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Job OverviewJob Title: Digital Performance DirectorSalary: £60k–£80kLocation: Leeds (Hybrid – 3 days)Employment Type: Full-timeReporting Line: Group Managing Director - MediaWhy media talent join AC Media AC Media is part of Audience Collective, a group of 140 specialists working with brands including Secret Escapes, BT, PizzaExpress, Amazon, Seiko and Kellogg’s.We combine creative thinking with performance precision to deliver campaigns that challenge the algorithm not just optimise it. Media talent join us to shape ideas early, influence strategy, and play an active role in pitching, new business and growth, not sit behind the scenes.Backed by the scale of Audience Collective and the autonomy of a specialist agency, AC Media offers real influence, visibility and the chance to help build what’s next.Through the Audience Collective, our clients access a full ecosystem of expertise to move faster, think smarter, and grow beyond expectations.The Role This role is for someone who wants to shape and build, not maintain.As Digital Performance Director, you’ll define and lead AC Media’s digital performance capability, playing a central role in our next stage of growth. You’ll set the performance vision, lead senior client conversations, and stay close to delivery to ensure results translate into real commercial impact.You’ll also be a visible force in pitching and new business helping shape propositions, contribute to integrated pitches, and build performance thinking into how we win and grow accounts.It’s a hybrid, hands on leadership role, balancing strategic direction with practical execution, and offering the opportunity to build a performance offering that’s fully integrated into a creative media environment, not siloed from it.Own the performance. Build the capability. Deliver commercial impact. What good looks likeOwns digital performance end‑to‑end, with clear accountability for resultsLeads senior clients with confidence and authorityGets hands on fixing issues and drive improvement when neededTURNS data into clear decisions that focus on growthBuilds a credible, scalable director‑level performance function.Responsibilities Performance Strategy & Commercial OutcomesAccountable for defining and owning AC Media’s digital performance strategy across Search, Paid Social and YouTubeEnsure all performance activity is explicitly aligned to client commercial objectives and growth targetsEstablish clear success measures across CPA, ROAS, LTV, incrementality and contribution to revenueMaintain performance quality and commercial rigor across all accountsObjective:Performance activity consistently demonstrates measurable commercial impact and clear return on investment.Campaign Ownership & Delivery ExcellencePersonally accountable for the setup, optimisation and performance of priority client campaignsOwn budget allocation, bidding strategy and optimisation frameworks across platformsIdentify underperformance early and take decisive, data led corrective actionEnsure performance standards are upheld regardless of scale, budget or client sizeObjective:Campaigns are actively managed, not passively overseen, with sustained performance improvement.Measurement, Attribution & InsightAccountable for ensuring accurate tracking, tagging and attribution across all performance activityLead the use of GA4, GTM, offline conversion data and attribution models to inform decision‑makingDefine and maintain outcome‑focused reporting that moves beyond platform metricsEnsure insights are translated into clear actions and recommendationsObjective:Clients and internal teams clearly understand what is working, why, and what happens next.Client LeadershipOwn senior client relationships from a performance perspectiveLead strategic conversations with confidence, clarity and commercial credibilityChallenge client thinking where required, using evidence and performance insightAct as a trusted performance partner rather than a delivery‑only contactObjective:Clients trust AC Media’s performance leadership and see it as integral to their business growth.Build, Embed & Scale the Performance FunctionAccountable for defining performance processes, standards and best‑practice frameworksIntroduce scalable ways of working that improve efficiency and quality as the function growsManage freelancers and contribute to future hiring decisionsEmbed performance thinking across strategy, creative and media disciplinesObjective:A clearly defined, scalable performance capability that can grow with the agency.Growth & New Business ContributionLead digital performance strategy input into pitches and growth opportunitiesBuild credible forecasts and performance narratives that support commercial decisionsStrengthen AC Media’s reputation as a serious, outcome‑driven performance partnerObjective:Performance capability directly supports agency growth and new business success.Future Capability & InnovationMaintain awareness of emerging platforms, formats and performance modelsApply AI and automation pragmatically to improve quality, insight and efficiencyContinuously evolve performance approaches to remain competitive and relevantObjective:AC Media’s performance offering remains progressive, credible and future‑ready.Skills & CapabilitiesStrategic problem solving – able to identify root causes, not just symptomsPerformance storytelling – frames results, insight and trade‑offs in a commercially compelling wayOperational rigor – sets and maintains clear standards, processes and expectationsCross‑disciplinary leadership – works effectively across media, strategy, creative and analyticsAdaptability under pressure – maintains quality and momentum in fast‑moving environmentsProgressive mindset – applies AI, automation and emerging approaches pragmaticallyTools & PlatformsPaid platforms: Google Ads (incl. YouTube), Meta Ads, LinkedIn Ads, Programmatic (i.e. Stackadapt)Measurement & analytics: GA4 with strong conversion and event setupTagging: Google Tag Manager (confident implementation and QA)Attribution: UTM governance and attribution logicReporting: Looker Studio (or equivalent) with platform data extractionData & automation: Advanced Excel/Google Sheets; familiarity with scripts, feeds and automationExperience & RequirementsProven Digital Performance Director / Lead experience within a media or performance agencyDeep expertise across core performance channels, with hands‑on ownership of significant budgets (£50k+ per month)Strong commercial and strategic mindset, able to translate business goals into performance outcomesConfident leading senior client conversations and influencing decision‑makersBuilder mentality, motivated to shape, scale and improve performance capability7+ years’ experience, including leadership of freelancers or small teamsWhat We OfferHybrid working (Leeds office Tuesday–Thursday)25 days’ holiday + 3 celebration days37.5‑hour working weekPension, life insurance and income protectionEAP and 24/7 virtual GP access#J-18808-Ljbffr