Head of Paid Media

HEAD OF PAID MEDIA £60,000–£70,000 + BENEFITS FOLKESTONE – 1-2x A MONTH Please note: you must have full UK right to work and be able to commute to Folkestone three days per week. ABOUT THE BUSINESS This is a fast-growing paid digital agency working with an extensive mix of clients across retail, food delivery, travel, education, and more. The agency operates primarily on long-term retained partnerships but also supports short-term, high-impact campaigns when needed. With rapidly increasing demand and a strong commercial trajectory, the business is known for its integrated digital expertise across paid media, data, content, and digital PR. This role supports an exceptionally broad client portfolio with around 40 active accounts, ranging from household-name brands to specialist sector organisations. Paid media budgets span from £5,000 per month through to more than £1 million, offering huge variety and strategic challenge. THE TEAM You’ll join the Paid Media team, working closely with specialists across digital PR, content, data, and account management. Account managers handle day-to-day client relationships, while this role provides the technical, analytical, and performance-driven paid media leadership. You’ll report into the Director of Data and lead a team of five, including a senior lead and a manager who directly report into you, with 2–3 paid media executives beneath them. The environment is collaborative and fast-moving, with senior leadership maintaining close involvement and visibility across teams. With the agency expanding quickly, this role is a backfill in a growing function — offering both stability and the excitement of building new capability. THE ROLE This is a hybrid role split evenly between hands-on delivery and strategic team leadership. You’ll be responsible for driving the direction and development of the Paid Media function while ensuring high-quality execution across all client accounts. You’ll oversee campaigns, shape strategy, guide your team, and contribute commercial insights that influence broader performance and client growth. Key Responsibilities: Leading a team of paid media specialists across search and social channels. Overseeing delivery of paid search and paid social activity, including strategic planning and hands-on support where needed. Owning performance KPIs across a large and diverse client portfolio. Developing paid media strategies across Google, Meta, Bing, TikTok, Instagram, and other major platforms. Providing commercial insight and identifying growth opportunities for clients. Ensuring high-quality measurement, reporting, and interpretation of conversion data. Collaborating with content, digital PR, data, and account management teams. Presenting performance updates and technical insights to clients in a clear, actionable way. Supporting the department’s growth and helping shape best-practice delivery processes. SKILLS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED Essential: Strong technical expertise in paid search (Google Ads experience is a must). Experience in paid social highly beneficial. Proven leadership experience in a fast-paced agency environment. Ability to work across a wide range of budgets and client categories. Strong understanding of measurement, conversions, and performance analytics. Confident communicator capable of presenting to clients and influencing decision-making. Ability to balance strategic thinking with hands-on activation. Desirable: Experience managing large-scale monthly budgets (£1M+). Exposure to working across both retained and short-term campaign models. Ability to thrive in a high-growth environment where processes are evolving. WHY APPLY? Lead and shape the direction of a growing Paid Media team. Work across an exceptionally broad and varied client portfolio. Combine hands-on delivery with strategic leadership and commercial influence. Join a high-growth digital agency with strong cross-functional collaboration. Work closely with senior leadership in an environment that values innovation, data-driven decision-making, and continuous improvement.