Red Ventures – SVP Search Engine Marketing

Tangent Executive Search
Alvis Salenieks
(303)832-3844
alvis@tangentsearch.com

SVP Paid Search Marketing/SEM
Red Ventures

Company Description

Red Ventures develops and runs end-to-end, fully-integrated sales and marketing businesses to acquire customers for brand partners within a number of vertical markets. These partners include DIRECTV, ADT Security Services, HughesNet and iContact, a leading provider of commercial email marketing solutions. Our eight vertical markets span the consumer, financial and business service industries and, through them, we access untapped sources of market share for our brand partners.

Combining analytical marketers, high performing and often unique direct response marketing channels, with a superior web and sales infrastructure, we harness a robust technology and reporting platform to drive success.

Red Ventures was recently named #2 among marketing companies and #17 overall on Inc. Magazine’s 2008 Inc. 500 list of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies. We pride ourselves on recruiting only the best talent in marketing, technology and sales to fuel our growth.

Our company culture is one that encourages individual development while maintaining an emphasis on collaborative teamwork. We were recently awarded a top spot in the Charlotte Best Places to Work list.

Position Summary

The SVP of Paid Search Marketing/SEM is responsible for developing and implementing strategies to grow operating income derived from the company’s search engine marketing (paid search) activities.  This person will set paid search marketing strategy for the company, oversee management of all aspects of the company’s paid search marketing efforts, and lead development of the staff, processes, and systems necessary to establish a world-class paid search marketing capability.

Key Responsibilities

• Set overall paid search marketing strategy.
• Manage $15 million P&L, achieving monthly revenue and profit targets.
• Oversee management of hundreds of paid search marketing campaigns spanning 5 different lines of business.  Lead development and launch of additional paid search campaigns to support new lines of business as they are developed.
• Lead effort to implement a profit optimization system to support growth and maximize operating income across all keyword buys.
• Interpret key performance metrics, identify trends, and exploit opportunities for operating income growth through enhancements in marketing creative and promotions.
• Lead efforts to continually improve ad copy and web site conversion rates through A/B and multivariate testing and best practice adoption.
• Develop, maintain, and manage collaborative relationships with key search engines and other strategic partners.
• Work with marketing and leadership teams within each line of business to develop/refine paid search marketing strategy, set goals, and review performance vs. plans.
• Direct a staff of paid search marketing managers, analysts, and IT specialists and ensure the team has the training and resources needed for cutting-edge skill development.  Continue to build and develop team to support company’s growth objectives.
• Research emerging technologies for opportunities to improve internal tools and capabilities.
• Stay abreast of changes in search engine behavior, identify best practices, and determine how to apply them to company’s business.

Requirements

• 5+ years of hands-on experience managing large-scale direct-response paid search marketing campaigns across multiple search engines, preferably in highly-competitive consumer-oriented verticals, with direct accountability for profit contribution or return on spend.
• 3+ years of senior-level management experience with successful track record of profit growth in a mid-sized or larger e-commerce business or customer acquisition firm.
• Advanced knowledge of paid search marketing strategies and tactics including landing page and response optimization.
• Experience managing campaigns using both branded and unbranded terms.
• Proven ability to establish key performance indicators to measure success vs. key objectives, and oversee development of reporting  and analysis systems.
• Thorough understanding of key industry trends affecting search engine marketing.
• Deep understanding of web site usability, site design, and A/B and multivariate testing techniques.
• Strong quantitative analytical skills.
• Clear understanding of ROI analysis.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to build strong relationships with business leaders, both internally and externally, while also providing the domain expertise to lead, develop and inspire team members at various levels of experience.
• Bachelor’s Degree (MBA or MS preferred).