parking), or remote work for non-locals.
• 100% employer-paid health, dental, and vision insurance for employee AND two family members. (Oh yes, you read that right. 100%. Employer. Paid.)
• 401k with company match.
• PTO, sick days, and paid holidays.
• Wellness stipend.
• Company-wide social events like an annual lake day