Senior Director, Performance Media

Who this role is best for

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Skills & requirements

About the role

Summary

At AbelsonTaylor Group, work that makes you feel good isn't just what we do, it's who we are. We create an environment where creativity thrives, teamwork flourishes, and people can do meaningful work that advances health and brighter futures.

We are seeking a Senior Director, Performance Media to join our team. This leader is responsible for the strategic direction, quality, growth, and operational excellence of the agency performance media practice. The role oversees Paid Search, Programmatic Display and Video, Paid Social, and emerging activation channels while connecting media strategy, activation, creative, analytics, ad operations, and technology.

What You'll Do

Performance Media Leadership

· Lead the agency performance media practice across Paid Search, Programmatic Display and Video, Paid Social, and emerging digital activation channels.

· Establish strategic direction, channel standards, quality controls, and best practices that support effective, compliant, and measurable activation.

· Partner with the Media Strategy team to develop channel recommendations aligned with client strategy, audience needs, investment levels, and business objectives.

· Guide testing, optimization, innovation, and platform adoption across the performance media portfolio.

· Serve as the senior escalation point for activation, platform, measurement, and performance challenges.

Client Leadership & Growth

· Serve as a senior performance media subject matter expert in client meetings, strategic presentations, and annual planning engagements.

· Translate complex platform, data, and performance topics into clear, actionable recommendations for clients and internal teams.

· Guide senior team members in developing clear report observations, implications, and optimization actions.

· Support new business, organic growth, scopes of work, case studies, and agency thought leadership.

Cross-Functional & Creative Partnership

· Collaborate with Media Strategy, Marketing Intelligence, Creative, Integrated Strategy, Brand Planning, and Account teams to deliver connected media programs.

· Partner with Creative leadership on asset requirements, dynamic content opportunities, new formats, deliverable timing, and performance-informed creative recommendations.

· Help align channel activation, ad operations, measurement, analytics, and reporting approaches across accounts.

Operational & Financial Oversight

· Partner with department leadership on staffing, account assignments, workload management, revenue projections, investment pacing, and operational priorities.

· Maintain oversight of activation quality, budget stewardship, pacing, billing inputs, and issue resolution across assigned business.

· Develop and maintain department processes, templates, playbooks, onboarding materials, and training resources.

Team Leadership & Development

· Lead, mentor, and develop Associate Directors, Supervisors, Specialists, and other performance media team members.

· Balance workloads, clarify ownership, set priorities, and create opportunities that build strategic and technical skills.

· Provide ongoing coaching, formal performance feedback, and career development support.

· Foster an inclusive, collaborative, accountable, and psychologically safe team environment.

What Makes You a Great Fit

· 10+ years of digital or performance media experience, including significant leadership responsibility across Paid Search, Programmatic, and Paid Social.

· Healthcare or pharmaceutical media experience strongly preferred, including experience working with regulated brands and cross-functional agency teams.

· Demonstrated expertise in performance media strategy, activation, optimization, audience planning, measurement, and analytics.

· Deep knowledge of major platforms and systems such as DV360, SA360, Campaign Manager 360, Google Ads, Microsoft Advertising, Meta, LinkedIn, PulsePoint, and Prisma.

· Experience leading teams, managing senior client relationships, and presenting strategic recommendations to executive stakeholders.

· Strong financial, operational, and organizational skills, with the ability to manage priorities across multiple clients and workstreams.

· Analytical and creative problem-solving skills, sound judgment, and a commitment to high-quality work.

Benefits and Perks:

Medical, Dental and Vision coverage

401k with Company match of 50% on the first 6%

Adoption Assistance – Up to $2,500 of financial assistance

Company Paid Life Insurance, Short-Term and Long-Term Disability

Short-Term Disability providing 100% of salary coverage

Paid Parental Leave for birth and non-birth parents (4 weeks)

Summer Fridays

Flexible Time Off (FTO)

11 Holidays and End of Year Office Closure

Company provided Learning and Development opportunities

Free lunch Wednesdays

Wellness Program

Compensation Range: $155,000 - $180,000. The starting salary offer will depend on the candidate’s skills, qualifications, and experience. The company reserves the right to adjust this pay range at any time. 

 At AbelsonTaylor Group (ATG), we love science, art, and data. Since our beginnings in 1981, ATG has been singularly focused on health, wellness, and pharma products – not sneakers, beer, or cars (though we like those things, too). Besides being passionate about our purpose, we are dedicated to our people and their professional growth and fulfillment. We value a diverse and inclusive workforce and strive to bring together people with unique skills and varied backgrounds to work toward common goals. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without discrimination regarding age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

This position follows a hybrid schedule, requiring employees to be onsite Tuesday-Thursday each week in our Chicago office. We make reasonable accommodations for employees and applicants with disabilities who require schedule accommodations.

We are an E-Verify employer

https://www.abelsontaylorgroup.com/pdfs/IER_RightToWorkPoster_Eng_Es.pdf 

https://www.abelsontaylorgroup.com/pdfs/E-Verify_Participation_Poster_Eng_Es.pdf

Source: AbelsonTaylor Group careers (Greenhouse)