Senior Manager of Paid Media and Growth

United Arab Emirates·DubaiFull-timesenior

Other

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Quick Summary

Key Responsibilities

Consumer Journey Mapping Map consumer journeys for the brand (launch campaigns, repushes and always-on), identifying the moments, platforms and signals (search, social engagement, site behavior,

Technical Tools

Other

Responsibilities

~1 min read

→Map consumer journeys for the brand (launch campaigns, repushes and always-on), identifying the moments, platforms and signals (search, social engagement, site behavior, retailer activity) that drive awareness, consideration and purchase
→Use first-party, platform, retailer and social listening data (where possible and compliant) to define audience segments and journey-based activation strategies by campaign and by market (e.g. acquisition, conquest, retention, reactivation etc.)

Define and refine the role of each channel across top/mid/bottom of funnel, balancing brand building and performance
Lead and develop annual, campaign, seasonal & always-on media strategies and plans, including audience targeting, channel and platform mix, budget allocation and phasing
Brief the Paid Media Content Strategist on creative needs by platform and funnel stage so assets are fit-for-purpose and built for paid media performance
Coordinate with the Global Affiliates Manager to ensure the affiliate program (incl social commerce) is activated in sync with media activations where it makes sense
Share performance insights with local market teams, eCommerce and broader Marketing teams (content production team/agency, design, brand marketing…) to align messaging and channel roles across the funnel

Operate an end-to-end in-house media desk covering strategy, planning, buying and execution, optimization and reporting across paid social, influencer amplification, digital/programmatic, retail media and performance marketing
Define RACI, ways of working and operating standards: campaign briefing, plan approval setup, QA and trafficking processes; pacing and optimization cadences; campaign naming/reporting templates (in partnership with the Data Analytics Manager); and service model (SLA) with internal stakeholders
Evaluate and recommend the tech stack (ad servers, DSPs, verification, dashboards, workflow tools) in partnership with the Technology team
Minimize spend wastage by ensuring brand safety, ad verification, and privacy/platform policy compliance across all buys
Together with the Senior Director, implement the phased transition from external media agencies (including scoping, timelines, knowledge transfer, account structures, data ownership transfer, and contingency planning) to protect business continuity
Track and report the business case for in-housing (cost savings, efficiency, speed, data ownership, performance improvement)

Manage platform partnerships and relationships with media owners and ad tech vendors
Negotiate joint business plans (JBPs) incl preferential rates, value-adds and preferred partner programs benefiting local markets/DTC teams
Stay ahead of platform, privacy and industry changes and adapt our media operations approach accordingly

Integrate/Embed key platform-native AI tools (Meta Advantage+, TikTok Symphony, Google AI Max/AI Brief…) into our E2E media management e.g. asset generation/copywriting variation, content editing, smart bidding, A/B testing…
Leverage native/custom automated dashboard reporting, in collaboration with the Data Analytics Manager, for near-real-time campaign learnings & optimization opportunities
Provide access to and continuously upskill the Paid Media & Growth team on the latest AI-enabled products/formats offered by our platform partners

Manage the paid media budget with the Senior Director, including allocation, forecasting, pacing, reconciliation and invoicing in partnership with Finance and Markets/eCommerce
Drive media efficiency and effectiveness targets (e.g. CPM, cost per reach, CPC, CPA, ROAS) and recommend budget reallocations based on performance/potential
Recruit, onboard and lead a team of media planning/buying experts
Set clear objectives, provide regular coaching and feedback, and build development plans for each team member
Create an ongoing upskilling program (platform certifications, partner training, internal knowledge sharing) to keep the media desk team and broader organization up to speed in a fast-changing media landscape

Requirements

~2 min read

10+ years of experience in paid media strategy, planning and buying, from agency-side and/or client-side experience (beauty/fashion/CPG/retail brands with B2B2C and B2C models strongly preferred)
Bachelor's degree in Media, Marketing, Business or related relevant field
Deep understanding of omni-channel planning and buying across paid social, influencer, programmatic, search, and eRetail media
Hands-on know-how of major platforms (e.g. Meta, TikTok, Snapchat, Pinterest, YouTube) and the respective DSPs (e.g. Meta Ads Manager, Google Ads, SA360, DV360, Teads…); Relevant platform certifications preferred (Meta Blueprint, Google, TikTok Academy).
Experience with retailer media networks and co-op media
Track record of managing large, multi-market media budgets and delivering against both brand and performance KPIs
Experience in supporting agency-to-in-house transition and the scale-up of an in-house media function
Strong command of measurement approaches (attribution, incrementality and lift testing, MMM) and the ability to leverage data into clear decisions. Experience in AI application to media buying and optimization highly preferred.
Experience working across multi-market (global/regional, mature/emerging) and local market structures
Strategic thinker who can also go hands-on in the platforms when needed
Strong commercial acumen and comfort with data, incl forecasting and measurement
Excellent stakeholder management and communication, able to present to specialist & non-specialist audiences and senior leadership and simplify complexity where needed
Process and systems builder with a bias for structure/scalability and suited for agility
Curious and adaptive, staying current on media platforms, AI and industry changes
Collaborative leader who builds trust across Creative, Data, eCommerce & Markets
Demonstrated people leadership, including hiring, coaching and continuously upskilling specialist team