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.

WHAT YOU’LL LEAD

SEARCH STRATEGY AND GROWTH PLANNING

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.

STRATEGIC ACCOUNT LEADERSHIP

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.

EXECUTION, INNOVATION & AI

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, YouTube 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.

TEAM MANAGEMENT & COLLABORATION

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.

EXPERIENCE & BACKGROUND

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.

TECHNICAL MASTERY

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.

SOFT SKILLS & ATTRIBUTES

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.

WHY THIS ROLE?

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 changemaker 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.

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