Director, Paid Search

About the Role

Own the consumer SEM program end-to-end. Set strategy, execution standards, and the performance roadmap for an 8+ figure annual SEM budget across Google Ads, Microsoft Advertising, and emerging AI-driven search surfaces, with clear accountability for high-intent traffic, leads, revenue, and efficient payback.

• Set goals and own the numbers. Define channel goals, forecasts, budgets, and KPI frameworks — CPL/CPA, ROAS, impression share — in partnership with Marketing leadership, Finance, and Analytics. Own budget allocation and pacing, and make fast, data-driven reallocation decisions to scale volume while improving efficiency.
• Live in the account. Oversee campaign architecture, bidding strategy, keyword coverage, audiences, feeds, ad copy and creative testing, and landing page optimization daily; maintain pristine account hygiene and a relentless testing calendar.
• Build and scale automation and AI. Drive feed-based automation, API integrations, Smart Bidding, signal-based strategies, scripting, and emerging AI-agent workflows to operate at scale — and act as the strategic owner for embedding AI/ML and generative AI into SEM workflows across bidding, query expansion, ad copy generation, and reporting.
• Grow beyond the ad. Think product-first about the full funnel — partner with Product, Engineering, Design, and Lifecycle to improve landing pages, conversion rates, and onboarding, not just media efficiency.
• Stay ahead of AI-driven search. Anticipate how AI is reshaping discovery — AI Overviews, agentic search, Performance Max, an evolving SERP — and ensure Cars.com maintains strong visibility across traditional and AI-driven search surfaces.
• Own measurement. Define and maintain the SEM measurement framework — attribution, incrementality testing, media mix modeling (MMM), conversion tracking, and reporting automation — and translate performance into executive-ready narratives that connect search to acquisition, revenue, and payback.
• Strive for zero flaw campaigns. Set quality-assurance standards for ad copy, destination URLs, tracking parameters, and budget controls that protect spend, data integrity, and the brand.
• Manage partners. Own agency and platform relationships (Google, Microsoft) — strategic roadmaps, quarterly business reviews, troubleshooting, and performance improvement plans.
• Build and lead the team. Develop a team of SEM specialists, setting clear ownership and consistent operating rhythms.

Requirements

• 10+ years in performance / growth marketing with deep, hands-on paid search expertise and a proven track record managing 8-9 figure annual SEM budgets tied to acquisition, revenue, ROI, and payback goals.
• Expert-level command of Google Ads and Microsoft Advertising — advanced campaign types, Smart Bidding, scripts, feeds, and enterprise bid management (Search Ads 360) — plus the full testing and optimization toolkit. You genuinely enjoy spending your day in the account.
• Experience in marketplace, classifieds, e-commerce, or high-volume B2C lead-gen businesses where SEM is a core, large-scale acquisition channel.
• A builder-operator who has built scale through automation and AI. Feed-based automation, API integrations, signal-based and Smart Bidding, scripting, and hands-on experience embedding AI/ML or generative AI into SEM workflows — bidding, ad copy, query expansion, and reporting.
• Demonstrated results growing paid search volume while improving CPL/CPA and ROAS through rigorous testing and iteration.
• Fluent in attribution, incrementality, MMM, etc; comfortable with large datasets and querying. You care deeply about account hygiene, testing velocity, QA, and continuous optimization, and hold the account to a high standard every day.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience at a two-sided marketplace or classifieds business (specifically travel, real estate, jobs, ticketing, etc.).
• Hands-on experience building SEM automation via the Google Ads API or scripts, feed-based signals for automated bidding, or partnering with product and engineering on internal tooling.
• Experience managing SEM through periods of platform change — AI Overviews, Performance Max, and agentic/AI search — and aligning paid search with SEO.
• Familiarity with adjacent biddable media (paid social, shopping).

Pay

Salary Range: $154,200.00 - $192,750.00

Benefits

• Medical, Dental & Vision Healthcare Plans
• New Hire Stipend for Home Office Set-Up
• Generous PTO
• Paid Holidays, Floating Holiday, Volunteer Day, Recharge Day