Associate Director - Search

WPP is the trusted growth partner for the world’s leading brands. With exceptional talent, trusted data and intelligence, and world-class partnerships – all united by our pioneering agentic marketing platform, WPP Open – we help clients navigate change, capture opportunity, and deliver transformational growth. 

WPP Media is WPP's AI-driven media operating unit, bringing together media, data, and partnerships to deliver creative personalisation at scale. Connected through WPP Open and powered by Open Intelligence, clients see exactly where, how, and why their media investment is working.

For more information, visit wppmedia.com.

WPP is the creative transformation company. We use the power of creativity to build better futures for our people, planet, clients and communities. For more information, visit wpp.com. 

WPP Media is WPP’s global media collective. In a world where media is everywhere and in everything, we bring the best platform, people, and partners together to create limitless opportunities for growth. For more information, visit wppmedia.com 

At WPP Media, we believe in the power of our culture and our people. It’s what elevates us to deliver exceptional experiences for both our clients and each other. In this role it will be critical to embrace WPP & WPP Media’s shared core values: 

• Be Extraordinary by Leading Collectively to Inspire transformational Creativity. 
• Create an Open environment by Balancing People and Client Experiences by Cultivating Trust. 
• Lead Optimistically by Championing Growth and Development to Mobilize the Enterprise. 

As part of our Global Operations Centre (GOC), you will collaborate with teams across the U.S., Europe, and Asia to deliver world-class paid search strategies at scale. This role demands a search-first leader who combines deep technical expertise with strategic vision to maximize performance across Google, Microsoft, and emerging search platforms.

You will own the full lifecycle of paid search campaign strategy, execution, optimization, and measurement, ensuring best-in-class delivery across markets. You’ll partner closely with regional teams to align search efforts with overall brand goals, applying advanced analytics to unlock growth and efficiency.

• Act as the global lead for paid search marketing—developing channel strategies that drive measurable results.
• Represent GOC in all search-specific client and market interactions, ensuring expectations are met and exceeded.
• Serve as the custodian of activation excellence for search, standardizing best practices and ensuring technical accuracy.

• Lead campaign setup, keyword strategy, bidding, ad copy optimization, and audience targeting.
• Utilize automation, scripts, and machine learning features in Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, and other platforms to boost efficiency.
• Apply structured testing (A/B and multivariate) to refine performance.

• Analyze campaign data using Google Ads scripts, Search Ads 360, and analytics platforms to deliver actionable insights.
• Build advanced reporting frameworks to monitor ROI, CPA, and growth KPIs.

• Advise local and regional teams on search-first media planning, balancing global consistency with local market nuances.
• Partner with creative and CRO teams to align ad messaging with landing page experiences.

• Create SOPs, playbooks, and automation frameworks for paid search execution.
• Ensure compliance with brand safety, platform governance, and tracking standards.

• Lead and mentor a team of search media specialists to deliver flawless execution and measurable results.
• Foster a learning culture focused on emerging trends like voice search, AI-powered bidding, and performance max campaigns.

• Identify opportunities for incremental growth in search, including new ad formats, smart campaigns, and marketplace search ads.
• Collaborate with leadership to expand scope in areas like search remarketing, feed-based advertising, and cross-channel integrations.

• 8+ years in digital marketing with a deep focus on paid search.
• Hands-on expertise in Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, Search Ads 360 and other search management tools.
• Experience managing multi-market, large-budget search campaigns at scale.
• Familiarity with feed management, automation scripts, and AI-driven bidding strategies.
• Strong proficiency in Excel, Google Sheets, and data visualization tools.
• Skilled in training and developing high-performing search teams.
• Data-first, analytical mindset with strong problem-solving skills.

Life at WPP Media & Benefits 

Our passion for shaping the next era of media includes investing in our employees to help them do their best work, and we’re just as committed to employee growth as we are to responsible media investment. WPP Media employees can tap into the global WPP Media & WPP networks to pursue their passions, grow their networks, and learn at the cutting edge of marketing and advertising. We have a variety of employee resource groups and host frequent in-office events showcasing team wins, sharing thought leadership, and celebrating holidays and milestone events. Our benefits include competitive medical, group retirement plans, vision, and dental insurance, significant paid time off, preferential partner discounts, and employee mental health awareness days.   

WPP Media is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to characteristics. We are committed to fostering a culture of respect in which everyone feels they belong and has the same opportunities to progress in their careers.

We believe the best work happens when we're together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection. That's why we’ve adopted a hybrid approach, with teams in the office around four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process.