Senior Manager, Paid Search/Search Engine Marketing

Target Brands, Inc.

$95K — $171K *
Retail & Consumer Goods
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 4-year degree in business marketing or equivalent; MBA preferred
  • 6+ years of paid digital marketing experience, focusing on paid search retail strategies
  • Experience with paid search and/or social platforms like Google Ads, Pinterest, Meta Ads, and more
  • Familiarity with paid search bid management platforms (e.g., Search Ads 360)
  • Knowledge of data configuration and optimization related to paid media campaigns
  • Experience in the retail industry is preferred
  • Exceptional communication and relationship-building skills
  • Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities

Responsibilities

  • Define and evolve the paid search media strategy in line with enterprise growth objectives
  • Lead the execution process from strategy to measurement and optimization
  • Implement advanced optimization strategies to enhance campaign performance
  • Build and maintain strong relationships with internal and external partners
  • Influence senior stakeholders in evolving media strategies and investments
  • Act as a subject matter expert in paid performance media
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate external media signals with internal outcomes
  • Mentor and develop team members, fostering a culture of inclusivity
  • Develop and manage a robust test-and-learn agenda
  • Evaluate and scale AI-driven media solutions for improved business outcomes
  • Standardize best practices to enhance campaign efficiency and performance
  • Monitor industry trends and translate insights into actionable strategies

Benefits

  • Comprehensive health benefits, including medical, vision, dental, and life insurance
  • 401(k) retirement plan
  • Employee discount program
  • Short-term and long-term disability insurance
  • Paid sick leave and national holidays
  • Paid vacation
  • Commitment to team member well-being and development
Full Job Description
The pay range is $95,000.00 - $171,000.00

Pay is based on several factors which vary based on position. These include labor markets and in some instances may include education, work experience and certifications. In addition to your pay, Target cares about and invests in you as a team member, so that you can take care of yourself and your family. Target offers eligible team members and their dependents comprehensive health benefits and programs, which may include medical, vision, dental, life insurance and more, to help you and your family take care of your whole selves. Other benefits for eligible team members include 401(k), employee discount, short term disability, long term disability, paid sick leave, paid national holidays, and paid vacation. Find competitive benefits from financial and education to well-being and beyond at https://corporate.target.com/careers/benefits.

As a Senior Manager, Paid Search/Search Engine Marketing, you will lead the strategy, execution, and optimization of Target's digital media investments across paid search platforms, including Google, Bing, Pinterest, Apple, and OpenAI. In this role, you are accountable not only for campaign performance, but for shaping scalable, full-funnel media strategies that drive new customer acquisition, customer engagement, and measurable outcomes within our Home and A&A businesses.

You will oversee day-to-day activation while elevating the team's approach through advanced optimization frameworks, test-and-learn agendas, and data-driven decisioning. This includes guiding bidding strategies, audience architecture, creative and content planning, and budget allocation to maximize efficiency and impact across channels.

You will translate complex data into clear, actionable insights, delivering executive-level reporting and recommendations to key stakeholders. You will also establish and evolve best-in-class processes, ensuring consistency and scalability across campaign setup, trafficking, measurement, and performance pacing.

You are expected to stay ahead of the rapidly evolving paid media landscape, proactively identifying emerging trends, platform innovations, and industry shifts, and translating them into forward-looking strategies that advance Target's enterprise media capabilities. Additionally, you will play a key role in mentoring team members, influencing cross-functional partners, and driving alignment across broader marketing and business objectives.

Key Responsibilities:
  • Own, define, and evolve the paid search performance media strategy, aligning to enterprise growth objectives and full-funnel outcomes
  • Lead end-to-end execution across platforms-from strategic planning and activation through measurement, optimization, and closed-loop reporting
  • Drive performance through advanced optimization strategies, including audience design, bidding frameworks, creative strategy, and budget allocation
  • Build, manage, and influence strong relationships with internal and external partners, establishing trust, credibility, and accountability
  • Influence senior stakeholders and cross-functional partners to evolve media strategies, measurement frameworks, and investment decisions that drive enterprise impact
  • Serve as a subject matter expert in paid performance media, bringing forward innovative approaches across search platforms
  • Partner cross-functionally with marketing, merchandising, finance, analytics, and product teams to develop integrated strategies that connect external media signals to internal business outcomes
  • Champion a culture of inclusivity, connection, and drive while mentoring and developing team members
  • Define and lead a robust test-and-learn agenda, identifying and scaling new opportunities to drive incremental performance and unlock new capabilities
  • Evaluate, test, and scale AI-driven media solutions (e.g., Performance Max, Demand Gen, AI-powered bidding/creative, emerging platforms) to improve efficiency and business outcomes
  • Establish, standardize, and scale best practices, processes, and frameworks to improve consistency, efficiency, and performance across campaigns
  • Develop and operationalize multi-channel performance media roadmaps, ensuring alignment with broader marketing strategies and enterprise priorities
  • Continuously monitor industry trends, platform changes, and competitive dynamics, translating insights into forward-looking strategies

Core responsibilities of this job are described within this job description. Job duties may change at any time due to business needs.

About you:
  • 4-year degree with relevant business marketing experience or equivalent experience; MBA preferred
  • 6+ years paid digital marketing experience; emphasis in paid search retail strategies
  • Activation and media strategy experience with paid search and/or social platforms including, but not limited to: Google Ads, Pinterest, Meta Ads, Tiktok, Apple Search Ads, Snapchat, Microsoft Ads
  • Detailed knowledge and experience with paid search bid management platforms (i.e. Search Ads 360, Skai, Marin, etc.)
  • Intimate knowledge of technical aspects of data configuration, optimization and measurement of paid media campaigns activated to drive enterprise outcomes (i.e. pixels, attribution, CAPI, prospecting vs. retargeting, etc.)
  • Experience in the retail style business is preferred
  • Outstanding communication and relationship building, uniting teams towards common goals and outcomes
  • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with an ability to analyze data and effectively story tell
  • Highly organized and detail oriented, with a lens towards streamlining and managing multiple projects
  • Comfortable navigating through ambiguity with a strong sense of prioritization for action
  • Ability to work with all levels of management with a high level of autonomy, motivation, and self-direction, tailoring messages as appropriate


This position will operate as a Hybrid/Flex for Your Day work arrangement based on Target's needs. A Hybrid/Flex for Your Day work arrangement means the team member's core role will need to be performed both onsite at the Target HQ MN location the role is assigned to and virtually, depending upon what your role, team and tasks require for that day. Work duties cannot be performed outside of the country of the primary work location, unless otherwise prescribed by Target. Click here if you are curious to learn more about Minnesota.

Benefits Eligibility
Please paste this url into your preferred browser to learn about benefits eligibility for this role: https://tgt.biz/BenefitsForYou_E

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