Director Of Paid Media, Direct Response

Position Summary
We are seeking a dynamic and strategic Director of Paid Media with a specialization in Direct Response marketing. In this pivotal role, you will be responsible for shaping and implementing comprehensive Paid Media strategies to drive lower-funnel, Direct Response outcomes, optimizing campaigns for maximum impact and efficiency.  Reporting directly to the AVP, Performance Marketing, you will build and lead a seasoned team of digital marketers, collaborate with cross-functional teams (including, but not limited to the Paid Media Brand team), analyze performance metrics, responsible for developing and executing comprehensive Paid Media strategies with a primary focus on driving conversions and maximizing ROI.  As a senior leader, you'll play a key role in shaping the overall digital marketing strategy and contributing to the company's growth.

Essential Functions:

Lead Go-To-Market Strategy, Messaging, and Creative for all Direct Response Advertising

• Develop and execute Direct Response-focused Paid Media strategies across various channels, emphasizing lead generation, customer acquisition, and conversion optimization.
• Own strategic and tactical efforts focused on a blend of objectives tied to campaigns, audiences, degree levels, colleges, programs and scholarships.
• Stay informed about industry trends, emerging platforms, and technologies to proactively identify opportunities for innovation within Direct Response marketing.
• Budget Management - Oversee a multi-million-dollar Direct Response budget as a percentage of the overall Paid Media budget, focused on meeting performance goals on a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis.

Lead a performance focused team and manage vendor relationships.

• Lead a dedicated team, providing guidance on media planning, campaign execution, and ongoing optimization to achieve performance goals.
• As related to lower-funnel, Direct Response objectives, oversee paid search, paid social, affiliate/PPL and other DR focused teams.
• Manage and foster relationships with external partners, vendors, and advertising platforms to negotiate favorable terms and stay ahead of industry best practices.

Collaborate cross-functionally.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including Paid Media brand team, agencies, vendor/partners, marketing automation and lead management, creative, content, marketing analytics, web dev, IT, CRO (Conversion Rate Optimization), internal account and enrollment teams, to ensure cohesive and effective campaign execution.
• Work directly with enrollment and marketing automation teams to support lead nurturing efforts.
• Oversee the development and iteration of impactful ad creatives that resonate with the target audience and drive Direct Response actions.

Account for all lower funnel KPIs & performance testing.

• Utilize data-driven insights to refine targeting strategies, messaging, and budget allocation to enhance campaign effectiveness.
• Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to evaluate campaign success, identify optimization opportunities, and communicate insights to stakeholders.
• Working with the CRO (Conversion Rate Optimization) team, participate in on-going creative and performance testing.
• Consistently monitor and provide guidance for tagging, tracking and campaign attribution.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Supervise a team of Direct Response marketers that include up to 2-3 direct reports. 
• On-going management of external vendor/partners

Requirements:

Education & Experience

• Minimum of 8+ years of hands-on experience in Paid Media, with a focus on lower funnel Direct Response marketing, in a leadership capacity managing multiple team members. 
• Higher Education experience is preferred.
• Bachelor's degree in marketing, Advertising, Business, or a related field; advanced degree or certifications are a plus.
• Coursework or prior experience emphasizing marketing and business and/or quantitative disciplines within a higher education environment, preferred.
• Proven success in managing multi-million-dollar budgets and achieving Direct Response performance goals in a fast-paced environment.

Competencies / Technical / Functional Skills:

• Proven experience in recruiting, building, and leading high-performing teams in the field of Paid Media. This includes a track record of fostering a collaborative team culture, developing team members' skills, and achieving collective goals.
• Proven success in managing multi-million-dollar budgets and achieving Direct Response performance goals in a fast-paced environment.
• Solid understanding of digital marketing channels, including, but not limited to PPC, display, social media advertising, video, remarketing, and native advertising.
• In-depth knowledge of digital advertising platforms, bid management systems, and analytics tools.
• Demonstrated ability to leverage advanced targeting and retargeting techniques, segmentation strategies, and data-driven decision-making to optimize campaigns effectively that are aligned with business goals and objectives.
• Results-driven professional with a focus on Direct Response marketing and have the experience to lead and optimize Paid Media campaigns.
• Demonstrated success in driving measurable results through Paid Media campaigns, with a focus on lead generation and conversion optimization.
• Proficiency in leveraging analytics platforms, attribution modeling, and marketing technology to track and measure the impact of Direct Response campaigns.
• Excellent communication skills to effectively convey strategies, insights, and campaign performance to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret complex data and translate it into actionable insights.
• Experience with A/B testing methodologies and a commitment to continuous experimentation to enhance campaign performance.
• Exceptional problem-solving skills, strategic thinking, and the ability to thrive in a collaborative, cross-functional team environment.
• Adaptability: Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and adapt to changing priorities and business needs.

Location: Remote

Travel: as needed

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Candidate receiving offers will be offered a salary/pay rate commensurate with experience that vary based on a candidate's qualifications, skills, and competencies.  Absent exceptional circumstances, candidates will be offered a salary within this range for this position. The minimum salary will be offered based on the minimum exemption threshold based on state of residency. Base pay is one component of National University's total rewards package, as we are dedicated to supporting the needs of the "whole you" with our holistic approach to employee benefits by offering comprehensive well-being benefits for you and your family.  For full details about our benefit plan offerings, please visit benefits.nu.edu. For Part-time benefits, please click here.

Compensation Range:

Annual Salary: $79,930.00 - $107,900.00

National University is committed to maintaining a high-quality, diverse workforce representative of the populations we serve. National University employs more than 5,000 faculty and staff and serves over 41,000 students. We are united in our mission to meet the global education demands of the 21st Century and are dedicated to creating a supportive academic and work environment that allows students, faculty and staff to develop their interests and talents while experiencing a sense of community and a commitment to diversity. With programs available both online and at our many campus locations, National University is a leader in creating innovative solutions to education and meeting the needs of our diverse student population, including adult learners and working professionals.

National University offers an opportunity to work in an innovative environment that supports diversity.

National University (NU) is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and does not unlawfully discriminate against any employee or applicant for employee per applicable federal, state and local laws. At NU, a diverse mix of highly talented, innovative and creative people come together to make the impact of a lifetime for each of our student learners. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment, education, and admission at National University. We are focused on equality and believe deeply in diversity of race, color, ancestry, age, family care status, veteran status, marital status, creed, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, national origin, and other legally protected group status.