Marketing - Manager, Paid Media and Activation

Opportunity:

As the Manager, Paid Media and Activation, you will be responsible for overseeing the operational execution and activation of paid media campaigns across social, programmatic, video, display, and other digital channels.

You will serve as the primary day-to-day lead with DeVry’s media agency of record and work closely with internal teams across brand, creative, analytics, enrollment, and web to ensure campaigns are launched efficiently, optimized effectively, and aligned to broader business and enrollment goals.

This role requires strong organizational leadership, collaboration skills, and the ability to manage multiple moving pieces across campaigns while maintaining focus on performance, optimization, testing, and operational excellence.

Responsibilities:
Paid Media Activation & Campaign Management

Lead activation and operational management of paid media campaigns across digital channels (social, programmatic, video, display, etc.)

Partner with Senior Manager to execute media plans aligned to university goals and enrollment priorities

Coordinate campaign launches, timelines, deliverables, and optimization workflows across internal teams and agency partners

Ensure campaigns are launched accurately, efficiently, and aligned to strategic direction

Manage ongoing optimization discussions and ensure campaign changes are implemented effectively

Support testing initiatives including audience testing, creative testing, and in-market optimization efforts

Agency Partnership & Operational Leadership

Serve as the primary day-to-day lead with AoR, ensuring strong collaboration, accountability, and executional excellence

Manage campaign timelines, deliverables, reporting cadences, and optimization workflows with agency partners

Lead weekly performance and optimization discussions with agency teams

Ensure agency recommendations and execution align with broader media strategy and business goals

Coordinate issue resolution, campaign adjustments, and operational efficiencies across campaigns

Foster a collaborative and solutions-oriented partnership with agency teams

Performance Insights & Optimization

Partner closely with analytics resources to review campaign performance and identify optimization opportunities

Translate performance insights into actionable recommendations and activation changes

Monitor campaign pacing, performance trends, and in-market optimizations across channels

Support a test-and-learn culture focused on continuous improvement and campaign effectiveness

Ensure performance reporting and campaign learnings are communicated clearly across stakeholders

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Campaign Orchestration

Partner closely with brand, creative, web, enrollment, and analytics teams to ensure seamless campaign execution and alignment

Coordinate campaign launch readiness across stakeholders, ensuring timelines, assets, tracking, and approvals are completed effectively

Align messaging, creative, and activation plans to campaign objectives and audience needs

Facilitate communication and collaboration across teams to improve operational efficiency and campaign effectiveness

Serve as a key connector across internal and external teams throughout campaign lifecycles

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Advertising, Business, or a related field.

5–8+ years of experience in paid media, digital marketing, or related field

Strong experience working with media agencies, ideally including Omnicom or similar large agency networks

Experience leading paid media activation and optimization across digital channels

Strong operational and project management skills with high attention to detail

Demonstrated ability to manage complex campaign workflows across multiple stakeholders and timelines

Strong analytical mindset with the ability to translate data into insights and action

Familiarity with digital marketing platforms (Meta, DV360, LinkedIn, programmatic/display platforms, video platforms, etc.) and analytics tools (PowerBI, Looker Studio, GA4)

Experience in higher education or a complex, multi-touch sales cycle environment is a plus

Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills

Ability to manage multiple campaigns and priorities in a fast-paced environment