Associate Director, Paid Social

At Real Chemistry, making the world a healthier place isn’t just an aspiration—it’s our everyday reality. Our drive to transform healthcare is informed by our blend of deep scientific expertise, human-centred creativity, and AI-driven insights, fostering a unique environment where innovation thrives and our people are impact-obsessed. As a global agency, we provide a full suite of services across healthcare communications and marketing to our clients, including top players in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries.

Our #LifeatRealChem culture is rooted in our people—we believe we are best together and are committed to excellence for both our clients and colleagues. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting your career, if you share our passion for healthcare and connection, we invite you to explore our opportunities.

Discover your purpose. Embrace innovation. Experience #LifeatRealChem.

Job Summary 

Real Chemistry is looking for an Associate Director, Paid Social to join our growing Media Activation team!    

The Associate Director is responsible for campaign strategy, planning, execution and management while also overseeing and coaching Managers and Associates on the same accounts. The AD must be wholly comfortable being independent and capable of managing their own workload, projects & day-to-day tasks as well as delegating and managing the team below them. The AD serves as the primary point of contact for internal and external teams he/she supports for all items regarding campaign activation. While providing thought leadership, the AD builds strong relationships and establishes clear lines of communication with internal teams and external partners. ADs will have a direct line of communication to senior members of the team which is designed to facilitate knowledge sharing in both directions. The AD is responsible for overseeing onboarding and training of junior team members on account specifics, media buying platforms/tools and campaign management best practices.  

The ideal candidate will have prior digital media and campaign management experience in Paid Social ad managers), strong analytical and communication skills, and hands-on experience with various media buying platforms. Collaboration across all agency teams (Integrated Media, Analytics, Strategy, Ad Operations, Creative, etc.) is required. A premium will be put on individuals who have experience managing campaigns across multiple buying channels/disciplines (i.e. Programmatic, Paid Search, Paid Social).  

This is a remote role, but a bonus if based near any of our US offices—including New York City, Boston, Chicago, Carmel, or Lambertville.

What you’ll do:  

• Lead tactical strategy and planning for campaigns from a brief  
• Manage a team of Managers/Associates who work on the same accounts  
• Experienced campaign manager who can train the team to build campaigns in buying platforms, perform QAs and activate according to best practices  
• Attend meetings/statuses/calls on behalf of account’s team members to ensure proper communication and connection between capability and client/brand needs  
• Ability to pull platform reporting and generates insights for Analytics readouts and client deliverables  
• Oversees monthly billing and actualization between vendor and internal teams to ensure timely delivery and processing  
• Lead planning process alongside senior team members and Integrated Media team  
• Vet vendor offerings and capabilities on a frequent basis to ensure the team is using best-in-class tech and most advanced tools for respective accounts  
• Maintain communication with vendor partners  
• Provide timely updates to all campaign stakeholders, both internal and external  
• Participates in client meetings and conversations, leading when applicable, with minimal day-to-day oversight and support from senior team members as needed
• Supports internal and external communications with team members and partners across several accounts – from responding to a brief, strategic recommendations, to developing a multi-channel plan, recommending measurement, campaign launch and optimization, to results reporting 
• Leads preparation and presentation of client-facing presentation slides summarizing campaign performance, optimizations, recommendations, wrap ups etc.
• Onboards and trains Managers/Associates on account specifics, media buying platforms  

This position is a perfect fit for you if:   

• Our Company values, Best Together, Impact Obsessed, Excellence Expected, Evolve Always, and Accountability with an "I", genuinely resonate with how you work and lead. 
• You demonstrate the Real Chemistry Can mindset by approaching challenges with optimism, accountability, creativity, and a solutions-oriented attitude, always looking for ways to make a meaningful impact for our clients, colleagues, and communities. 
• You are adaptable, resilient, and comfortable adjusting your scope, responsibilities, and priorities in a fast-paced, evolving environment. As our business grows and changes, so do we. 
• You are proactive, driven, and resourceful, with strong prioritization skills, intellectual curiosity, and a desire to leverage data to inform decisions and drive outcomes. 
• You are energized by innovation and the transformative potential of AI, actively exploring new technologies, identifying opportunities to work smarter, and championing practical, responsible AI adoption that drives meaningful business impact. 

What you should have:    

• 7+ years of professional experience working in digital media as a campaign manager – while owning buying platform management, campaign management, optimization & digital media operations  
• 5+ years of hands-on platform experience – Programmatic, Paid Search and/or Paid Social  
• Successful track record of taking on increasing levels of responsibility  
• Ability to multi-task and prioritize accordingly in a dynamic, fast-paced work environment  
• Experience with leading day-to-day meetings, statuses, calls  
• Experience in complex platform strategy and tactical recommendations  
• Experience with client communication & deliverables  
• Experience in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries (strongly preferred)  
• Ability to identify, troubleshoot and effectively resolve issues  
• Excellent oral and written communication skills  
• Excellent analytical and critical thinking skills  
• Excellent mathematical skills  
• Excellent project management & time management skills  
• Thorough attention to detail  
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint & Word  

Pay Range: $90,000-$115,000 

The anticipated salary range for this position is listed above. Consistent with applicable law, compensation will be determined based on job-related, non-discriminatory factors including but not limited to experience, skills, qualifications, geographic location, and internal parity. 

In addition to base salary, Real Chemistry offers a comprehensive benefits package and a variety of programs designed to support our employees' well-being, growth, and success. 

Real Chemistry reserves the right to update compensation and benefits programs at any time. 

Real Chemistry is proud to be Great Place to Work® certified; check out what our people shared about our culture and workplace on our Great Places to Work Profile here.

We believe we can do our best when feeling our best, which is why we’ve put together a benefits program designed to give you the support you and your family need at every stage of life. Real Chemistry offers a comprehensive benefit program and perks, tailored to your region. Globally, this includes offices in our key markets with free snacks to keep you running all day long, generous holiday and paid time off, options for private medical, dental, and vison plans, and support in saving for the future. Other perks include mental wellness coaching and support and access to more than 13,000 online classes with LinkedIn Learning.  Learn more about our great benefits and perks and search specific offerings in your region at: www.realchemistrybenefits.com.

At Real Chemistry, we believe we're at our best when we're connected. Our Real Hybrid and Regional Teams (Real HART) approach is designed to foster collaboration, learning, innovation, and meaningful relationships while providing flexibility where appropriate. Because our workforce spans multiple countries, regions, and client needs, work arrangements may vary by role and location. Some positions offer hybrid or remote flexibility, while others require regular in-office presence. For example, certain teams and regions, including some of our UK operations, have office-based requirements. Your recruiter will discuss the specific expectations for the role you're pursuing during the interview process and keep you informed throughout the hiring journey. For employees located within a one-hour commute of a Real Chemistry office, we require in-person attendance two days per week, either from a Real Chemistry office or when working onsite with clients. Employees in regions without a nearby office may work remotely and come together throughout the year for collaboration, culture-building, learning, and team connection opportunities. While these guidelines reflect our current workplace model, we understand that everyone’s circumstances are unique. If you require additional flexibility, we welcome an open conversation with your recruiter and our HR team to discuss your needs and determine what may be possible.

Real Chemistry is an Equal Opportunity employer. We continually strive to build and sustain an inclusive and equitable work environment where our employees feel empowered to leverage all they bring from their personal lived experience and professional expertise, to make our team the best in the industry. We encourage motivated and qualified applicants to apply without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, ethnic or national origin, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, marital information, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local employment discrimination laws where Real Chemistry operates. Should you require accommodations throughout the interview process please let your recruiter know.

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