Search Advertising Manager
Location: Remote- USA
Compensation: The full salary range for this position is $85,000-$120,000 annually. The anticipated starting pay is $85,000-$105,000 plus bonus, determined by factors such as skills, experience, and organizational considerations. Final compensation will be established through the interview process in accordance with applicable pay equity and transparency laws.
The Search Advertising Manager leads the development and execution of Paid Search (SEM) and emerging AI/LLM-driven search ads experiences. This role owns search advertising performance across the full funnel—awareness, conversion, and retention—by leveraging data, cross-channel insights, and advanced search technologies.
The ideal candidate will guide strategy, oversee execution, manage experimentation, and ensure the Lithia retail store network is optimally discoverable across traditional search engines, AI search platforms, and next-gen conversational assistants within advertising. This position is ideal for someone who understands the evolving search landscape and knows how to translate opportunities into measurable growth
What You'll Do
Drive strategic direction of the Search Advertising channel to ensure maximum visibility, efficiency, and ROI
Develop & implement best practices across traditional Search and AI-driven search channels for advertising
Establish Search Advertising standards, focus areas, core KPIs, and SLAs for vendor partners
Evaluate Search Advertising vendor partners across the Lithia dealer network while planning and executing quarterly audits
Implement tracking solutions across web assets (GA4, GTM, pixels, tags) to ensure reliable data capture and reporting
Oversee Google partnership as well as corresponding platforms including Google Ads, Google Merchant Center, YouTube, etc.
Negotiate competitive fee structures with on-program Search Advertising partners
Identify, test, and implement new search advertising tactics, automation, and optimization techniques
Manage and optimize campaigns across Google Ads, Bing Ads, and other relevant platforms
Oversee keyword segmentation, bidding strategies, audience targeting, and creative testing
Adapt paid strategies for emerging AI search experiences (e.g., SGE, OpenAI Search, Chat-based retrieval systems)
Guide teams in prompt-driven optimization, structured content development, and AI-friendly strategies
Evaluate and integrate AI tools for workflow enhancements, content generation, insights, and automation
Analyze search advertising and AI advertising performance and deliver actionable insights
Build dashboards, reporting frameworks, and experiment analyses
Translate data into clear strategic recommendations
Collaborate with Media, Content, Analytics, and Creative teams
Provide search advertising input for landing pages, site architecture, and campaign planning
Educate teams on evolving search and AI trends and recommend best practices to improve performance
What You'll Bring
4–6+ years in Search advertising, ideally in growth-focused environments
Proven experience managing substantial paid search budgets and campaign complexity
Strong understanding of analytics platforms (GA4, GSC, Looker, etc.)
Familiarity with AI/LLM search systems, prompt optimization, AI content workflows, and emerging search models (e.g., SGE, Perplexity, ChatGPT Search)
Strong attention to detail, urgency, critical thinking, and time management
Collaborative team player with experience working cross-functionally and with external agencies
We offer best in class industry benefits:
Competitive pay
Medical, Dental and Vision Plans
Paid Holidays & PTO
Short and Long-Term Disability
Paid Life Insurance
401(k) Retirement Plan
Employee Stock Purchase Plan
Lithia Learning Center
Vehicle Purchase Discounts
Wellness Programs
High School graduate or equivalent, 18 years or older required. We are a drug free 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.