Senior Manager, Paid Media

About Stellar Virtual

Stellar Virtual was founded in 2019 with one school in Texas. We serve parents of K-12 students, unhappy with their current school or need an at-home/flexible learning environment. Today, Stellar Virtual spans across three states currently, Arizona, Indiana, and Texas, with developing programs being introduced in new states over the next few years. Stellar Virtual is committed to going above and beyond for our virtual families.

Our Mission

Empowering Families. Unleashing Potential.

Our Core Values

At Stellar Virtual, we are guided by five core values. For us, these values are more than just something in an employee handbook that you’ll only hear about during orientation. These values are the pillars by which we operate all aspects of our organization. We talk about them often, and we expect that every one of our employees not only talks about our core values but also acts upon them.

So, it’s important to us that anyone who joins Stellar embraces our core values.

• Kids First, Always: We make student-centered decisions and always do what's best for our kids.
• Respect: We assume the best of others and treat others the way we want to be treated.
• Create, Communicate, Collaborate: We create together, communicate openly, and work as a team to deliver more than we ever could individually
• Make Your Motion Matter: We work deliberately, efficiently, and with a sense of purpose to achieve great results.
• Go the Extra Mile to Deliver a Stellar Customer Experience: We recognize that every interaction, no matter how small or unrelated it may seem, is an opportunity to build trust and goodwill with our customers.

Our Promise
Empowering families with the choice of a high-quality virtual school with dedicated staff focused on student outcomes and an exceptional customer experience, our programs will enable students to thrive and unleash their full potential.

Position Details

Position Name

Senior Manager, Paid Media

Reporting Manager

Director, Marketing

Position Status

Salary, Exempt

Position Type

Regular, Full-Time (12)

School Year (if applicable)

Not Applicable

Program or School

Stellar Virtual

Equipment Details

Yes (W2)

Overview
As a Paid Media Sr. Manager at Stellar Virtual, you will develop and lead digital advertising strategies that drive student enrollment and elevate brand awareness nationally. You will serve as a performance marketing expert—leveraging your experience to shape and scale paid media campaigns that connect with families looking for high-quality virtual education. In this role, you will lead with strategy, optimize for results, and empower team members around you.

Essential Duties

Paid Media Management

• Collaborate with the Director of Marketing on overall digital strategy, including a focus on emerging platforms and innovating in new conversion channels.
• Maintain a nuanced, strategic understanding of the value propositions of each Stellar program, including target audiences, conversion strategies, and geographies.
• Develop and execute comprehensive paid media strategies across platforms including Google Ads, Meta (Facebook/Instagram), YouTube, and programmatic networks.
• Collaborate with enrollment advisors, the creative design team, and clients to align messaging and ensure a seamless, strategic user experience from ad click to application.
• Manage daily campaign operations. including bidding, budgeting, segmentation, creative, and A/B testing.
• Optimize campaigns based on key performance indicators to achieve enrollment and growth goals.
• Create detailed reporting dashboards and deliver performance insights to internal stakeholders on a regular basis.
• Stay current with digital media trends, platform updates, and competitor activity to maintain a leading edge in K–12 education marketing.

Team Management and Mentoring

• Provide guidance, mentorship, and feedback to junior specialists within the team, giving clear direction on growth, performance, and weekly tasks. Will contribute to quarterly performance assessments for junior team members.
• Oversee third-party vendors and contractors to ensure adherence to campaign strategy, brand guidelines, and performance benchmarks.
• Contribute to the development of internal best practices and scalable processes across paid media workflows.
• Will assist in personnel decisions with increasing responsibility based on seniority.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with creative, enrollment, and data teams to ensure campaign alignment across messaging, targeting, and business objectives.
• Collaborate with product marketing and content teams to develop and refine campaign assets and landing pages.
• Partner with analytics and CRM teams to define conversion tracking, attribution models, and retargeting strategies that inform decision-making.
• Assist with departmental goals as required, including contributing to other department’s success with marketing, platform, and content expertise.

Knowledge, Skills & Attributes

• 6+ years of related experience, i.e. paid advertising and experience building campaigns in agency environments, or equivalent.
• Minimum 3+ years of formal or informal people management experience.
• Expertise in paid media platforms (Google Ads, Meta, YouTube, LinkedIn, programmatic) with hands-on experience managing high-budget, performance-driven campaigns.
• Proficient in keyword research and tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, or Ahrefs.
• Familiarity with CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) and marketing automation tools (e.g., Marketing Cloud, Hubspot).
• Demonstrated ability to proactively identify emerging trends, tools, platforms, and strategies in digital advertising.
• Deep understanding of the student journey and enrollment funnel from awareness through yield.
• Strong budget management and budget allocation skills.
• Advanced knowledge of digital performance metrics and optimization techniques, including retargeting, audience segmentation, and funnel analysis.
• Ability to manage multiple accounts and campaigns simultaneously.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to make independent decisions based on strategic goals and tactical needs.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Strategic thinker who is comfortable presenting to stakeholders and leadership.
• Passionate about exceptional performance, giving and receiving critical feedback, and working with a high-performing, creative team.

Education & Certification Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business, Communications, or a related field.
• Google Ads and Meta Blueprint certifications preferred.

Employment "At-Will"
For W-2 employment, Stellar Virtual is an at-will employer. This means the employee and Stellar Virtual can terminate the employment at any time, with or without cause or notice, as legally permitted. This job description does not guarantee continued employment or a contract. All 1099 status is excluded.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)

Stellar Virtual is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion. All qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.