Position Summary:As a Senior Manager, Search & Discoverability you will own the strategy across paid search, ChatGPT, Reddit and emerging search and discovery environments. This role will ensure that Penn Foster remains visible, relevant and competitive wherever prospective students are actively researching educational options, comparing programs and making enrollment decisions. As consumer search behavior evolves beyond traditional search engines this role will develop an integrated approach to search that connects paid media, organic visibility, content, technology and measurement. The Ideal candidate combines deep search marketing expertise with strong analytical thinking and curiosity about how consumer discovery is changing.Essential Job Functions:
Develop and lead an integrated search and discoverability strategy spanning paid search, AI powered search, LLMs and emerging consumer discoverability platforms.
Own paid search strategy and performance including account structures, bidding strategies, audience strategy, keyword and query management, budget allocation and optimization against business outcomes.
Partner closely with SEO resources to align paid and organic opportunities and develop a testing roadmap that identifies areas of overlap, opportunities for efficiency and opportunities that maximize reach.
Monitor changes within consumer search behavior, search engine results pages and LLM-based discovery to identify emerging risks and opportunities.
Use search query, keyword, competitive, audience and consumer behavior to identify shifts in demand and translate those insights into recommendations for marketing and broader business strategy.
Partner with Analytics and Measurement teams to improve attribution, incrementality measurement, forecasting and understanding of the relationship between paid search, organic search, direct traffic and other acquisition channels.
Develop forecasts, budgets and performance targets and proactively identify risks or opportunities that may affect acquisition volume or efficiency.
Translate complex changes in the search ecosystem into clear recommendations for marketing leadership and executive stakeholders.
Lead, develop and mentor a team responsible for search execution and optimization, fostering strong analytical thinking, experimentation, accountability and continuous learning.
Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:
7+ years in the paid search and discoverability industry including experience with Google Ads, Microsoft Advertising and Bid Management Platforms
Strong understanding of campaign architecture, audience strategy and performance optimization
Working knowledge of emerging AI-powered search experience, large language models, generative search and how changes in consumer discovery may affect acquisition strategy.
Strong analytical skills with the ability to move beyond platform reported metrics and evaluate performance based on downstream conversion, revenue, incrementality and business impact.
An experimentation mindset with experience developing hypotheses, designing tests, interpreting results and scaling successful strategies.
Strong financial and business acumen with experience managing significant budgets and making investment decisions based on expected business outcomes.
Ability to identify ambiguous problems, develop a point of view and drive work forward without requiring a predefined playbook.
Working Conditions & Hiring Process
U.S. Work Location Requirement: All employees must reside in and perform work within the United States. We do not support international remote work arrangements for this role.
Travel Expectations: While this is a remote position, occasional travel may be required for team meetings, company events, conferences, summits, and similar activities. Candidates must be willing and able to travel as needed.
On-Camera Work Environment: We operate in a highly collaborative, remote, on-camera culture. Employees are expected to be on camera during meetings…