Senior Paid Media Executive

Department:
Paid Search & Social

Location:
Bedford (Hybrid)

Compensation:
£28,000 - £32,000 / year

Description
Recently Named Winners of the Best Agency to Work for (Medium) at the UK Culture Awards
We are looking for a new Senior Paid Media Executive, due to expansion, to join our award-winning Paid Media Team, based in Bedford. This is a hybrid position, working 3 days from the office and 2 days from home.

Receptional have been named:

• Employer of the Year for Luton & Bedfordshire at the SME Business Awards 2022.
• SBC Marketing & Services Provider of the Year 2022
• Best Agency Culture (Silver Award) 2022 at the UK Agency Awards
• Best PPC Campaign (Large) at the 2024 UK Search Awards
• Our Head of Paid Media won Rising Star at the 2024 UK Search Awards

About Us:
Are you looking for a role where your colleagues are bright and engaged, the work is rewarding, and there's plenty of opportunity for progression?

Receptional are an industry leading, multi award-winning team of creative and digital marketers. Specialising within the iGaming space we work with well-known brands across the UK, Europe and North America, providing a range of services from one-off projects to multi-channel campaigns.

A major part of our success are the people that work for us. We hire diverse people with potential and enable them to flourish with training and progression. This is a company where you can build a career, we are long-term focused and reward great performance with clearly defined career progression paths.

We place culture at the centre of our business with an array of annual initiatives ranging from charity to social events. Work / life balance is of utmost importance to us. We believe in providing a supportive and collaborative environment to enable you to reach your full potential.

About the Role:
At
Receptional
, we're at the forefront of AI-driven performance marketing, partnering with ambitious brands to deliver exceptional results across
Paid Search
and
Paid Social
. Our approach combines data intelligence, smart automation, advanced audience targeting, and creative excellence to drive measurable growth — with a particular focus on high-performance verticals like iGaming and professional services.

As a
Senior Paid Media Executive
, you'll play a pivotal role in leading campaign delivery across multiple platforms, supporting strategic planning, and mentoring junior team members. You'll collaborate closely with channel managers and cross-functional specialists to deliver integrated, insight-led campaigns that push the boundaries of performance.

This role is ideal for someone who's confident across both Search and Social (or strong in one but eager to broaden their skillset), technically sharp, commercially aware, and passionate about using AI and automation to drive impact.

Purpose of the Role

• Deliver best-in-class Paid Media campaigns across Search and Social, blending hands-on execution with strategic oversight and innovation.
• Act as a bridge between junior team members and senior leadership, helping to translate strategy into action and ensure consistency across accounts.
• Maintain and exceed performance targets, contributing to client satisfaction, retention, and growth.
• Drive forward innovation — leveraging automation, AI tools, and creative testing frameworks to scale results efficiently.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end campaign delivery across Paid Search and Paid Social — including setup, optimisation, budget pacing, testing, and reporting.
• Ensure campaigns are aligned with client strategy, business goals, and performance KPIs.
• Use automation and AI tools (e.g. Performance Max, Meta Advantage+, scripts, automated rules) to optimise performance and efficiency.
• Build, manage, and test audience strategies, creative variants, and bidding approaches to uncover growth opportunities.
• Analyse performance data to identify trends, generate actionable insights, and communicate results clearly to clients and internal teams.
• Support and mentor junior team members, reviewing campaign setups and outputs to maintain consistent delivery quality.
• Collaborate with channel leads and the wider digital team (SEO, CRO, Analytics) to ensure integrated cross-channel performance.
• Own elements of client relationships where appropriate — presenting updates, explaining strategic decisions, and communicating performance narratives with clarity and confidence.
• Maintain rigorous QA across all campaigns — from data accuracy to creative consistency and reporting integrity.
• Stay informed on the latest Paid Media trends, platform updates, and AI-driven innovations to keep our approach best-in-class.

Skills Knowledge and Expertise

• 2+ years' experience managing Paid Media campaigns (Search and/or Social) in an agency or fast-paced environment.
• Proficiency in Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, and Paid Social platforms (Meta, LinkedIn, TikTok, etc.).
• Strong understanding of campaign structures, bidding strategies, targeting, attribution models, and creative best practices.
• Skilled in using automation and AI-powered tools to scale performance.
• Analytical mindset — confident interpreting data, diagnosing performance shifts, and making evidence-based recommendations.
• Excellent communication skills, able to articulate complex insights clearly and persuasively.
• Experience mentoring or supporting junior team members.
• Organised, dependable, and proactive — able to manage multiple projects and deliver results under pressure.
• Commercially focused and genuinely passionate about innovation and performance marketing.

Our Values and Benefits
The Benefits You Actually Care About
We know every agency says "free fruit and beer." (We've got that too, by the way.)

But at Receptional, our benefits are built around something more meaningful: our
five core values
. These guide everything we do – from how we support each other, to how we grow as individuals and as a team.

Transparent:
We believe in honesty, clarity, and sharing the bigger picture.

• Weekly all-agency meetings to keep you in the loop
• Company-wide quarterly business reviews
• A clear pay framework and role progression through our skills matrix
• Yearly appraisals and weekly 1-2-1s
• Profit-related bonuses paid twice a year, split equally across the team

Forward-Thinking:
We invest in what matters – your health, your future, and new ways of working.

• Access to Mental Health first aiders
• 6 paid-for counselling sessions per year
• Annual health checks and flu jabs
• Enhanced maternity & paternity pay
• Work abroad policy
• Strong employer pension contributions
• Generous employer pension contributions, with enhanced rates for senior staff

Dynamic:
We're flexible, fast-moving and always evolving.

• Hybrid working (3 days in the office, 2 days from home)
• 25 days' holiday, plus an extra day each year of service (up to 30 days)
• A modern Bedford HQ with table tennis, darts, and space to think
• Your Birthday off
• Cycle-to-work scheme
• Monthly rewards recognising those going above and beyond

Collaborative:
We value diverse perspectives, shared wins, and making time to connect.

• Quarterly focus groups – your voice shapes how we work
• Whole-team away days (think axe throwing, canoeing, falconry…)
• Team fundraising for our charity of the year
• Volunteering policy with 2 paid days off a year to support causes you care about
• Celebrations and cultural activities

Curious:
We ask questions, try new things, and never stop learning.

• A dedicated Training Academy with 40+ hours of learning a year
• Access to Industry events
• Peer mentoring, knowledge-sharing and personal development planning
• A culture that encourages "why?" and "what if?"