Paid Search Specialist

Working with us

Cognita is a global family of over 90 schools across 21 countries, with more than 100,000 students, 22,000 colleagues, 14 curricula and 9 languages of instruction. Our strength lies in our diversity. There is no single model of a Cognita school because education is inherently local. When families choose a school, they are making a deeply personal and community-based decision, and our schools reflect this.

What unites us is a shared ambition to deliver consistently high-quality education, alongside an exceptional experience for students and parents. We define this clearly through group-wide standards that articulate what “great” looks like, while allowing schools the freedom to express their local identity.

We have recently launched a new vision and strategic plan. It is ambitious and sets a clear direction for the years ahead.

Job Overview

When parents start looking for a school, they search. As our Paid Search Specialist, you’ll make sure Cognita schools across the Middle East and Asia are found by the right families at the right moment, and that every dirham of media spend works hard.

You’ll report to the Digital Marketing Manager and deliver paid search within the strategy, targets and budgets set by the Head of Digital & Performance Marketing. You’ll own execution and optimisation day to day, from set-up through to reporting.

What you’ll do

• Deliver always-on and tactical paid search campaigns for our schools, from set-up and trafficking through to monitoring
• Optimise against enquiry and conversion targets using search terms, keywords, match types, bids, audiences and ad copy
• Control budget pacing by school, campaign and platform, and work with Finance to keep platform accounts and invoices paid so campaigns never stall
• Manage keyword and search demand activity, protecting brand coverage and keeping each campaign aligned to its school and market
• Keep accounts clean and efficient by reviewing search terms, negatives, targeting and conversion settings
• Advise Brand and Creative teams on ad copy, calls to action and the variations needed for testing
• Run a continuous test-and-learn programme and apply what you find
• Share weekly, monthly and termly reports with clear insight and next steps
• Work closely with our Paid Social and CRO Specialists, and with Sales and Parent Experience, to understand lead quality and resolve tracking or website issues

What you’ll bring
Essential

• Advanced, hands-on Google Ads skills, including keyword and search term management, bidding, conversion settings, reporting and budget pacing
• At least three years’ experience in a digital agency running paid campaigns across multiple client accounts
• Proven experience managing always-on and tactical paid search with clear enquiry and conversion goals
• Strong working knowledge of Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager
• Sound analytical judgement, strong attention to detail and clear stakeholder communication
• A bachelor’s degree in Marketing or a related field

Desirable

• HubSpot experience; automated reporting, dashboarding or paid media automation tools;
• Google Ads and Analytics certifications;
• Experience in education or another sector with a considered decision journey;
• Experience supporting multi-market portfolios.

Based in Dubai with a hybrid pattern. You’ll need flexibility across time zones and should expect occasional travel across the Middle East and Asia.

Cognita is committed to safeguarding the welfare of children and young people and expects the same from its employees. All new staff will be subject to detailed and enhanced pre-employment clearance, including identity checks, criminal background checks for all countries lived in, qualification checks, employment checks to include an exploration of any gaps in employment, and satisfactory reference checks for all employment in the last 10 years.