VP of Paid Search

About The Job Title : Vice President of Paid Search Department : Paid Search Location : Remote Employment Type : Full Time Reports To : Senior Vice President, Client Services Who We Are Clever Digital Marketing (CDM) is a performance marketing agency trusted by the largest home improvement companies across North America. We specialize in scaling client growth through full-funnel paid media strategies and deep business consulting. CDM’s success is powered by its industry-leading reputation for exceptional service delivery and performance, with growth driven almost entirely by client referrals and expansion. Our Paid Search division is a major engine of that growth. We manage seven-figure monthly SEM investments, build high-performance systems, and deliver predictable, scalable lead generation and profitability — not vanity metrics. Our agency thrives on accountability, transparency, proactive leadership, and results, with a culture built on extreme ownership, high standards, and a relentless pursuit of performance. We expect leaders to operate with authority, clarity, and calm pressure, and to bring decisive energy to high-stakes environments. As we continue to scale rapidly, we are hiring a Vice President of Paid Search to architect the future of our SEM organization and lead one of the most high-impact departments at CDM. The Opportunity CDM is seeking a Vice President of Paid Search to lead the overall operations, strategy, and future direction of one of the most strategically important divisions in the company. This role is built for a leader with a never-ending passion for Paid Search; someone who lives and breathes SEM, understands the complexity of performance ecosystems, and excels at navigating the constantly evolving landscape of search marketing. You’ll be the architect of a best-in-class department— shaping the systems, people, processes, and strategic direction that define how CDM delivers performance at scale. Your leadership will set the pace and standards for our A-player environment, championing a culture of performance excellence, clarity, accountability, and high output, while striking a balance with the empathy and support needed to build healthy, motivated, and high-performing teams. This is a role for a true builder — a strategic operator who has scaled teams, led seven-figure spend lead-generation programs, and built systems that create predictable performance in high-stakes environments. You will transform ambiguity into structure, guide with presence and authority, and partner closely with executive leadership to shape the future of CDM’s Paid Search offering. Strong experience leading seven-figure monthly spend, especially in lead generation, is essential for success in this role. Key Responsibilities Department Leadership & Vision Own the full vision, roadmap, and operational direction of the Paid Search division. Build, scale, and evolve the organizational structure, roles, processes, and standards. Architect a high-performance, high-output culture rooted in clarity, accountability, and continuous improvement. Provide leadership presence that inspires confidence across clients, internal teams, and the executive suite. Performance Strategy & SEM Excellence Oversee the strategy, execution, and optimization of high-volume, seven-figure paid search programs across Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, and emerging platforms. Set the strategic direction for PPC tactics, testing frameworks, funnel structure, and cross-channel alignment. Define the department’s measurement philosophy and ensure consistent adoption of performance frameworks, KPIs, and reporting standards. Lead department-wide adoption of new technologies, tactical innovations, and platform opportunities. Oversee complex performance landscapes including CRO, landing pages, creative, automation, analytics, and dev-supported initiatives. Client Impact & Revenue Growth Oversee the SEM strategy that drives client retention, scale, and profitability across large high-stakes accounts. Partner with Client Services on audit development, pipeline support, and onboarding enhancements. Identify opportunities to improve client performance, enhance efficiency, and build competitive advantages in the home improvement vertical. Operational Excellence & Systems Building Design and optimize departmental workflows, SOPs, reporting frameworks, QA processes, and operational systems. Develop training programs, internal certification pathways, and centralized knowledge assets for all SEM functions. Build scalable systems that allow the department to 4–10x output without sacrificing quality. Improve forecasting, spend allocation models, profit optimization, and budgeting processes. Team Development & Leadership Pipeline Building Lead, develop, and mentor senior managers (minimum of 5+ direct reports). Recruit, hire, and onboard top-tier SEM talent, building new roles and specialty divisions as needed. Create personalized growth plans, performance improvement pathways, and coaching