[Hiring] Director, Paid Search @Cars Commerce

Role Description

The Director of Paid Search is the end-to-end owner of Cars.com's consumer SEM program (Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, and emerging AI search surfaces), responsible for strategy, budget/KPI ownership, execution quality, and team leadership. It exists because SEM is an 8+ figure, business critical acquisition channel that needs a single accountable owner to drive volume and efficiency while navigating the shift to AI-driven search.

• Own the consumer SEM program end-to-end.
• Set strategy, execution standards, and the performance roadmap for an 8+ figure annual SEM budget.
• Define channel goals, forecasts, budgets, and KPI frameworks in partnership with Marketing leadership, Finance, and Analytics.
• Oversee campaign architecture, bidding strategy, keyword coverage, audiences, feeds, ad copy and creative testing, and landing page optimization daily.
• Drive feed-based automation, API integrations, Smart Bidding, signal-based strategies, scripting, and emerging AI-agent workflows.
• Partner with Product, Engineering, Design, and Lifecycle to improve landing pages, conversion rates, and onboarding.
• Anticipate how AI is reshaping discovery and ensure Cars.com maintains strong visibility across traditional and AI-driven search surfaces.
• Define and maintain the SEM measurement framework.
• Set quality-assurance standards for ad copy, destination URLs, tracking parameters, and budget controls.
• Own agency and platform relationships (Google, Microsoft).
• Develop a team of SEM specialists, setting clear ownership and consistent operating rhythms.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in performance/growth marketing with deep, hands-on paid search expertise.
• Expert-level command of Google Ads and Microsoft Advertising.
• Experience in marketplace, classifieds, e-commerce, or high-volume B2C lead-gen businesses.
• A builder-operator who has built scale through automation and AI.
• Demonstrated results growing paid search volume while improving CPL/CPA and ROAS.
• Fluent in attribution, incrementality, MMM, etc.; comfortable with large datasets and querying.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience.

Requirements

• Experience at a two-sided marketplace or classifieds business.
• Hands-on experience building SEM automation via the Google Ads API or scripts.
• Experience managing SEM through periods of platform change.
• Familiarity with adjacent biddable media (paid social, shopping).

Benefits

• Medical, Dental & Vision Healthcare Plans.
• New Hire Stipend for Home Office Set-Up.
• Generous PTO.
• Paid Holidays, Floating Holiday, Volunteer Day, Recharge Day.