Head of Paid Media (agency)

Location: Leicestershire (Hybrid) - Remote considered for the right candidate.

Reports to: Managing Director

About the Role

We’re supporting a well‑established, highly reputable Leicestershire‑based agency that is entering an exciting phase of digital evolution. Their clients are actively transforming - becoming more digitally driven, more data‑led, and more sophisticated in how they invest in performance marketing. This creates the perfect moment for an ambitious, forward‑thinking Head of Paid Media to step in and shape the future.

In this pivotal senior role, you won’t just oversee Paid Media - you’ll lead the charge in reimagining how the agency delivers value through insight, strategy and measurable impact. You'll unite multi‑channel performance into a single, cohesive ecosystem, strengthen ROI visibility, and build a scalable, repeatable media framework that elevates both the agency and its clients.

The role also requires developing key media owner relationships. You will bring structure and clarity to how these partners are evaluated and integrated into a unified, insight‑driven performance ecosystem.

This is a standout opportunity for someone who wants to:

Head up an entire Paid Media function with autonomy and authority
Bring fresh ideas, innovative thinking and new methodologies into an established environment
Embed smarter, more strategic media approaches across PPC, Programmatic, Display and multi‑channel performance
Own and deepen relationships with key media partners, including negotiating commercial terms, unlocking exclusive packages, and improving data access for planning and reporting.
Lead digital transformation for clients who are ready to invest more deeply in data, analytics and performance
Drive agency-wide growth, helping shape service models, client outcomes and future capability
Be the trusted expert who turns complex data into compelling stories that inspire confidence and unlock greater investment

If you're commercially minded, strategically strong, confident with clients and excited by the prospect of shaping a modern, insight‑powered Paid Media function, this role offers the space, influence and momentum to make a significant long‑term impact.

Key Responsibilities

1. Performance, Insight & Measurement

Build a truly joined‑up performance ecosystem, uniting all channels into a single, transparent, insight‑driven framework.
Develop clear, confident, client‑ready dashboards that bring ROI, meaningful outcomes and monthly progress to life in a way that strengthens trust and unlocks investment.
Own consistent, agency-wide performance storytelling, that transforms data into simple, compelling narratives, enabling account teams to confidently explain impact, context, benchmarks, and next steps.
Oversee continuous improvement in analytics, attribution and CRM‑connected tracking to support the agency’s shift toward more predictive, data‑led decision‑making.
Build performance benchmarks and industry insights that reinforce the agency’s reputation as a modern, strategic partner.
Reflect the nuances of sector‑specific channels and media owners within reporting frameworks, ensuring insight is contextualised and commercially meaningful.

2. Strategy, Client Leadership & Digital Transformation

Lead the paid media vision, bringing fresh strategic thinking, modern methodologies and new performance models into an established environment undergoing digital evolution.
Act as the senior media expert in client conversations, translating complex data into confident, compelling narratives that help clients evolve into more digital, data‑powered marketers.
Challenge and optimise budgets with forward‑looking investment strategies that maximise growth potential and align with clients’ transformation journeys.
Lead performance reviews, growth planning and pitches, ensuring paid media plays a central role in the agency’s next chapter.

3. Function Leadership & Capability Building

Take full ownership of the Paid Media function - setting direction, raising standards and embedding scalable, modern ways of working across PPC, Programmatic and multi‑channel performance.
Build a structured internal learning programme to increase channel confidence (PPC, Programmatic, Reporting, Benchmarks, Attribution, Offline/Online Integration).
Develop and mentor a blended team of PPC, SEO and programmatic specialists, nurturing a culture of curiosity, learning and data‑powered optimisation.
Champion stronger integration between Paid Media and SEO, shaping unified SEM strategies that reflect a more connected, audience‑centric approach.
Lead seamless onboarding of new clients, ensuring early performance momentum and long‑term strategic alignment.
Lead the development and enforcement of robust operational processes, including booking workflows, campaign checks, SLAs and cross‑functional handovers, ensuring consistent, high‑quality execution across all channels.

4. Growth, Innovation & Commercial Impact

Drive the paid media narrative in new business, bringing evidence‑led stories, opportunity spotting and transformation thinking into pitch environments.
Conduct audits that reveal high‑value quick wins and long‑term strategic potential, reinforcing the agency’s role as a proactive, insight‑led partner.
Expand the agency’s performance offering, exploring new channels, technologies and analytical capabilities that support more ambitious digital growth.
Shape commercially scalable service models that align with the agency’s transformation goals and future roadmap.
Foster a culture of learning, curiosity and continuous development within the performance team and across the wider agency.

Experience & Skills Required

Essential

Proven experience leading Paid Media or Performance teams.
Strong, confident client‑facing communicator with the ability to simplify complexity.
Deep understanding of PPC, Programmatic, Display and multi‑channel performance media.
Strong grasp of analytics, attribution, tracking and CRM‑connected measurement.
Experience producing commercially focused insights and ROI‑driven reports.
Demonstrable impact on client growth, revenue uplift and budget expansion.
Experience managing, mentoring or developing specialists within a performance team.
Willingness and ability to travel to client meetings and Leicester head office, as required.

Desirable

Exposure to Paid Social, OOH or wider media ecosystems.
Experience contributing to new business pitches.
Familiarity with market benchmarking or producing industry insights.
Agency side experience.

What Success Looks Like

Clients clearly understand the value of our work and invest more confidently.
Reporting evolves into confident, compelling storytelling that clients rely on for decision‑making, budget expansion and long‑term planning.
The Paid Media team operates as a high‑performing, data‑driven unit.
The agency grows retained income across paid media.
New business conversion improves due to evidence‑led pitch stories.
Commercial opportunities are identified and capitalised on consistently.
Paid Media becomes a core strategic pillar of the agency’s growth.

Why Apply?

Our partner agency is on a journey of digital and operational transformation, investing in capability, insight and performance. This role is a genuine opportunity to shape a modern, scalable, commercially powerful Paid Media function from the ground up - with the autonomy and influence to make a real, long‑term impact.

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