Director Of SEM

October 20, 2026

Head

Barcelona, Spain

Description

A global EdTech company is hiring a Director of SEM to own strategy, performance, and the future of its search acquisition channel. SEM is the largest and highest-impact acquisition channel with a nine-figure annual spend that grows significantly year over year. The role leads a growing team of specialists and partners with Data Science, MarTech, Brand, and a dedicated Google team, shaping how search evolves with AI.

Responsibilities

Define and own the global SEM strategy across Google Search, PMax, and emerging AI-powered ad formats
Set the vision for growing the channel by expanding keyword coverage, improving bidding sophistication, and deploying budget efficiently
Decide how to balance automation with human judgment and where to invest in new capabilities
Stay at the frontier and shape how search evolves as AI reshapes user behaviour and ad formats
Own the channel KPIs while maintaining or improving ROI
Oversee keyword architecture and automation across keywords, languages, and markets
Lead LTV-based bidding strategy in partnership with the Data Science team
Expand SEM coverage into non-language subjects as the business grows beyond its core vertical
Lead a team of specialists, setting direction, developing capability, and creating clear accountability
Define how the team operates: priorities, org structure, and collaboration model with enabling functions
Define and embed an AI vision for the SEM team, from AI tools for productivity to agentic systems for campaign management workflows
Set the standard for what AI-enabled SEM looks like and continuously push the team's ambition
Partner cross-functionally with business teams to build infrastructure that enables scale, not just campaigns
Align Brand and Growth teams around how SEM and PMax work together for maximum impact
Translate channel performance into clear business impact for senior leadership and build data-driven cases for investment

Requirements

Director-level experience in SEM or Performance Marketing with channel ownership at significant scale and double-digit million budget
Deep hands-on understanding of Google Search, Smart Bidding, and PMax, including how to structure, feed, and govern PMax campaigns at scale
Experience designing or overseeing SEM automation at scale, understanding how the system works, not just what it produces
Proven ability to operate in a high-growth e-commerce or consumer tech environment with ambitious targets and a fast pace
Experience working with data science or engineering teams on performance systems like LTV bidding, prediction models, or automation pipelines
Strategic thinker with the ability to connect long-term vision to day-to-day execution and remove blockers
Comfortable stepping into an existing team and earning credibility through expertise and direction, not task ownership
Experience working in or across multi-language, multi-market environments