Senior SEM Manager
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The Senior SEM Manager implements the business’s search engine marketing strategies as well as the pay-per-click (PPC) advertising strategies. He also serves in measuring results, making recommendation, and implementing changes and enhancements in the SEM programs in place.
The Senior SEM Manager spearheads and oversees the day-to-day SEM processes for various marketing search campaigns and implements new or revised keywords, ad copy, bid, landing pages, and other related SEM approaches and strategies. The Senior SEM Manager is the primary developer of SEM tests and regularly reports on the impacts and results of SEM programs as well as forwarding strategic recommendations that improve the overall SEM performance and results.
Objectives and Responsibilities of the Senior SEM Manager
Team Management/Strategy: The Senior SEM Manager is first tasked with overseeing day-to-day processes of the junior SEM team in the business’s various search marketing campaigns. This is in regard to keyword implementation, ad copy creation, bid, landing pages, and other related daily SEM aspects. He ensures that all these functions are effectively executed and that they are in line with the allocated budget and timelines.
The Senior SEM Manager additionally manages the implementation of SEM strategies across various search engines and ad networks, inclusive of Google, Bing, and Yahoo. The Senior SEM Manager is also in charge of implementing tracking solutions for both Audience Extension and Paid Search initiatives.
Analytics: The Senior SEM Manager is tasked with the monitoring of SEM campaigns. He performs advanced research and analyses on search performance metrics such as quality score and competitive analyses after which he makes recommendations on tracking and data improvements that are in support of more comprehensive data gathering, which will in turn drive a comprehensive understanding of drivers of successful SEM campaigns.
He also measures the effectiveness of SEM strategies in terms of ROI, traffic, and conversion against the overall goals of the business, making sure SEM campaigns stay aligned with business objectives. At this capacity, it is also the Senior SEM Manager’s duty to simplify reports and analyses ensuring that they are easy to read and interpret prior to presentation to Senior SEM management and relevant stakeholders.
Apart from developing ad copy, landing pages, and keywords, the Senior SEM Manager performs tests on these landing pages, ad copy, and keywords for the purpose of increasing PPC rates and the business’s profit margin. On top of this, the Senior SEM Manager leverages performance and reporting tools such as Google Analytics, Clickfuel, and Acquisio in order providing internal insight and transparency to the business’s online market and consumer performance.
Collaboration: The position of the Senior SEM Manager is also a collaborative one and, as such, the Senior SEM Manager works closely with the branding department, web design department, and the content departments in identifying and implementing necessary changes to existing SEM campaigns strategies, content, and approaches that will in turn improve the performance of paid search campaigns of the business.
Additionally, the Senior SEM Manager works closely with the Senior SEM management who are, the Head of SEM and the Director of Search Marketing in developing department-wide learning agendas, structure tests such as A/B and creating reports on the impact of SEM programs and campaigns. He also partners up with the senior management for the purpose of departmental budgetary allocations, executing new approved strategies for search campaign development, and ensuring that these are in line with the business’s overall goals.
The Senior SEM Manager also supports the sales and product management departments in identifying and taking advantage of growth opportunities inclusive of approaches for improving client retention and staff training.
Knowledge: The Senior SEM Manager has a role to play in the maintenance of high standards of awareness within the SEM department. He constantly gathers information on search engine optimization and search engine marketing and stays up to date on the internet marketing and social media trends in order to ensure that the SEM department and the business at large does not lag behind of competition and that it always has a competitive edge.
The Senior SEM Manager is also responsible for providing the SEM department with the best practices in SEM in areas inclusive of search engine management, customer service, consumer communications, and SEM campaign monitoring.
Other Duties: The Senior SEM Manager also performs other duties as he deems fit in the execution of his functions and duties as directed by the Head of SEM, the Director of Search Marketing, or the Employer.
Required Qualifications of the Senior SEM Manager
Education: A suitable candidate for this position will have a bachelor’s degree (master’s preferred) in a business or a quantitative discipline such as Marketing, Business Administration, Math, Economics, Business, Marketing, Computer Science, Information Technology, or any other related field. An equivalent of them same in working experience is also acceptable.
Experience: The Senior SEM Manager must have had over 5 years in working experience in the field of search engine marketing/paid search marketing, preferably as the SEM manager in a fast paced business environment. He will demonstrate proficiency and vast knowledge in SEM best practices and the workings of key search engines. The candidate will also have vast experience in ad copy, keyword creation, and landing page testing and optimization.
As a bonus, a suitable candidate will be extremely proficient in SEO and have vast experience in Product/Project Management. He will also possess good graphic design techniques and have substantial knowledge of marketing principles and practices.
Analytical Skills: The Senior SEO Manager will also have a strong understanding of Google Analytics, Omniture, Yahoo Gemini platforms, Bing Ads, Yahoo Gemini platforms and other similar web analytics and platforms. A suitable candidate will have a full understanding of the principle Search Marketing skills that are inclusive of creation of SEM campaigns, landing page selection, ad creation, bid management and so forth. He will also be highly familiar with digital advertising trends that will enable him to keep the business up to date and give it a competitive edge.
Additionally, the Senior SEM Manager will possess impeccable mathematical skills, Ms Word, and Ms Excel skills, that will be handy in the preparation of research analysis reports and presentations meant for top SEM management and relevant stakeholders.
Communication Skills: Communication skills are a must for this position, and this is both in verbal and in written form. The effectiveness of the junior SEM personnel in the execution of their functions will be dependent on the clarity of communication and instruction from the Senior SEM manager. In addition to this, the position will require regular preparation of reports and presentations on SEM research findings and analyses. These reports and presentations will generally involve complex and complex concepts and the Senior SEM Manager has to have the ability to present them in an engaging, simplified, and easily understandable manner.
Interpersonal/people Skills: Interpersonal skills are what will determine the effectiveness of the Senior SEM Manager in the independent performance of his duties and well as the efficient execution of his collaborative duties. A candidate for the position must be an excellent problem solver, be highly organized and detail oriented, be able to handle multiple projects with and met deadlines with ease, be a team player but also be self-motivated, and have an display composure in a strenuous and highly competitive environment.
On the other hand, being a highly collaborative position, the Senior SEM manager must possess exceptional people skills that make him relatable and likeable, hence, gaining the trust of everyone inclusive cross functional personnel and top SEO management. This way he will be able to earn the trust of top management in the formulation and execution of SEM strategies with minimal supervision and gain the trust of junior personnel who will be ready to trust his judgments in various SEM programs and campaigns.