SEM Ad Operations Manager, Paid Search Activation

This is a pivotal opportunity to join Citi’s U.S. Consumer Cards Paid Media team and take ownership of the operational backbone for our paid search marketing efforts. As the Manager, Paid Search Operations, you will ensure the flawless execution and data integrity of large-scale campaigns across major search platforms, directly contributing to the growth of one of the largest card issuers in the United States. Your work is critical to delivering a client-centric, digital-first experience for millions of customers.  

Responsibilities

• Manage the end-to-end execution and trafficking of paid search campaigns across Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, and SA360 to ensure timely and accurate activation.
• Own the operational quality of all campaigns by proactively identifying, troubleshooting, and resolving setup, tracking, and delivery issues.
• Govern the complete paid search tracking and measurement framework to ensure data accuracy and consistency across all platforms.
• Create, configure, and manage all paid search conversion tracking, including Floodlight tags in CM360 and conversion events in Google Ads and Microsoft Ads.
• Partner with internal technology and tagging teams to manage the deployment of all necessary tags and pixels through Citi’s tag management systems.
• Maintain strict governance over campaign and data structures, including naming conventions, taxonomy, and hierarchies, to ensure data integrity for reporting and analytics.
• Identify and implement workflow improvements and automation opportunities to enhance operational efficiency and scalability in a high-volume environment.

Required Qualifications & Skills

• Possess 4–7 years of hands-on experience in a paid search ad operations or technical digital marketing execution role.
• Demonstrate hands-on-keyboard expertise with the Google Marketing Platform, including Google Ads, SA360, and Campaign Manager 360.
• Have proven experience creating and managing Floodlight tags and other conversion events within native ad platforms.
• Show strong technical proficiency working with tag management systems (TMS) to deploy and validate marketing pixels and tracking tags.
• Hold a bachelor’s degree or have equivalent professional experience.

Beneficial Skills & Qualifications

• Hold a Master’s degree in a related field.
• Possess a deep understanding of digital marketing attribution models and conversion rate optimization methodologies.
• Have experience working in a large, matrixed organization, particularly within the financial services industry.

What We Offer

This role offers a unique opportunity to own a critical operational function within a leading global financial institution, driving the success of large-scale marketing campaigns that reach millions. As a key member of our Paid Media team, you will have the chance to shape our operational standards and contribute to significant business growth.

• We support our employees in maintaining a healthy work-life balance through our hybrid work model, allowing you to work 3 days in the office and 2 days remotely.
• You will have access to a wealth of learning and development resources to help you grow your career and stay at the forefront of digital marketing technology.
• Your work will directly contribute to the growth and innovation of Citi’s largest market, the U.S. Consumer Cards business.
• We provide a competitive benefits package and a firmwide commitment to employee well-being, with programs and resources to support your financial and personal health.