Senior Strategist, Paid Media (Search)

Direct Agents directagents.com Open · verified Sep 16, 2026

New York Full-time Senior Paid Media

Senior Paid Media role at Direct Agents. New York · full-time · $95,000–$105,000 base.

SalaryStated by Direct Agents

$95,000 – $105,000

Base salary for this role, in USD per year, as published in the posting.

This role, from Direct AgentsOur estimate for the market: $92,000–$120,250

In line with the market median of $100,000 for senior paid media roles in New York.

Worked out from 8 postings that stated pay, median $100,000. Last updated Sep 16, 2026.

Role brief

Growth Roles summary, based on the employer's posting.

What you'll do

Advise assigned clients on revenue, lifetime value, and market share growth
Use Kanopy to find performance insights, optimization opportunities, and strategic recommendations
Lead planning across programmatic, paid social, and paid search
Guide media teams on testing, optimization, and account expansion opportunities
Run client reviews and executive presentations, while overseeing teams and deliverable quality

What you bring

You bring four to six years of paid media experience across search, social, or programmatic
You are highly skilled in Google Ads and can turn data into actionable growth plans
You are comfortable with AI tools, emerging marketing technology, Excel, and direct-response acquisition
You communicate clearly with senior executives and can manage competing priorities efficiently
You take initiative, think strategically, and stay willing to handle hands-on work

Who this fits

You’ll suit a strategic, hands-on marketer who enjoys client advising, emerging technology, and performance-focused growth work. The role is based at the New York City headquarters, so you must live within commuting distance or be willing to relocate. The four-day schedule is in-office from Monday through Thursday.

From the employer

The Role

As a Senior Strategist, Paid Media at Direct Agents, you will be a strategic growth partner to our clients—going beyond media buying to drive real business outcomes. You'll leverage data-driven insights through our proprietary Kanopy platform and cross-channel expertise to impact revenue, LTV, and market share. Working at the intersection of strategy, technology, and performance, you'll help clients scale their businesses while staying ahead of the evolving digital landscape.

Compensation

$95,000 - $105,000 base salary depending on experience, with annual compensation reviews based on performance. Potential bi-annual bonus based on company and individual performance.

Key Responsibilities

Serve as a trusted growth advisor to assigned client accounts, focusing on business impact (LTV, market share, revenue growth) over tactical metrics
Leverage our proprietary Kanopy platform to uncover performance insights, identify optimization opportunities, and deliver strategic recommendations that drive results
Lead integrated media strategy and planning across programmatic, paid social, and paid search
Partner with paid media execution teams to guide optimization and implement experimentation strategies
Proactively identify account growth opportunities and surface new service recommendations based on performance patterns
Lead weekly/bi-weekly client calls, quarterly business reviews, and executive presentations with ROI-focused storytelling
Stay current on emerging platforms and capabilities to bring innovative ideas to client engagements
Embrace a technology-forward mindset—learning, using, and contributing to our proprietary agentic AI tools and automations
QA all client-facing deliverables and oversee account and specialist teams on a project and client basis

What We're Looking For

4-6 years of experience in paid media (search, social, programmatic) marketing, preferably with e-commerce, subscription, entertainment, or direct response clients.
Expert in Paid Search platforms; Google Ads
Experience with Meta Ads Manager, Pinterest, LinkedIn, TTD, Stackadapt, DV360, Yahoo, etc is a plus
Demonstrated ability to translate data into strategic business recommendations and actionable growth plans
Comfort working with AI-powered tools and genuine curiosity about emerging marketing technology
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with proficiency in Microsoft Excel
Expert understanding of customer acquisition and direct response online marketing
Entrepreneurial spirit with a proven track record for taking initiative
"Big picture" strategic perspective combined with willingness to roll up sleeves and do whatever it takes
Excellent written and verbal communication skills with ability to present to C-Suite executives
Ability to prioritize tasks, multitask, and manage time efficiently

Who We Are

Direct Agents is not a traditional agency. We are an elite team of builders and operators—growth strategists, media architects, and creative thinkers—who partner with ambitious brands to drive measurable revenue growth. Backed by Kanopy AI, our proprietary intelligence platform, and exclusive partnerships with tech and media platforms, we deliver the kind of unfair advantage that helps clients dominate, not just compete.

We operate at the intersection of technology, media, and strategy—where AI meets human expertise to produce outcomes that neither can achieve alone. Our client roster includes brands like Tennis Channel, Marvel, NYSE, Morgan Stanley, Prologis, and DistroKid.

What Sets Us Apart

Direct Agents isn’t for everyone—and that’s by design. We’re building something different.

Proprietary AI That Actually Works: Kanopy AI is our custom-built intelligence platform—real-time campaign optimization, media mix modeling, natural language analytics, and algorithm enrichment that gives our clients (and our sellers) a genuine edge. This isn’t a buzzword; it’s operational.
Exclusive Platform Access: Direct partnerships across Google AI Search, Meta, TikTok, Amazon, Freewheel, Teads, Stackadapt and best in class tech and media partners.
An Elite, Not Bloated, Team: 100+ operators who move fast, think deeply, and ship work that matters. No layers of bureaucracy. Direct access to senior leadership and the executives building the strategy.
AI Integration Across Everything: Claude, ChatGPT, and proprietary AI tools are embedded in our workflows—from data analysis and creative versioning to strategic planning and client intelligence.
8x Crain’s Best Places to Work: A people-first culture with a 12-month average time to promotion, a 4-day workweek, and genuine investment in career development
Certified Minority-Owned Business: 48% BIPOC representation across the agency, 60% female representation—a team that reflects the diverse markets we serve.

Compensation & Benefits

Competitive salary of $95,000 - $105,000 depending on experience, plus performance-based bonus structure (only where applicable)
Regular performance reviews with quarterly growth path check-ins
Comprehensive health, dental, vision, and mental health benefits (One Medical, Talkspace, KindBody, Health Advocate)
15–24 days PTO/year depending on seniority, plus birthday off, 7 sick/safe days, and up to 12 weeks paid parental leave
New MacBook Pro and access to cutting-edge AI tools across the agency
Sun-drenched penthouse Acceleration Hub on 5th Avenue in Flatiron—with commuter benefits and Citibike membership
Dog-friendly office, regular team events (Field Day, Ski Club, Golf League, holiday celebrations), and a culture built around ownership and ambition

Location: This role is based at our NYC headquarters. You must reside or be willing to relocate within commuting distance. Our 4-day workweek schedule is in-office, Monday - Thursday.

Please be aware of fraudulent recruiters and scams. If you move forward in our recruitment process, you will only be contacted by the Direct Agents HR team. Questions? Email hrconcerns@directagents.com