SEM Manager, Paid Search Activation

Citi • Full-time • New York, NY, United States • 6m ago

The U.S. Consumer Cards organization delivers a wide array of credit card services to individual consumers, small businesses, and for our co-branded and retail partners. Our core offerings are focused on credit cards, providing a comprehensive suite of products designed to meet various client payment and lending needs.

To deliver on our brand promise, we operate as a truly client-centric organization, driving a high tech, high touch experience for the full Citi relationship, particularly in the U.S. To do so, we have aligned our structure with our strategy, to ensure we win in the U.S., our largest market, and drive greater client-centricity across product, segment and geography.

Media is a critical area of focus and growth for Citi U.S. Consumer Cards. The U.S. Consumer Cards Media team is comprised of product and channel marketers who are responsible for driving growth while transforming our digital marketing capabilities to shift the quality and mix of digitally sourced accounts. This includes profitably acquiring new accounts, managing key acquisitions channels, bringing new and refreshed products to market, partnering on through-the-line campaigns, testing new tactics, and driving marketing innovation.

We are looking for a highly skilled SEM Manager to join our Paid Search Activation team. This role will oversee the day-to-day campaign build, trafficking, QA, and delivery process. This role is pivotal in ensuring that campaigns are built and trafficked correctly, launched on time, and monitored effectively for pacing and compliance. This role will act as a bridge between strategy and execution, ensuring operational discipline and efficiency while mentoring junior team members.

Key Responsibilities:

Manage trafficking, campaign setup, tagging, and QA processes across platforms (Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, SA360).

Ensure campaigns adhere to allocated budgets, monitor spend and adjust as needed to maintain pacing accuracy.

Manage SEM automated bidding strategies, target adjustments and execution of weekly optimizations.

Enforce account structures, naming conventions, negative keyword management, and compliance standards.

Liaise with analytics, technology, and compliance teams to ensure flawless campaign execution.

Identify opportunities to streamline delivery processes, reduce errors, and enhance efficiency through tooling or automation.

Provide day-to-day guidance to Analysts and Associates, ensuring knowledge transfer and skills development.

Troubleshoot campaign delivery issues, such as broken tags, trafficking errors, or spend anomalies, and escalate where necessary.
Appropriately assess risk when business decisions are made, demonstrating particular consideration for the firm's reputation and safeguarding Citigroup, its clients and assets, by driving compliance with applicable laws, rules and regulations, adhering to Policy, applying sound ethical judgment regarding personal behavior, conduct and business practices, and escalating, managing and reporting control issues with transparency.

Qualifications:

5-8 years in SEM campaign execution or ad operations.

Hands-on experience with Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, SA360, GA4, and trafficking tools.

Strong project management and organizational skills.

Experience working in regulated industries (finance, healthcare, insurance) preferred.

Ability to balance detail orientation with big-picture operational improvements.

Hands-on keyboard agency experience a plus.

Prior experience working in highly-regulated industries preferred.

Education:

Bachelors/University degree or equivalent experience

This job description provides a high-level review of the types of work performed. Other job-related duties may be assigned as required.

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Job Family Group:

Marketing

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Job Family:

Advertising, Branding and Media

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Time Type:

Full time

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Primary Location:

New York New York United States

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Primary Location Full Time Salary Range:

$98,960.00 - $148,440.00

In addition to salary, Citi’s offerings may also include, for eligible employees, discretionary and formulaic incentive and retention awards. Citi offers competitive employee benefits, including: medical, dental & vision coverage; 401(k); life, accident, and disability insurance; and wellness programs. Citi also offers paid time off packages, including planned time off (vacation), unplanned time off (sick leave), and paid holidays. For additional information regarding Citi employee benefits, please visit citibenefits.com. Available offerings may vary by jurisdiction, job level, and date of hire.

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Most Relevant Skills

Please see the requirements listed above.

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Other Relevant Skills

For complementary skills, please see above and/or contact the recruiter.

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Anticipated Posting Close Date:

Jan 02, 2026

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Citi is an equal opportunity employer, and qualified candidates will receive consideration without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other characteristic protected by law.

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