Paid Search Advertising Lead

Location: Southampton, Salisbury or Bristol
Salary: £38,000–£42,000 DOE
Working pattern: Full-time, permanent – minimum 2 days per week in the office

A growing digital marketing agency is looking for an experienced and commercially minded Paid Search Advertising Lead to take a leading role in shaping and delivering its paid search offering.

This is a senior, hands-on position for someone who combines strong platform expertise with strategic thinking, commercial awareness and the ability to raise standards across a wider team.

You’ll lead paid search strategy and performance across a diverse portfolio of clients, with a particular focus on Google Ads and Microsoft Ads, while also keeping up to date with emerging advertising platforms, automation, AI and evolving approaches to measurement.

You’ll take ownership of paid search strategy across client accounts, translating business objectives and KPIs into effective, data-driven campaigns.

You’ll work closely with clients, colleagues and other digital marketing disciplines to ensure campaigns deliver strong commercial outcomes, while supporting the wider paid advertising team with technical guidance, mentoring and best practice.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Leading paid search strategy across a diverse client portfolio.
• Planning, building, managing and optimising Search, Shopping, Performance Max, Display and Video campaigns.
• Developing full-funnel strategies aligned with client objectives, budgets and commercial targets.
• Managing and optimising significant client budgets with a strong focus on ROI.
• Providing strategic recommendations based on campaign performance, market data and commercial objectives.
• Managing conversion tracking, including Google Tag Manager, GA4, enhanced conversions and consent-aware measurement.
• Conducting competitor, keyword, audience and market analysis.
• Forecasting performance using revenue data, seasonal trends and budget allocation.
• Acting as an escalation point for complex campaign, performance and tracking issues.
• Leading structured testing across ad copy, landing pages, audiences, creative and campaign settings.
• Keeping ahead of developments in AI-led bidding, search behaviour, automation, ad formats and measurement.
• Leading client meetings and confidently presenting performance, insights and recommendations.
• Reviewing campaign builds, account structures and reporting to ensure high standards of delivery.
• Supporting and mentoring colleagues within the paid advertising team.
• Working closely with Paid Social, SEO, Content, Social Media and Design teams to develop integrated digital strategies.
• Supporting pre-sales activity including discovery calls, proposals, pitches and quotations.
• Helping develop new paid advertising services and identify opportunities for growth.

You’ll be an experienced paid advertising professional who is comfortable operating at both a strategic and hands-on level.

We’re looking for someone with:

• Extensive hands-on paid search experience in a senior or lead-level position, ideally within an agency.
• Advanced knowledge of Google Ads and Microsoft Ads, including Search, Shopping and Performance Max.
• Strong understanding of conversion tracking, attribution, Google Tag Manager and GA4.
• Experience managing significant client budgets and taking ownership of account strategy.
• Strong analytical skills and the ability to turn complex data into clear, commercially focused recommendations.
• Excellent client-facing and communication skills.
• Experience mentoring colleagues, reviewing campaign work and raising delivery standards.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple accounts and priorities.

Knowledge of platforms such as Amazon Ads, StackAdapt, programmatic advertising and emerging AI-led advertising solutions would also be advantageous.

This is an opportunity to take a genuine lead role within an ambitious digital marketing agency, with the opportunity to influence both client performance and the development of the wider paid advertising proposition.

You’ll have the autonomy to shape strategy, introduce new ideas and help develop best practice across the team, alongside opportunities for training and career progression.

If you’re an experienced paid search specialist ready to step into a broader strategic and leadership role, we’d like to hear from you.

Apply now or get in touch for a confidential discussion.