Associate Director, Paid Social - performance media strategy

This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for an Associate Director, Paid Social – Performance Media Strategy based in the United States. This is a senior strategic opportunity to lead sophisticated, full-funnel paid social programs for enterprise and highly complex clients. You will shape channel strategy across leading platforms while connecting paid social performance to broader business and marketing objectives. The role combines strategic ownership, analytical rigor, client advisory, and hands-on performance leadership. You will manage budgets, forecasts, roadmaps, and profitability while identifying opportunities to accelerate measurable growth. As a trusted advisor, you will translate complex performance data into compelling recommendations and clear client narratives. You will also build and mentor high-performing teams, strengthening capabilities and establishing best practices across the organization. This role is ideal for an experienced paid social leader who thrives in a fast-moving, collaborative, performance-driven environment. Lead channel-specific paid social strategy for complex, multichannel accounts across platforms such as Meta, TikTok, LinkedIn, Reddit, Snap, and Pinterest. Serve as the senior paid social strategist for major accounts, aligning channel tactics with client objectives, measurement frameworks, attribution models, and investment levels. Own paid social components of client roadmaps, ensuring alignment between performance objectives, creative strategy, cross-channel initiatives, and broader business priorities. Manage paid social budgets, forecasting, performance delivery, and profitability, recommending strategic adjustments to achieve or exceed KPIs. Establish and continuously improve paid social processes, QA standards, workflows, and best practices across teams. Partner closely with client leadership and activation teams to deliver integrated strategies and provide strategic input on presentations, proposals, content, and client communications. Act as the primary escalation point for paid social issues, resolving performance challenges, prioritization conflicts, and execution risks. Develop strong client relationships through strategic consultation, clear communication, and a deep understanding of business goals. Lead, mentor, and develop high-performing teams through effective onboarding, delegation, coaching, and career development. Foster an inclusive, collaborative, and results-oriented team culture while helping team members strengthen their strategic and platform expertise. Requirements At least 5 years of professional experience in paid social advertising, with demonstrated expertise in developing and executing performance-focused strategies. At least 3 years of experience in client-facing roles serving as a strategic advisor or consultant. Proven success managing and scaling paid social programs for enterprise-level or highly complex accounts. Deep proficiency across paid social platforms and advertising technologies, including Meta Ads Manager, TikTok Ads, LinkedIn Campaign Manager, Reddit, and related analytics solutions. Strong analytical capabilities, with the ability to interpret performance data, identify meaningful insights, and turn findings into clear, actionable recommendations. Demonstrated experience managing and developing teams, with a strong emphasis on mentorship, performance improvement, and career growth. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to build trust and influence clients, senior stakeholders, and cross-functional partners. Proven ability to develop strategic paid social plans that align channel activity with client objectives and measurable business outcomes. Strong problem-solving skills and adaptability when responding to evolving platforms, market conditions, performance challenges, and client priorities. Demonstrated ability to create collabo