The Associate Manager, Investment, Search is responsible for effectively supervising a team and set of clients with a focus on accuracy, growth, and innovation. The ideal candidate will have a demonstrated track record of tactical channel expertise and possess a solid understanding of channel strategy and goals. As a supervisor, the Associate Manager will oversee employee development and retention, including training and goal setting, and lead the team in ensuring that the tactical execution of media planning, placement, and reporting (including post-buy and financial reconciliation) are handled with accuracy and timeliness. This role is client-facing.

Key Responsibilities: 

• Maintain and grow assigned client portfolio; coordinate / collaborate with internal teams, including search leadership, throughout each planning cycle
• Participate in the development of search strategies utilizing knowledge, experience, and strong analytical skills to extract insights from campaign data and provide well-developed quantitatively based recommendations 
• Create presentations, regular reporting, and other documents for client use in the evaluation and approval of search campaigns 
• Participate in the development of, and lead the implementation for, search campaign targeting and measurement strategies, across all relevant search mediums, ensuring alignment to client business goals
• Implement strategic action plans for achieving and measuring campaign success; identify KPIs, processes for measurement, and optimization strategies
• Own performance accuracy for campaign execution, optimization, and insights for all assigned clients
• Develop processes to help improve efficiency of the team; scale processes across greater search practice
• Keep agency counterparts and clients up-to-date on industry trends and technology partners, seeking out opportunities to vet and test new technologies
• Responsible for managing a team of direct reports (remote and across all Rise locations)
• Accountable for all aspects of team oversight, including employee onboarding, employee training, employee performance (accountability and behavior), employee retention
• Overall control of workflow and assigned responsibilities within the team; oversee the progress of all projects and provide assistance, where necessary, to ensure timely completion; quickly and tactfully troubleshoot employee and client issues
• Collaborate with leadership and peers to develop solutions that will enhance our operational efficiency, tools, and systems, and improve current workflows
• Watch and check search media trends, tools, technologies, and recommend direction for investment and implementation
• Represent Rise to vendor reps to analyze value and applicability of media vehicles/tactics for plan consideration as needed
• Participate in vendor meetings with current and potential partners

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree (communications, marketing, advertising, or business) 
• Ability to speak, read and write the English language

Experience:

• 4+ years relevant work experience in digital / search media preferred; agency experience a plus 
• Expert usage of Microsoft Office suite, with strong emphasis on Excel
• Experience building media plans and determining budget allocation on a yearly and monthly basis using different forecasting methodologies
• Experience developing and managing high performance teams a plus
• Strong relationships with publisher and technology partners
• Advanced knowledge of the importance and role of search within a media plan and how to leverage its strengths
• Proven ability to convert and implement strategic plan directions into flawless tactical executions
• Demonstrated understanding of media planning concepts such as reach, frequency, frequency management, impression share, ROI, ROAS, and other KPIs

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations:

• Certificates in Google and Microsoft platforms required; experience with other digital platforms a plus
• Advanced level understanding of paid search tactics including text search, PLAs, CSEs, GDN, GSP, and YouTube as well as any associated ad tech 

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Strong analytical capabilities with aptitude to understand technical nuances associated with various media buying platforms in order to improve client results
• Proven experience in developing ongoing processes that positively impacted the profitability / efficiency of an account / team
• Establishes self as a trusted resource by developing relationships with key internal and external stakeholders
• Superior oral and written communication skills; focus on fostering strong, collaborative relationships at a tactical level
• High comfort level participating in brainstorms and ideation sessions
• Ability to work with a team to think tactically and execute accurately in order to align media execution with client needs
• Passion and desire to continue media and channel education by completing ongoing training and certification programs for platforms, media, leadership and other business skills

Travel: <5%