Director, Influencer and Paid Social Activation

Job Description

Director, Influencer and Paid Social Activation

Who We Are

Horizon Media, founded in 1989 by Bill Koenigsberg, is recognized as one of the most innovative marketing and advertising firms. We are headquartered in New York City, with offices in Los Angeles and Toronto. A leader in driving business solutions for marketers, Horizon is known for its highly personal approach to client service. Renowned for its incredible culture, Horizon is consistently named to all the prestigious annual Best Places to Work lists published by Fortune, AdAge, Crain’s New York Business, and Los Angeles Business Journal.

At Horizon, we understand the value that different perspectives can bring to our clients and culture, so we strive for an environment where our employees feel welcomed, safe, and empowered. We value YOU and believe that your authentic voice and unique perspective allows us to create a more rewarding culture and experience together.

Our simple recipe for success? We hire talented people (thinkers, doers, dreamers, makers), challenge them, and give them every opportunity to grow.

Job Summary

The Director of Influencer and Paid Social Activation will be a key leader, tasked with driving the significant advancement and evolution of our client offerings in two critical areas: influencer marketing and paid social activation. This role is responsible for leading strategy, overseeing best-in-class campaign execution, and managing a high-performing team. The ideal candidate will be a strategic thinker with a proven track record of developing and executing integrated campaigns that drive measurable growth and ROI through influencer partnerships and paid social media.

What You’ll Do

Integrated Strategy & Practice Leadership

• Formulate and execute a cohesive vision for integrating influencer marketing and paid social, ensuring that these tactics are a core part of broader go-to-market plans.
• Lead the creation of innovative, best-in-class proposals that effectively merge influencer and paid social strategies to meet client objectives.
• Stay at the forefront of industry trends, platforms, and technologies, and translate that knowledge into actionable insights and opportunities for clients and the agency.
• Develop data and measurement frameworks to prove campaign success, demonstrating ROI and differentiating our capabilities in the market.
• Establish and nurture relationships with key platforms (Meta, TikTok, YouTube, etc.), technology vendors, and influencer talent partners.

Influencer & Affiliate Marketing Activation

• Oversee the end-to-end management of influencer marketing campaigns, from strategic planning and talent identification to content approval and performance analysis.
• Design and manage performance-driven affiliate programs, including developing commission structures that balance creator incentives with client ROAS targets.
• Lead the team in identifying, vetting, and contracting with a diverse range of creators and influencers.
• Develop clear, compelling campaign briefs to ensure content is optimized for conversions and brand messaging.

Paid Social Activation & Media Buying

• Supervise the development and execution of all paid social media plans, ensuring strategies align with client business goals.
• Oversee the hands-on buying and optimization of campaigns across all relevant social platforms (e.g., Facebook Ads Manager, TikTok Ads, etc.).
• Ensure the accuracy of tactical execution, including targeting, budget pacing, and performance monitoring, to maximize efficiency and impact.
• Guide the team in leveraging advanced targeting, A/B testing methodologies, and analytics to drive continuous improvement.

Team Management & Development

• Lead, mentor, and manage a team of social media and influencer marketing professionals, fostering a collaborative and high-performing culture.
• Manage performance reviews, set career development goals, and identify training needs to ensure team growth and success.
• Delegate tasks effectively, ensuring team members have challenging, level-appropriate projects and opportunities to learn new skills.

Who You Are

• A social guru, passionate about the entire social media landscape, from creator culture to paid amplification.
• A data-driven strategist who is a left- and right-brain thinker, capable of turning analytics into actionable insights.
• Culturally switched-on, with a deep understanding of how brands can authentically engage with creators and communities.
• A collaborative team leader, with strong delegation, organization, and mentorship skills.
• An innovator, who is eager to challenge the status quo and experiment with emerging platforms and strategies.
• An effective communicator who is confident presenting and selling through ideas to senior leadership and clients.

Preferred Skills & Experience

• 8+ years of experience in digital marketing, with specific, hands-on experience in both paid social media and influencer marketing.
• Proven track record of managing performance-driven influencer and affiliate campaigns with a focus on DTC, e-commerce, and ROI.
• Deep expertise with direct social media buying platforms (i.e., Facebook Ads Manager) and a strong understanding of the broader paid social ecosystem.
• Experience with influencer marketing and affiliate platforms (e.g., CJ, Impact, Rakuten, LTK).
• Prior experience in a client-facing leadership role, with a demonstrated ability to manage senior stakeholder relationships.
• Experience managing and leading a team of marketing professionals.
• Strong negotiation, communication, and relationship management skills.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and capable of managing multiple large-scale projects simultaneously.

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Horizon Media is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.  We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements.

Salary Range

$145,000.00 - $180,000.00

A successful applicant’s actual base salary may vary based on factors such as individual’s skill sets, experience, training, education,  licensure/certifications, and qualifications for the role.  As an organization, we take an aptitude and competency-based hiring approach.  We provide a competitive total rewards package including a discretionary bonus and a variety of benefits including health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, retirement savings plans, company paid holidays and unlimited paid time off (PTO), mental health and wellness resources, pet insurance, childcare resources, identity theft insurance, fertility assistance programs, and fitness reimbursement.