Senior Director of Paid Media

Silverback Strategies is a performance marketing agency on a mission to build the best agency culture. Our goal is to enable specialists to do what they do best so that our clients win every time. Silverback has won best places to work awards from Ad Age, Inc Magazine, The Washingtonian and The Washington Business Journal. Our success is based on our people, a growing collection of A-plus performers who thrive in our environment.
We have a tight-knit team that’s high-energy, competitive and fun. It’s like working at a startup, minus the uncertainty. We live by our motto: we’re in this together.
The Senior Director of Paid Media is responsible for building an industry-leading performance media department. This role is designed for an experienced media leader to set and implement their vision for media delivery that produces the highest returns for mid-market clients ($50-$500m in annual revenue). We want to hire the right person; give them whatever tools, resources, and support they need to succeed; and then get the hell out of the way.
This role requires a seasoned expert in media planning and execution across both Paid Search and Social channels, capable of setting a clear vision to help our clients drive business growth and hit their performance goals. Reporting directly to the CEO, the Senior Director will lead a team of talented Associate Directors to empower our people to do their best work in Media strategy & delivery. They will keep a finger on the pulse of a rapidly evolving industry to ensure Silverback’s Media product & delivery remains top-of-the-line.
Here’s what we expect from our Senior Director of Paid Media, with responsibilities broken up into two categories:

What You'll Do: Channel Expertise & Innovation

• Act as the Media & Creative department’s ultimate authority on Paid Media best practices across search, social, and display platforms
• Develop and execute a comprehensive media strategy across channels to drive successful performance marketing efforts for our clients. Ensure alignment with client's business goals, KPIs, and market trends
• Continuously test new media channels and media strategies to enhance marketing performance and client value
• Proactively contribute to new business pitches, demonstrating thought leadership and strategic vision
• Act as a primary point of contact for some of the agency’s largest key clients. Build deep relationships and provide strategic insights by leading client performance discussions, offering cross-channel insights and innovative solutions
• Delegate tactical execution/ad ops to junior teammates while maintaining awareness of account performance and what’s happening in-platform to ensure high levels of quality

What You'll Do: Operational Responsibilities

• Directly manage a small team of talented Associate Directors and act as the skip-level manager to a broader team of individual contributors. Coach individuals on performance and professional development to promote a positive, collaborative work environment
• Work closely with your direct reports to set & roll out departmental initiatives and maintain high levels of quality assurance throughout the department
• Take ownership of the personnel decisions within the Media & Creative department — confidently make informed decisions around hiring/firing and talent acquisition to ensure we have the “right people in the right seats.”
• Spearhead the development and implementation of high-quality training; ensures the Media department remains cutting-edge in a rapidly changing landscape through continuous training and learning & development initiatives
• Play the lead role in standardizing and continuously optimizing the agency’s processes for media planning and execution
• Work closely with our Media Planning, Analytics, and Creative teams to ensure seamless campaign delivery and performance optimization.
• Oversee the department’s P&L through budget allocations, financial forecasting, and performance analysis. Maintain the financial health of media portfolios, ensuring alignment with client objectives and agency capabilities.
• Leads decision-making on team/individual utilization and resource planning

Qualifications, or What We're Looking For:

• Candidates must have previously been in a leadership role (Director-level or equivalent) at an established digital marketing agency.
• 8+ years of experience in performance media, with a proven track record in multi-channel strategy and execution
• Deep experience with both paid search and paid social platforms. (Google, Meta, TikTok, and LinkedIn are the most important — any other platforms/channels are a plus!)
• Proven track record of success in navigating a challenging Media and Creative landscape to drive innovation and evolve best practices at a depa