rhythms. Ensure performance management rhythms (quarterly evals, coaching cycles, compensation alignment) are upheld with consistency and clarity. Uphold and model CDM’s culture and core values of extreme ownership, integrity, collaborative success, continuous improvement, and results with speed. Cross-Functional Leadership & Executive Partnership Work closely with Client Services, Paid Social, Creative, CRO, Data/Analytics, and other department heads to unify CDM’s strategy. Collaborate with the executive team on annual planning, department forecasting, P&L oversight, and long-term strategic investments. Support new product development, market expansion initiatives, and enterprise-level growth decisions along with ongoing agency and department innovations to continuously evolve and improve agency deliverables and client results. Skills, Knowledge and Expertise Who You Are You are a high-performance executive who blends deep SEM expertise with strategic clarity, operational discipline, and exceptional leadership presence. You think like an owner, operate like a builder, and lead with the confidence and composure of someone who has repeatedly delivered results in high-stakes environments. You bring a rare combination of rigor, curiosity, empathy, and decisiveness — the traits that inspire teams, elevate standards, and create scalable excellence. You don’t wait for direction. You create it. You don’t react to problems. You anticipate and prevent them. At the core, you are: Relentless About Performance : You thrive in environments where excellence is expected and accountability is non-negotiable. You instinctively tie strategy to performance, performance to profitability, and profitability to long-term scale. For you, results aren’t an outcome — they’re a responsibility. A Proactive, Forward-Thinking Operator : You don’t just manage. You anticipate, plan, pressure-test, and act. You stay several steps ahead — of the market, the platforms, the team, and the competition. Analytical, Commercial, and Systems-Minded : You see SEM through the lens of business impact and operational scale. You think in frameworks, processes, and levers. Data isn’t noise — it’s direction. Assertive With Empathy & Confident Humility : You push when it’s right and listen when it matters. You hold high standards without losing the trust, respect, and loyalty of your team. Calm, Clear, and Commanding Under Pressure : When stakes are high, you bring clarity. When challenges arise, you bring direction. When ambiguity appears, you bring structure. A Builder at Heart : You thrive in environments where something needs to be created, improved, or scaled. You bring order to complexity, develop people, and build systems that outlast you. Curious, Coachable, and Growth-Minded : You seek mastery in your craft and depth in your understanding. You ask sharp questions, pursue continuous learning, and welcome feedback as fuel. Qualifications Requirements: 12+ years of comprehensive Paid Search / SEM experience. 5+ years in a senior leadership role overseeing paid search teams. 5+ years directly managing $1M+ in monthly performance advertising spend within lead generation environments. Proven experience scaling a department (ideally 4×+ growth) through systems, people, and strategy. Direct experience hiring, training, and managing senior SEM leaders and multi-layered teams. Demonstrated success in building departmental processes, onboarding systems, and operational frameworks. Strong track record leading cross-functional strategic initiatives (e.g., CRO, dev, analytics). Experience partnering with executive leadership on forecasting, revenue planning, and P&L impact. Preferred: 6+ years Director-level leadership in agency environments. Experience with CRO, landing page development oversight, or multidisciplinary performance functions. Experience overseeing 6+ direct reports and departments of 15+. Exposure to home improvement, home services, or lead generation industries. Benefits Benefits of Working at CDM Competitive base salary + performance-based bonuses Flexible remote work environment with option for in-person collaboration (Vaughan, ON) Group Benefits - Medical, Dental, Vision, RRSP/401k Plan w/matching, more. Company-provided MacBook computer Home office budget and Clever merch delivery to get you started Work Abroad Policy: Need a new working environment? Our work abroad policy supports this! The chance to shape and grow a high-performing Enterprise Client Success team A culture of performance and respect where the best work happens with extreme ownership and accountability meets collaboration. Clever Digital Marketing values the unique skills and experiences each individual brings to the team. We are happy to provide reasonable accommodations to candidates in need of support during the recruitment and selection process. Please note that artificial intelligence (AI) may be utilized during the interview or candidate evaluation process to support the fair and efficient screening, assessment, and selection of applicants.