Senior Paid Search Manager

Senior Paid Search Manager

Location: Remote (US Based)

Ready to make a difference? 

We’re looking for a seasoned Senior Paid Search Manager to lead our paid search efforts and help scale performance across conversion driven campaigns for clients in the Energy utility and Government sectors. In this management role, you’ll report directly to the Director of Advertising Operations, serving as the internal agency expert on all things paid search. You'll bring deep experience in Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, and cross-channel search strategy to a fast-paced, collaborative environment. 

This leadership role is ideal for someone who’s ready to own the strategy, mentor junior team members, and partner closely with media planners, analytics leads, and clients to deliver measurable results through search. You’ll be responsible for developing best practices, leading campaign execution, optimizing budgets, and continuously improving search performance through data-driven decision making. 

Why you will love working here: 

• Quality of life: Flexible workplace arrangements, work-life balance 
• Investment of the community: Donation matching, volunteer opportunities 
• Investment in you: Tuition reimbursement, access to professional development resources, 401k matching, Employee Stock Purchase Plan 
• And many, many more (Ask your recruiter for more details!) 

What you will be doing: 

• Lead SEM Strategy: Own the strategic direction of paid search across multiple accounts, aligning with broader campaign goals and client KPIs. 
• Campaign Oversight: Oversee campaign setup, structure, testing frameworks, and optimization strategies in Google Ads and Microsoft Ads. 
• Mentor & Support Team Members: Provide guidance to junior search buyers and specialists, supporting their growth through training, QA, and thought leadership. 
• Performance Management: Monitor performance and trends against KPIs and develop insights that fuel ongoing optimization. 
• Stakeholder Collaboration: Act as the primary search contact for internal stakeholders and clients, translating technical insights into actionable media recommendations. 
• Innovation & Advancement: Evaluate emerging tools, automation, and beta opportunities. Drive innovation in how we plan, buy, and measure paid search. 
• Measurement & Attribution: Work closely with analytics teams to define tracking strategies, ensure accurate measurement, and validate performance data.
• Documentation & Standardization: Develop and maintain documentation of paid search best practices, workflows, and QA processes. 

What we need you to have (minimum qualifications):  

• Bachelor's degree (or applicants can substitute one year of related experience for one year of education)
• 5+ years of hands-on experience managing and optimizing paid search campaigns in Google Ads and Microsoft/Bing Ads 
• 3+ years of expertise in paid search strategy, campaign structure, bidding models, audience segmentation, and attribution 
• 2+ years of experience with Google Analytics (GA4) and Google Tag Manager. 
• 2+ years of experience building search strategies that ladder up to larger integrated media plans 
• Google Ads Search Certification (or willingness to obtain upon hire) 

What we would like you to have: 

• Experience mentoring, managing, or providing strategic oversight to junior team members or cross-functional contributors within a paid media or digital marketing environment 
• Strong understanding of KPIs such as CTR, CPC, CPA, ROAS, and Quality Score 
• Experience with Performance Max, YouTube Ads, or Discovery campaigns 
• Strong written and verbal communication skills 
• Analytical, data interpretation, problem-solving, and decision-making capabilities 
• Ability to troubleshoot tracking and data discrepancies across ad platforms, analytics tools, and reporting dashboards 
• Strong attention to detail and comfort working with data, spreadsheets, and performance reporting 
• Active interest in keeping up with the paid media industry and latest trends 
• Familiarity with SEO tools like Spyfu and Optmyzr  
• Familiarity with paid social or programmatic tools like Meta Ads, LinkedIn Ads, The Trade Desk, or Basis DSP 

Professional Skills:

• Comfortable collaborating cross-functionally with media strategy, analytics, and creative teams 
• Proven ability to present findings and recommendations to internal and client teams 
• Proven ability to work both independently and as part of a team and collaborate regularly with team members 
• Ability to multitask and meet deadlines under pressure 
• Adaptable, flexible, and a team player with a passion for digital advertising 

Working at ICF

Pay Range - There are multiple factors that are considered in determining final pay for a position, including, but not limited to, relevant work experience, skills, certifications and competencies that align to the specified role, geographic location, education and certifications as well as contract provisions regarding labor categories that are specific to the position.

The pay range for this position based on full-time employment is: