PPC Manager

We’re looking for a commercially driven and hands‑on PPC Manager to join our Marketing team at Virgin Experience Days. This is a critical role within our performance marketing function. Paid Search is a key revenue‑driving channel for the business, and we’re looking for someone who can take ownership of day‑to‑day execution, performance optimisation, and reporting – ensuring we maximise every pound spent. Reporting into the Head of Digital Marketing, you’ll play a pivotal role in driving growth through best‑in‑class PPC execution. While we partner with an external agency, we need someone in‑house who lives and breathes performance – someone who can challenge, guide, and elevate output while staying close to the detail.

About the role

This role is all about impact. We’re heavily dependent on PPC performance to drive trading outcomes, so we need someone who is:

• Obsessed with performance and continuous optimisation
• Commercially minded, with a clear focus on profitability, not just top‑line growth
• Confident owning attribution approaches and understanding the true value of the channel
• Comfortable working at pace in a trading‑focused environment
• Able to bridge the gap between agency strategy and in‑house execution

You’ll be the person ensuring our PPC channel is always pushing harder, smarter, and more efficiently.

What you'll do:

Account Management

• Own the day‑to‑day execution and optimisation of our PPC campaigns across key platforms (Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, etc.) working with our PPC agency across both our UK and US ad accounts.
• Drive performance improvements across CVR, ROAS, CPC, CTR, with a strong focus on profitable growth.
• Work closely with our agency to ensure best practice is implemented, challenging and guiding where needed.
• Monitor performance daily, making real‑time trading decisions based on data and commercial context.
• Deliver clear, insight‑led reporting to the Head of Digital Marketing and wider business.

Measurement

• Have a deep understanding of attribution models, ensuring channel performance is assessed accurately and consistently.
• Conduct detailed performance analysis, to sweat the detail and resolve issues and find new marginal gains at pace.
• Lead and support incrementality testing (e.g. geo tests, bid strategy experiments, audience exclusions) to validate the true impact of PPC activity.
• Support forecasting and budgeting, ensuring spend is allocated effectively to maximise return.
• Work with GA4 to offer deep insight into product level performance – what drives changes YoY.

Product Feeds (shopping)

• Work with our feed provider, take ownership of our product feeds.
• Testing new imagery and making sure our products are represented.
• Partner with merchandising/eCommerce teams to improve product data quality.
• Implement feed segmentation strategies for bidding, profitability, and inventory priorities.

Strategy

• Zoom‑In, Zoom‑Out Thinking – pivot quickly between granular detailed product level audits and zoomed out long‑term trend analysis.
• Collaborate with internal teams (eCommerce, CRM, Creative) to align campaigns with trading priorities.
• Work with our partnerships team to provide insight on what drives product changes, which products are trending, and where there is demand for products we don’t have.

What you'll need:

• Proven experience in a PPC / Paid Search role, ideally in a fast‑paced eCommerce or performance‑driven environment.
• Managing Google/Microsoft accounts with at least 7 figure annual spend with experience across both Search and Shopping campaigns.
• Advanced knowledge of Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, Merchant Center, and GA4.
• Proven experience managing large‑scale product catalogs and complex account structures.
• Deep understanding of performance metrics including ROAS, CVR, CPC, CTR, and their relationship to profitability.
• Experience working with different attribution models and understanding their impact on decision‑making.
• Expert‑level knowledge of Google’s latest automation tools and optimisation of audience signals and assets.
• Strong analytical skills with experience in deep‑dive performance analysis and incrementality testing.
• Experience working with agencies, able to manage, challenge, and maximise partner output.
• Commercial mindset with the ability to connect channel performance to overall business trading.
• High attention to detail and a proactive, problem‑solving approach.
• Strong communication skills, able to clearly present performance insights and recommendations.

Perks to make work feel less ordinary:

• Time for you: 25 days holiday plus bank holidays, with the option to buy or sell up to 2 days each year.
• Freedom to work your way: 2 days in‑office (Tuesdays a mandatory in‑office day), Flexi‑working hours around our core 10‑4, so your day works for you (8.5 hours per day).
• Wellbeing that works: Access to an award‑winning employee assistance programme; Health Plan cover (plus family add‑ons) with cash back for a variety of health & wellbeing costs; Cycle to Work and Electric Vehicle schemes (post probation).
• Future proofing you (and your finances): Company pension (5% you, 3% us) after 3 months; Discretionary bonus and life assurance after probation.
• Giving back & all the anti‑ordinary extras: 2 volunteer days each year; Free breakfast when in the office; Personal re‑loadable multi‑choice gift card (topped up on your birthday, lifetime milestones and internal celebrations); Yearly £150 experience voucher; Discounts on experiences and across the Virgin Group; Refer a Friend bonus and generous team celebrations throughout the year.