Director of Paid Media

Job description

ION is looking for a Director of Paid Media to own paid-media strategy and performance end-to-end across HIP and Neon Canvas: Google Ads (Search, Performance Max), Meta (Facebook/Instagram), and retargeting, for a portfolio of orthodontic and dental lead-generation partners. If you've led paid media at scale, unified two brands, and want a seat where you set the standard instead of following one, we want to talk. This is not a hands-on-keyboard media buying role. The best fit has already run a paid-media function at a similar-size agency, managing 500-plus client accounts, and has personally unified two brands or logos under one umbrella. You won't be building campaigns in the ad accounts; your Team Leads and their specialists own that. Your job is to lead the leaders, set the strategy, own the numbers, and keep HIP and Neon Canvas ahead of every competing agency. As Director of Paid Media, you'll lead the paid-media Team Leads, unify HIP and Neon Canvas into a single operating standard, and own client retention, delivery margin, and function growth. You'll also own innovation for the seat: scouting new ad surfaces and formats, and driving AI enablement across the paid teams, in step with the Sr. Director of Operations on company-wide AI direction. If you're a leader of leaders who thinks in playbooks, margin, and what's next, this role was built for you. WHAT YOU'LL DO Set the paid-media strategy, playbook, and Google/Meta channel mix for HIP and Neon Canvas. Own KPI attainment (ROAS, CPL, CTR by vertical), pacing, and budget governance across both brands. Drive one set of standards, tooling, ad-ops processes, and QA across HIP and Neon Canvas. Own escalations, QBRs, and strategy for big partners and new-logo pursuits. Own the service line's P&L (revenue and margin), pricing and packaging, utilization and capacity, and growth and expansion. Run pre-sales scoping and support sales as the function's expert on paid pitches and proposals. Own org design, leveling and career paths, comp-band input, succession and bench planning, and the function's onboarding and L&D. Manage the function's vendors, contracts, and SLAs; own its budget; own risk, compliance, and brand safety at scale. Track emerging ad surfaces and formats (ChatGPT ads, Apple Maps ads, AI creative, new bidding and automation) and define how HIP and Neon Canvas adopt them ahead of competitors. Lead AI enablement across the paid teams, tools, workflows, and training, leaning on the Sr. Director of Operations for company-wide direction. Run 1:1s with each Team Lead for coaching, scorecard review, and unblocking; personally work the handful of at-risk or sliding partners while the leads own the rest. WHO WE'RE LOOKING FOR You've run a paid-media function at a similar-size agency, managing 500-plus client accounts, and can hit the ground running from day one. You've personally led paid media across two brands or logos operating under one umbrella, and can speak to how you unified standards, tooling, and reporting. You're a leader of leaders, not just a leader of specialists; you know how to hire, level, coach, and hold other managers accountable. You think in scorecards, margin, and pacing, and you can spot where a portfolio is at risk before it shows up as churn. You're commercially literate; P&L, utilization, and growth aren't foreign concepts; they're how you already think about the function. You're comfortable in the room with leadership, sales, and big partners, and you can deliver a QBR or handle an escalation with confidence. You're genuinely energized by what's next; new ad platforms, formats, and AI tools excite you, not overwhelm you. You hold your Team Leads to a high bar because you hold yourself to one. WHAT YOU NEED TO HAVE 2+ years as a Director of Paid Media or equivalent at an agency of similar size and scope, managing 500+ client accounts. Direct experience unifying paid media across two brands or logos under one umbrella. 6+ years in paid media across Google Ads (Search, Performance Max) and Meta, including lead-generation for local service businesses; orthodontic or dental experience is a strong plus. 2+ years leading other managers, not only individual specialists. Deep platform mastery and strong analytics and experimentation skills. Proven change-management ability and comfort unifying two brands or teams. Commercial literacy, including delivery margin, utilization, and growth, and experience partnering with sales. Excellent executive communication and stakeholder management skills COMPENSATION This role includes base pay plus variable compensation. BENEFITS 401(k) matching Dental Insurance Health Insurance Vision Insurance Life Insurance PTO eligibility after 90 days of hire (10 vacation days the first year of service, unlimited PTO starting year two, flexible partial days, and sick/ personal days) Remote position (You MUST be located in the US.) SCHEDULE 8 am- 5 pm CST Monday to Friday