Company description
With a history that dates back over 80 years, Starcom is a global communications planning and media leader. We are an agency still grounded in our founding principle that people are at the centre of all we do. Each day, we apply this belief to harness the transformative power of data and technology to inspire and move people and business forward. With more than 7,000 employees in over 100 offices around the world, we are the flagship Publicis Media agency that uses our ‘Power of One’ business model, with teams that span multiple disciplines across clients such as Aldi, P&G, Primark, Samsung, Stellantis, and Visa.
We place a huge focus on our People, and have driven flagship D&I and L&D programmes within Publicis Media; our goal is to help every individual reach their fullest potential, and we encourage everyone to make “Brave Plays” in how they approach their work and their own career development. As a result, we have an exceptionally energised and committed talent base, all of us proud of our welcoming and supportive culture, as evidenced by our recognition as one of Campaign’s Best Places to Work for five years in a row, Media Week's Agency of the Year 2025 and one of the Sunday Times Best Places to Work 2025.
Overview
You will be the agency’s senior lead for all paid and integrated search activity, expected to form tight partnerships with key media owners, lead thought leadership and best practice approach.
You will also lead the strategy and execution for a key account – Enterprise mobility, with direct responsibility for the paid search team, and broader responsibility for tying together all channels within our remit.
Responsibilities
Enterprise Mobility Performance Leadership – 50%
· Client leadership in total media strategy across channels in scope (PPC, SEO, Affiliates)
· Accountable for delivering client growth and excellence in media
· Leadership of holistic search strategy & delivery
· Leadership of paid search excellence in channel
· Leadership of cross-channel testing strategy
· Operational leadership of team, ensuring we have best in class talent in place
· Growth strategy for new channels and opportunities
Starcom Paid Search Proposition – 50%
· Development of our core paid search proposition within Starcom
· Development of new ancillary products for revenue growth & client stickiness
· Accountable for total paid search excellence across clients
· Alignment with local and global product teams to seed products into Starcom UK clients, and ensure we have a clear pipeline
· Support on client focus areas as appropriate to accelerate maturity
· Leadership of search proposition in new business
· Alignment with SEO & GEO leadership for total search proposition
Qualifications
Must-have's
· Extensive experience leading Search strategy and delivery across Paid Search in an agency and/or in-house environment.
· Proven people leadership: coaching, performance management, team development, and building high-trust cultures.
· Strong commercial mindset comfortable connecting Search to business goals, forecasting, and growth planning.
· Senior stakeholder confidence: able to influence, challenge and align leadership teams client-side and internally.
· Strong analytical thinking: uses data, experimentation and insight to drive decisions and narratives.
Nice-to-have's
· Experience leading integrated paid & organic strategy
· Experience leading hybrid local + offshore teams (UK/India or similar).
· Understanding of emerging discovery surfaces (AI assistants, YouTube search, in-platform search, vertical engines, voice).
· Strong external presence (partners, panels, events) and a track record in new business pitching.
Additional information
Starcom has fantastic benefits on offer to all of our employees. In addition to the classics, Pension, Life Assurance, Private Medical and Income Protection Planswe also offer;
- WORK YOUR WORLD opportunity to work anywhere in the world, where there is a Publicis office, for up to 6 weeks a year.
- REFLECTION DAYS - Two additional days of paid leave to step away from your usual day-to-day work and create time to focus on your well-being and self-care.
- HELP@HAND BENEFITS 24/7 helpline to support you on a personal and professional level. Access to remote GPs, mental health support and CBT. Wellbeing content and lifestyle coaching.
- FAMILY FRIENDLY POLICIES We provide 26 weeks of full pay for the following family milestones: Maternity. Adoption, Surrogacy and Shared Parental Leave.
- FLEXIBLE WORKING, BANK HOLIDAY SWAP & BIRTHDAY DAY OFF You are entitled to an additional day off for your birthday, from your first day of employment.
- GREAT LOCAL DISCOUNTS This includes membership discounts with Soho Friends, local restaurants and retailers in Westfield White City and Television Centre.
Full details of our benefits will be shared when you join us!
Publicis Groupe operates a hybrid working pattern with full time employees being office-based three days during the working week.
We are supportive of all candidates and are committed to providing a fair assessment process. If you have any circumstances (such as neurodiversity, physical or mental impairments or a medical condition) that may affect your assessment, please inform your Talent Acquisition Partner. We will discuss possible adjustments to ensure fairness. Rest assured, disclosing this information will not impact your treatment in our process.
Please make sure you check out the Publicis Career Page which showcases our Inclusive Benefits and our EAG’s (Employee Action Groups).
