Paid Search Associate (Contractor)

Merkle is a leading data-driven, technology-enabled, global performance marketing agency that specialises in the delivery of unique, personalised customer experiences across platforms and devices. We call it ‘people-based’ marketing, and with over 25 years’ experience, we are proud to be recognised as a global leader.

Merkle’s heritage in data, technology and analytics is the foundation for our understanding of consumer insights that drives our people-based marketing strategies. Combined with our expertise in performance creative and media, we can then offer our clients content-driven, contextual and compelling customer experiences that drive business growth.

In 2016, the agency joined the Dentsu, one of the world’s biggest media companies to form the Customer Experience Management (CXM) Line of Business.

We’re looking for someone passionate about Paid Search to join our growing team and continue to push the boundaries on what’s possible with the Google Ads, Microsoft Ads and Amazon platforms! Our team works across a varied portfolio of clients of all shapes, industries and sizes, and we work very closely with the major search engines to remain at the cutting edge of our field. We’re looking for people who are geeks (and proud) who want to be positive disruptors in our industry.

This role is best suited to someone with 1+ years of hands-on Paid Search experience. It requires an understanding of general marketing principles as well as business acumen to support understanding of our clients and the digital marketing space. It supports the development and execution of strategic and tactical initiatives designed to successfully achieve our clients’ goals. The role is diverse and requires the individual to efficiently prioritise and manage multiple work streams at once, work both individually and within a team, effectively communicate, and have an ability to continuously self-educate in this dynamic digital marketing space.

Life as a Paid Search Associate at Merkle

• Understand client objectives and design paid search strategy aimed at achieving them

• Industry, client and competitive research

• Write ad copy and build keywords into campaign structures based on business goals

• Bid management, budget allocation, forecasting, performance monitoring, strategic testing and campaign expansion

• Data manipulation and interpretation for campaign analysis, using actionable insights to improve performance through optimization

• Daily engagement and collaboration with internal teams, search engine partners and client teams

• Complete activities according to best practices, standard operations procedures and team member guidance

A few of the benefits

Whether it’s the joy of working with people at the top of their game or the Merkle social calendar, people love working here – and we hope you will too

• Career development through Merkle University and other tools; with access to courses, textbooks and mentorship

• Private Medical Insurance, Company Pension, life insurance and other corporate benefits

• A selection of other benefits including ability to buy additional holiday, season ticket loan and 2 volunteer days

What we are looking for in you

• We anticipate the successful candidate will have circa 1+ years of experience in Paid Search at account executive or account manager level.

• Familiarity with Google Ads and Microsoft Ads platforms.

• Whilst not essential, experience using SA360, Amazon, international search engines (e.g. Baidu, Yandex, Naver) or other search management platforms is preferred.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

At Merkle, a dentsu company, we believe that creating diverse and balanced teams is not just a moral imperative, it is a business imperative. To help our clients reach millions of different people every day, we need our people to reflect the society that we represent.

We aim to create an inclusive culture where all talent thrives, and we champion meaningful progress in diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) for our people, clients and partners.

DEI is firmly embedded into our shared values - the 8 Ways to Never Before - and our Leadership Framework, which applies to all of our people. And our Global DEI Principles reflect our pledge to be an organisation that promotes wellbeing and inclusivity for everyone - regardless of ethnicity, race, sexual orientation, gender (incl. gender identity and gender expression), age, neurodiversity or physical ability.

We are proud of what makes us different and encourage applicants from all different backgrounds to apply to join us. We are always happy to discuss a flexible and agile approached to working and should you have any reasonable adjustment needs arising from a disability or medical condition to fully participate in the recruitment process, please discuss this with our recruitment teams.

At the point of application, the candidate must have the legal right to work in the UK as we are unable to sponsor visas as this time.

Merkle does not discriminate against job applicants on the basis of age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. Experience stipulated in this job description serves as a guide only and all applications will be considered on their merits, irrespective of experience.

As part of our Diversity and Inclusion agenda, and as an Equal Opportunities employer, if you require reasonable adjustments during the selection process please engage directly with your Recruiter.