Associate Director, Search

Company description

With a history that dates back over 80 years, Starcom is a global communications planning and media leader. We are an agency still grounded in our founding principle that people are at center of all we do. Each day, we apply this belief to harness the transformative power of data and technology to inspire and move people and business forward. With more than 7,000 employees in over 100 offices around the world, Starcom partners with the world's leading marketers and brands, including Bank of America, Best Buy, Kellogg Company, McDonald's, Novartis, Samsung, Visa and more.

This role at Starcom will serve as a member of Publicis Groupe's strategic internal agency, Constellation.

Constellation serves as an internal-facing brand formed by a collective of Publicis Groupe agencies to address our client's creative, data, strategy, media, and technology requirements. Team members collaborate across agencies while functioning as sub-divisions within their respective brands to provide dedicated support for the client. By acting as a unified interface, Constellation eliminates operational silos and presents a single service entity and primary point of contact for the client.

Overview

The Associate Director, Search serves as a strategic leader responsible for driving the vision, performance, and growth of paid search programs across a portfolio of clients. This role leads integrated search strategies, manages senior client relationships, oversees budget and forecasting responsibilities, and mentors a high-performing team of search professionals.

The Associate Director partners closely with clients, internal media teams, analytics, and platform partners to identify growth opportunities, drive innovation through AI and automation, and deliver measurable business outcomes. The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker with deep paid search expertise, strong leadership skills, and a proven ability to translate complex performance data into actionable business recommendations.

Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Client Partnership

* Lead the development and execution of paid search strategies aligned with client business objectives and growth goals.

* Serve as a trusted advisor to clients, providing strategic recommendations and performance insights.

* Own senior-level client relationships and present business reviews, annual planning initiatives, roadmaps, and growth opportunities.

* Identify opportunities to drive customer acquisition, revenue growth, operational efficiencies, and overall account performance.

* Collaborate with cross-functional teams to develop integrated media solutions and holistic performance strategies.

Search Strategy & Performance Management

* Oversee paid search programs across Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, SA360, Shopping, and Performance Max.

* Guide teams in campaign structure development, audience strategy, bidding approaches, testing frameworks, and optimization methodologies.

* Ensure accounts maintain best-in-class operational standards and deliver measurable business impact.

* Partner with platform representatives to leverage beta programs, product enhancements, and emerging best practices.

Shopping & Feed Strategy

* Provide strategic oversight of feed management and product data optimization initiatives.

* Partner with internal and client teams to enhance product feeds, data quality, taxonomy structures, and inventory management practices.

* Lead strategies that maximize Shopping and Performance Max performance through feed segmentation, custom labeling frameworks, and first-party data utilization.

* Identify opportunities to scale and automate feed management processes while improving efficiency and performance.

Forecasting, Analytics & Business Growth

* Drive performance analysis and develop actionable recommendations to improve campaign results.

* Oversee budget management, forecasting, pacing, and performance projections across client portfolios.

* Translate complex data into compelling business narratives and strategic recommendations.

* Leverage advanced analytics and AI-driven tools to support decision-making and growth initiatives.

Innovation & Emerging Technologies

* Champion the adoption of AI, automation, and emerging search technologies across client accounts and internal workflows.

* Lead testing initiatives focused on bidding strategies, audience solutions, measurement capabilities, and platform innovations.

* Identify scalable process improvements that increase efficiency and enhance campaign performance.

* Partner with media, analytics, and technology teams to advance search capabilities and best practices.

Team Leadership & Talent Development

* Lead, mentor, and develop a team of Search Managers, Strategists, Analysts, and Coordinators.

* Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation, and continuous learning.

* Provide coaching, performance feedback, and career development support.

* Ensure operational excellence, quality assurance, and process adherence across managed…