PPC Strategist

Location: Remote (USA, Canada or South Africa) Department: Marketing Role Type: Full Time / Independent Contractor if outside of the USA About the Role Blacksmith Agency is scaling its Marketing division to support a growing portfolio of PPC and SEO clients across multifamily, B2B and technical verticals. We are looking for an Account Strategist who can run the strategies and the PPC campaigns underneath it. This is not a role for a strategist who hands off execution and hopes it lands right. You will build the media plan, set up the tracking and be the one auditing the account when performance moves. You will join sales calls to shape strategy, manage Google Ads, Meta and Microsoft campaigns directly, oversee PPC contractors where necessary, and ensure every client engagement delivers measurable outcomes. This is a senior, hybrid role that blends strategic ownership with hands-on paid media execution. Key Responsibilities Client Strategy and Leadership Lead strategy for all PPC clients across multiple industries. Join sales calls with AEs to validate scope, pitch technical recommendations and help close deals. Build 90 day, 6 month and annual growth roadmaps for clients. Translate complex marketing recommendations into simple, clear explanations for executives. Hands-On PPC Execution Plan, launch and manage paid search campaigns in Google Ads across multiple client accounts, including search, display, remarketing and Performance Max structures. Conduct keyword research, audience targeting and write and edit ad copy. Set up conversion tracking and ensure attribution accuracy via GA4, GTM and CRM integrations. Monitor daily spend and pacing to keep campaigns within budget while hitting CPA and CPL goals. Identify and manage negative keywords to improve efficiency. Manage additional paid channels as needed, including Meta Ads, LinkedIn Ads and Microsoft Ads. Performance Ownership Own client performance across Google Ads, Meta, Microsoft and organic search channels. Audit existing PPC campaigns, keyword strategies, bidding structures, landing pages and CRO opportunities. Ensure KPI tracking, conversion attribution and analytics accuracy across every account. Execution Oversight Provide weekly direction and QA for campaign optimizations and deliverables from specialists and contractors. Coordinate priorities with the Marketing PM to keep timelines and client expectations aligned. Reporting and Communication Prepare monthly and quarterly performance reports with clear takeaways and next-step recommendations. Present performance summaries directly to clients. Oversee reporting accuracy and insights delivered by the PM or specialists. Qualifications Required 5+ years of hands-on experience managing Google Ads campaigns, with first-party data proving results (CTR, CPL, ROAS, rankings). 4 to 7 years of experience in PPC, SEO or multi-channel full-funnel strategy, including experience managing paid and organic channels concurrently. Proficient in Google Ads Editor, Google Keyword Planner, GA4 and Google Search Console. Strong understanding of campaign structure, bidding strategy, optimization and ROI tracking. Ability to create and articulate strategic recommendations to clients and AEs. Demonstrated ability to oversee execution teams and manage deliverable quality. Strong analytical skills and the ability to diagnose performance issues quickly. Excellent communication and collaboration skills in a remote team environment. Preferred Google Ads Certification. Agency experience managing multiple clients at once. Experience with Meta Ads, LinkedIn Ads and Microsoft Ads. Experience joining sales calls and influencing close rates. Familiarity with multifamily, real estate or high-intent lead generation. Understanding of landing page optimization and CRO Experience with project management tools such as Jira, ClickUp or Asana. Who Succeeds in This Role People who can both think strategically and manage execution. People who can simplify complex marketing ideas for clients. People who own the results and take full accountability, good and bad. People who work well with distributed teams. People who enjoy building rather than inheriting polished systems. What You Will Own from Day One All marketing performance and strategy across PPC The roadmap for each client. Direct management of paid search campaigns across the client portfolio. Reporting frameworks, playbooks and best practices. Supporting AEs on sales calls.