Associate Director, Paid Social

San Diego, CA, Los Angeles, CA, Denver, CO, Covington, KY, Charleston, SC, or Nashville, TN We are a global digital agency comprised of strategists, creatives, media experts, data scientists, and engineers driven by one common purpose — accelerate business growth through marketing and digital transformation. Named a top 3% Google Premier Partner and recognized by Inc. 5000 and Adweek’s 75 Fastest Growing Companies, we’re constantly looking for “A” players to join our team. The rapid growth is attributed to our strongest asset — our people. Our teams are highly collaborative and work closely with each client to set clear goals and objectives so that we can deliver exceptional results. Mindgruve is a place where every opinion is valued. Not only will you be empowered to contribute ideas, but you will also play a key role in the execution and driving success for brands across a variety of industries. Sound fun? Perfect — you’ll fit right in. The Associate Director, Paid Social leads a team of paid social managers and specialists while serving as a senior strategic resource for clients. This role combines client-facing leadership with internal team development — overseeing execution quality, driving agency growth initiatives, and building a strong, forward-thinking paid social practice across Meta, LinkedIn, TikTok, and secondary platforms including Reddit, Snapchat, NextDoor, and X. What You'll Do Here: Client Strategy & Senior Leadership (50%) Serve as a senior client-facing lead — translate client goals into full-funnel paid social media plans across Meta, LinkedIn, TikTok, Reddit, Snap, NextDoor, X, and othersBuild and own complete full-funnel paid social strategies without assistanceDevelop and present strategic recommendations, creative testing frameworks, and audience architectureProvide insights on emerging platforms, ad formats, algorithm changes, and industry trendsAssist with MBR/QBR storytelling and senior-level client presentations Team Management & Development (30%) Manage a team of 2–4+ Paid Social team membersProvide oversight and ensure team members are proactive with ideas, recommendations, and insightsMentor Managers and Senior Managers on strategy, client management, and career developmentEnsure quality and consistency in client deliverables across all accounts in the portfolioAssist with staffing plans, hiring decisions, and onboarding of new team members Operations, Process & Business Development (20%) Develop training materials and lead process and SOP improvements for the paid social teamEnsure consistent QA and brand safety standards are upheld across all accountsCollaborate with the executive team on business development and pitch workSupport new business RFPs in partnership with the sales/BD teamPartner with other Mindgruve department leads (programmatic, search, strategy, creative) on integrated media initiativesPerform other related duties and projects as assigned We Need a Person With: Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Advertising, Communications, Business, or a related field; advanced degree a plus7–9 years of progressive experience in paid social or digital advertisingProven experience managing a team of paid social professionalsDeep expertise across Meta, LinkedIn, and TikTok required; hands-on familiarity with secondary platforms (Reddit, Snap, NextDoor, X) requiredExperience contributing to new business pitches and agency growth initiatives preferredExpert-level knowledge of primary and secondary paid social platforms and their ad ecosystemsDemonstrated team leadership and mentorship capabilitiesStrong business acumen with an understanding of agency operations and growth leversExcellent client communication skills with executive presence in presentationsAbility to contribute to new business development and help grow agency revenueStrong customer service skillsHighly organized and detail oriented, with the ability to handle multiple simultaneouslyExcellent communication skills, including verbal and writtenProfessional demeanor with the ability to interface with poise and confidence with leadership and clients Ability to ensure confidentiality with business matters and employee privacyAbility to work a hybrid schedule (3 days per week) from one of our six US Office locations: San Diego, California, Los Angeles, California, Covington, Kentucky, Denver, Colorado, Nashville, Tennessee and Charleston, South Carolina. Compensation: Salary: $90,000 - $100,000 (Pay range is based on a market reference point and potential job offers may vary based on the skills, education, experience and geographic location of the individual candidate. The compensation range reflects base rate only.) Compensation will be commensurate with experience. Additionally, for eligible full-time employees, we offer a competitive benefits package including medical insurance, dental insurance, and vision insurance; a flexible spending account; voluntary life and accident plans; and a 401(k) retirement plan with matching. We have six office locations in the US: San Diego, California, Los Angeles, California, Covington, Kentucky, Denver, Colorado, Nashville, Tennessee and Charleston, South Carolina. We're seeking local candidates (or those open to relocation) who are able to work collaboratively with us in one of our office's; however, based on business needs and unique job functions, some roles may be eligible for remote work. (Bonus points if you’re bilingual in Spanish and/or Portuguese.) Mindgruve is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.