Paid Performance Manager

Join to apply for the Paid Performance Manager role at Havas Media UK. Reporting to: Paid Performance Director. Office Location: HKX Building, 3 Pancras Square, Kings Cross, N1C 4AG.

About Havas Market: We are Havas Market, part of the Havas Media Network. We believe in the fusion of commerce and performance to drive limitless performance. We break down barriers between commerce and performance to build cohesive multichannel purchase experiences that powerfully combine tech and human flair. Havas Market expertise spans four core specialist services: paid media (PPC, paid social, shopping international), commerce (Amazon, Marketplaces, Retail Media, social commerce), owned (SEO, CRO, content, creative, localisation) and earned (digital PR, social).

We help clients to:

• Connect with the human behind the click – harness human‑led planning and technology to create experiences that connect more deeply and drive superior digital performance.
• Capture meaningful metrics that matter – focus on meaningful results that drive business impact, ensuring client strategy delivers real commercial success.
• Combine curious minds and powerful technology – turn data into actionable insights, powered and delivered by cutting‑edge technology, giving clients a competitive edge in market.

The Role: As a Paid Performance Manager, you will be a performance specialist with extensive search management experience across Google and Amazon, with strong client‑facing skills. You will lead a portfolio of our key accounts within Havas Market’s digital performance team. These clients predominantly sit in the FMCG and Retail sector. The principal elements of the role will be campaign implementation, analysis, optimisation, delivery and evaluation across paid search on Google and Amazon. This includes all relevant formats, such as Performance Max and Shopping, as well as Sponsored Product, Sponsored Brand and Video and Sponsored Display. You will manage 1‑2 Paid Performance Executives or Senior Executives in the pursuit of performance excellence across your client set. There will be a heavy client‑facing element to this role, as you’ll be required to lead weekly calls/meetings and lead on or parts of larger monthly and quarterly meetings, with the support of your line manager. As such, it’s essential you feel comfortable with clients, have strong communication skills, as well as a proactive attitude and a real hunger for success. You will also need to support your line manager on new business and PR opportunities, research, analysis, assisting in strategy and narrative etc. and helping to push the Havas Market name more widely as we look to scale.

Desirable Skills And Experience:

• At least 3+ years’ experience within a Performance remit, ideally within an agency environment.
• Proven experience of working with enterprise‑level clients and large budgets (£1 million+) in paid search on Google and Amazon.
• Extensive experience and proven certification across Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, Google Analytics, SA360 and Amazon Ads (alongside other relevant bid tech, e.g., Pacvue, Skai).
• Experience and up‑to‑date knowledge of competitor tools (SimilarWeb, Helium 10, Jungle Scout etc.).
• Excellent knowledge of industry tools and latest technologies.
• Must be able to communicate well, interpret Performance marketing to clients and manage client expectations.
• Good numeracy skills with strong knowledge/experience of MS Excel.
• Passion for, and a wide understanding of, all aspects of digital media.
• Management experience is desirable but not essential.
• Strong time‑management skills and ability to prioritise workload across your direct reports.
• Excellent communicator – written and verbal, with the ability to present confidently.
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Thorough attention to detail.

Key Responsibilities – Capability (technical knowledge):

• Be responsible for the creation and management of paid search campaigns to effectively deliver client objectives and targets.
• Be a technical lead and point of authority on paid search, shopping, performance max, AMS and (desired but not critical) Criteo.
• Oversee and manage optimisation of campaigns using bid‑management tools to deliver ongoing paid performance.
• Drive best practice on your client(s) and through your team; improve campaign delivery quality, innovation and automation.
• Develop and plan holistic paid performance strategies largely independently, but with support from your line manager where required.
• Oversee or execute optimisation of campaigns, both manual and automated, utilising bid‑management tools, scripts, external technology etc.
• Develop a rich understanding of clients’ audience and consumer journey for their vertical, always delivering richer insight.
• Help drive innovation and creative solutions for clients, ensuring media firsts and beta participation where possible.

Key Responsibilities – Management (people and development):

• Independently manage personal development plans for all direct reports, ensuring SMART objectives are set.
• Develop paid search expertise, tech knowledge and all‑round skill set of your direct reports.
• Provide regular support and advice to help progress direct reports.
• Provide clear and defined roles and responsibilities for each position in your team – work with your line manager to ensure accurate role breakdown.

Seniority Level: Mid‑Senior level

Employment Type: Full‑time

Job Function: Advertising and Other Industries: Advertising Services