Paid Media Strategist (Remote)

Position Title: Paid Media Strategist

Department: Marketing & Digital Strategy

Classification: Staff, Full-Time, Exempt

Reports to: Director of Advertising & Marketing Analytics

Location: Remote within the continental United States.

Compensation: Antioch University offers a competitive compensation and benefits package that includes both direct and indirect pay. The compensation will be based on experience, education, knowledge, credentials, and a consideration of the difficulty and complexity of the position. The salary range for this position is $75,000.00 - $85,000.00.

Position Summary

Under the direction of the Director of Advertising & Marketing Analytics, the Paid Media Strategist leads the execution and optimization of the university’s paid advertising efforts, with primary responsibility for digital platforms and strategic involvement in traditional media placements when aligned with institutional goals.

This role is responsible for building, managing, and improving performance-driven campaigns that support brand visibility, qualified lead generation, and enrollment growth across a complex, multi-campus institution.

The Paid Media Strategist serves as the day-to-day subject matter expert for paid search and paid social advertising. This position requires strong hands-on experience in campaign architecture, audience segmentation, bid strategy, budget allocation, and performance optimization. Success in this role requires analytical rigor, sound judgment, and a proactive approach to improving outcomes over time.

While strategic priorities are set in collaboration with leadership, the individual in this role must be comfortable operating with independence, identifying opportunities for improvement, and translating performance data into actionable strategy.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Paid Media Strategy & Execution

• Develop, launch, and manage paid media campaigns across Google Ads (Search, Display, YouTube), Microsoft Ads, Meta, LinkedIn, and other relevant platforms.
• Design effective account and campaign structures that reflect varied audiences, programs, campuses, and delivery modalities.
• Implement and manage keyword strategy, audience targeting, automated and manual bid strategies, budget pacing, and performance forecasting.
• Optimize campaigns toward defined KPIs, including cost per inquiry, cost per application, and other performance indicators aligned with enrollment goals.
• Contribute to the planning and evaluation of traditional media placements (e.g., print, radio, out-of-home, sponsorships) when appropriate, ensuring alignment with overall media strategy.

Performance Analysis & Optimization

• Monitor daily, weekly, and monthly campaign performance, identifying trends and implementing data-driven optimizations.
• Analyze conversion paths and attribution models to inform budget allocation and channel strategy.
• Ensure accurate tracking, tagging, and reporting across advertising platforms and analytics systems.
• Recommend budget shifts across programs, platforms, or media channels based on performance data and strategic priorities.

Innovation & Channel Expansion

• Evaluate emerging digital platforms, placements, and advertising technologies to expand reach and improve performance.
• Support testing of new media opportunities, including both digital and traditional channels, with clear performance hypotheses and measurement plans.
• Stay current with evolving best practices in paid media and higher education marketing trends.

Collaboration & Communication

• Partner with marketing, enrollment, creative, and analytics colleagues to align messaging, targeting, and follow-up strategies.
• Contribute to ad copy development and creative direction to ensure alignment with performance goals and brand standards.
• Present campaign strategies, performance results, and optimization recommendations clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Manage vendor relationships, insertion orders, billing reconciliation, and asset trafficking as needed across media channels.

Experience and Qualifications

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Communications, Advertising, or related field.
• 2–5 years of experience managing paid search and paid social campaigns with demonstrated performance outcomes.
• Advanced working knowledge of Google Ads and at least one major paid social platform (Meta or LinkedIn).
• Experience managing advertising budgets and optimizing campaigns based on performance data.
• Demonstrated ability to interpret analytics and translate insights into campaign improvements.
• Familiarity with integrated media planning principles and how digital and traditional channels can work together to support broader marketing goals.

Higher education marketing experience preferred but not required.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Strong understanding of campaign architecture, audience segmentation, and bidding methodologies (manual and automated).
• Experience optimizing toward conversion-based objectives and performance KPIs.
• Working knowledge of media measurement, attribution models, and cross-channel reporting.
• Ability to evaluate the role of various media channels within a broader marketing strategy.
• Proficiency with analytics platforms and reporting tools.
• Strong analytical mindset with attention to detail.
• Clear communicator capable of translating performance data into strategic insight.
• Self-directed, proactive, and committed to continuous improvement.

Hours of Employment

This is a full-time position serving a national university. A work schedule will be established in consultation with the supervisor. The typical work week is Monday through Friday, 40 hours per week with occasional evening and/or weekend hours.

Work Location
Remote position that requires reliable high-speed internet and quiet work space.

Physical Requirements

The essential functions represent the basic job duties that an employee must be able to perform with or without a reasonable accommodation. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Antioch University reserves the right to change the duties of this position at any time.

Benefits Summary:

Voluntary Health, dental and vision plan and flexible spending account options; employer retirement plan contribution of 6%; voluntary salary deduction to a pre-tax or post-tax retirement account; employer paid life insurance and short term disability; voluntary supplemental life insurance, long-term disability, accidental death/dismemberment, critical illness, and accident coverage plans; vacation accrues monthly (3 weeks from 0 – 5 years; 4 weeks after 6 years; carry-over allowed up to 3.75 days 0 – 5 years; up to 5 days, after 6 years and up); 12 days per year sick leave (carry-over up to 65 days); 15 paid holidays; tuition remission for employees and dependents at Antioch University campuses; and employee paid options with AFLAC, LegalShield, and Liberty Mutual. (This list is meant to be an informal summary of benefits. Plan benefits and eligibility requirements are governed by the plan documents and University policies which will be made available upon request).

To Apply

Please email a cover letter, CV/resume, and a list of reference names and contact information to [email protected] . In the subject line of the email, please state Paid Media Strategist .

NOTE: The successful candidate for this position will be subject to a pre-employment background check.

Coalition for the Common Good (CCG) EEO Statement

The Coalition for the Common Good provides equal employment opportunity to all employees and applicants and prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic or class protected by federal, state or local laws in matters affecting employment or in providing access to programs. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, benefits, and training. The CCG complies with all state and federal laws that prohibit discrimination, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, Title IX, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Equal Pay Act and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. Inquiries should be addressed to the Office of Human Resources or the Office of the General Counsel.