Head of Paid Media & Strategy – Sports Marketing Agency

Blue Pelican

Title: Head of Paid Media & Strategy – Sports Marketing Agency

Location: London – 2 days a week

Salary: £60-£80k plus benefits package

Must have the necessary right to live and work in the UK

I’m looking for a Head of Paid to join a boutique marketing agency based in Canary Wharf that specializes in International Sports Marketing. They have been delivering great work to international sports teams and Olympic teams for over a decade and have built a great stable of clients across Football, Basketball, Equestrian, and Golf (but that’s barely 1/3 of their clients).

The role is very broad and will provide a lot of day-to-day variety. The role requires extensive Paid Media experience, and they are looking for a thorough leader who is at the bleeding edge of Paid Media. You will touch on every aspect of the business from pitching new work, mentoring the Media team, to presenting your new learnings to the company.

You will join an already established leadership team with reports in excess of 25 strong and report to the CEO. This role will be a solo contributor, but there will be the expectation that this role mentors younger talent as part of this role. The ideal candidate will be an inspirational individual that really knows their stuff when it comes to Paid Media and can be seen as an ever-learning Guru.

This role is client-facing and will be working with a range of clients, each with unique challenges and goals. This selection of clients all have seven-figure budgets and often operate on a UK or global basis, so there is plenty of opportunity to experiment with campaigns across different regions.

All of them have a Growth mindset, so they will be constantly pushing for a greater ROI, building strong trustworthy relationships with the clients, and acting as a consultant, prepared to push back when needed.

This role primarily focuses on Paid Media but is looking to grow into an Omni Channel role (they have additional training available if you need it). They are happy to cross-train to other areas of marketing or creativity in the long term, as they believe learning never stops, so aim to provide learning opportunities constantly. This leaves your career progression completely in your hands.

The most important thing for this agency is you and your personality. Skills can be taught, but ambition and drive can’t; as long as you have heaps of that, then this could be the perfect move for you.

Responsibilities

1. Develop and implement omnichannel media strategies, ensuring alignment with client objectives and KPIs.
2. Stay ahead of media trends, identifying new opportunities to enhance client campaigns and drive results.
3. Work closely with our Technology team regarding tracking, attribution, and reporting, using tools like GA4, GMP.
4. Drive product innovation by developing new solutions (e.g., CRO, SEO, MVT, DCO) that deliver measurable impact.
5. Work closely with Business Development to identify growth opportunities, support proposals, and expand our media offering.
6. Shape Go-to-Market strategy for media services, ensuring we continue to lead in sports performance marketing.
7. Coach and mentor colleagues using your media expertise, ensuring they have the skills and support to thrive.
8. Champion cross-functional collaboration, ensuring media strategies integrate seamlessly with creative, content, and client service teams.

Experience Required

1. Proven experience leading performance media strategy and executing high-impact campaigns.
2. Deep expertise in digital media platforms, attribution models, and performance tracking.
3. A strong commercial mindset with a track record of driving revenue and growth.
4. Thrives in a fast-paced, dynamic agency environment, with a preference for experience in smaller, agile agencies over larger corporate settings.
5. A natural leader who can inspire teams and external partners while fostering a culture of innovation and influence.
6. A passion for emerging media trends and technologies, with a curiosity for what’s next.
7. While a strategic leader, you’re also willing to roll up your sleeves and be hands-on when needed.
8. Experience in sports marketing, digital media, or a related industry is preferred but not essential.

Want to Apply? Here’s how:

You can share your LinkedIn profile or email me a CV – it doesn’t have to be up to date; we can work on that once you decide you want to take this forward.

Or, for a chat and more information please contact me on:

Max Tullis-Turner
Practice Lead, Digital
Blue Pelican