Associate Director, Paid Media

ABOUT SINGLE GRAIN

Single Grain is a Revenue Marketing agency. We build pipeline-focused systems that compound — not campaigns that expire. We've helped 500+ companies, from venture-backed startups to the Fortune 500, drive measurable growth, influencing billions in revenue with a 3.2x average ROI.

Our portfolio includes:

• Single Grain Agency — enterprise digital marketing services across SEO, paid media, creative, CRO, and AI-driven growth strategy.

• ClickFlow — our AI-powered content optimization platform that helps companies unlock hidden growth from their existing content by identifying high-impact SEO opportunities and improving rankings with AI insights.

• Karrot — a LinkedIn advertising and landing page platform built specifically for B2B companies running demand generation programs.

• Single Brain — the complete client operating layer: one agent interface for the human, one agent fleet commander for execution, an agent fleet of worker operators, and vertical specialists that handle the actual work.

We are evolving into a tech-enabled services (TES) company, where software, automation, and services combine to create leverage. Our CEO Eric Siu hosts the Leveling Up podcast and co-hosts Marketing School with Neil Patel, reaching millions of marketers and founders every month — a brand ecosystem most agencies don't have.

We are fully remote, and we operate as an AI-native team: every role at Single Grain is expected to use AI to increase speed, quality, and leverage.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Associate Director of Paid Media is the strategic owner of a $1M+ paid media portfolio AND the people leader of a 2–4 person Paid Media Manager team. This is not a media buying role — AI handles execution. Your job is strategy, leadership, and growth.

Your job is to grow portfolio revenue by 25%+ while building the systems, playbooks, and AI workflows that lift the entire team's output and reduce manual work by 30%+ across the function.

This is a people-leverage role. You are differentiated from a Senior Paid Media Manager by what surrounds your book: you directly manage 2–4 Paid Media Managers, you build the systems they use, and you step into high-stakes client situations when needed.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Own and grow a $1M+ ARR portfolio of strategic paid media accounts, driving 20%+ growth through expansions, performance improvements, and new-channel rollouts.

• Maintain ≥95% client retention across the portfolio, with Net Revenue Retention ≥120%.

• Manage and develop a team of 2–4 Paid Media Managers — set ownership, KPIs, and performance standards; coach the team to deliver strong results consistently.

• Build standardized playbooks for client communication, performance diagnostics, and strategic recommendations — reducing variability and improving the client experience.

• Implement AI systems that reduce manual work by 30%+ across the team, and codify them into reusable workflows.

• Roll out new channels (LinkedIn, programmatic, CTV) with repeatable, multi-account frameworks.

• Ensure every account receives 2+ proactive recommendations per month.

• Step into high-stakes or high-risk client situations when needed — saves, escalations, renewals.

• Raise the quality of strategic thinking across the team without becoming the bottleneck.

OUTCOMES YOU'LL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR

Primary KPI

• Net Revenue Retention ≥125% across the portfolio

• Team-level client retention ≥95%

• ≤1 client-reported error per account per quarter

• Manual work reduced ≥30% through AI workflow rollout

12–18 Month Expectations

• 25%+ growth in managed revenue (portfolio scales past $1.25M ARR)

• ≥95% retention across the portfolio

• A high-performing team of 2–4 Paid Media Managers, with clear ownership and consistent output

• Standardized systems across all accounts — communication, diagnostics, and recommendations

• AI workflows reducing manual work by 30%+ across the team

• Scalable frameworks for new-channel expansion (LinkedIn, programmatic, CTV)

YOU MAY BE A GOOD FIT IF

• You have 8+ years in paid media with deep, hands-on expertise across Google Ads AND Meta (agency, in-house, or consulting — we count the work, not the title).

• You have 3+ years managing a paid media team (2+ direct reports) AND owning a client portfolio at $1M+ scale.

• You think in terms of team-level scale, not individual output. You've shipped at least one playbook or system that lived past you.

• You use AI at a systems level — building workflows the team adopts, not just personal prompts.

• You have strong client presence, including in high-stakes situations like saves, escalations, and renewals.

• You develop the people around you. Your direct reports grow faster because they work with you.

• You communicate clearly and directly under pressure, and create confidence with senior client stakeholders.

• You have working fluency across emerging paid channels (LinkedIn, programmatic, CTV) — not just Google Ads and Meta.

• You partner well across functions — collaborating with SEO, creative, and CRO leaders to embed paid insights in broader growth strategy.

WHAT THIS ROLE IS NOT

This role is likely not a fit if your experience is primarily:

• Media buying or campaign execution only — AI handles execution; your job is strategy, leadership, and growth.

• Individual-contributor work without team leadership or the desire to lead — you'll manage 2–4 direct reports.

• Reactive account management — we need someone who builds proactive systems, not someone who responds to fires.

• Basic AI use (prompts only) — we need someone who builds and ships team-wide workflows.

• Staying close to execution — your leverage shows up in the team's output, not your own.

If you read this list and recognize yourself in the opposite of each line, you'll likely thrive here.

COMPENSATION

Compensation for this role is $100,000 - $120,000 annually. Final compensation will be determined based on the candidate's experience, skills, and qualifications.

BENEFITS

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance after your first month of employment

• 401(k) with 100% match up to 4% of your salary

• $50K life insurance policy, paid 100% by the company

• 12 weeks of paid family leave, effective after the first year of employment

• Flexible Unlimited Paid Time Off

• $100 utilities stipend, paid out as an extra $50 per paycheck

• $60 UberEats credit each month

• A MacBook, keyboard, and mouse

• $500 WFH office reimbursement

• Fully remote — work from anywhere

Apply

Submit your application at singlegrain.com/apply by completing our Beat Claude Challenge. Select the "paid-media-002" assessment.