Salary Band: £50-70K depending on experience.
About Hunterlodge
Hunterlodge is a UK-based, full-service agency with a fast-growing portfolio of clients across Higher Education, B2B, and Consumer sectors. We combine creativity, data, and effectiveness to deliver campaigns that genuinely move the needle.
Following a series of significant client wins, we are expanding our media capability and are looking for a Head of Performance. This is a senior, hands-on role for a performance-led specialist who will become a key voice within the agency, with a clear ambition and pathway to board-level responsibility within three years.
The Role
As Head of Performance, you will lead the delivery, optimisation, and strategic direction of Paid Search, Paid Social, and Programmatic activity across the agency. This is a hands-on performance role, not a pure management position.
You will work closely with our dashboard and insight specialists, using data outputs to identify opportunities, extract insight, and confidently present recommendations to clients. You will also act as the senior performance lead in pitches, bringing clarity, energy, and credibility to new business conversations.
At Hunterlodge, you will be part of a culture that values professional growth, innovation, and advertising effectiveness. You will benefit from our profit-share bonus scheme and an industry-leading CPD programme, backed by 17 IPA Gold and 12 IPA Platinum awards.
Key Responsibilities
Performance & Campaign Delivery
* Lead the execution and optimisation of Paid Search, Paid Social, and Programmatic campaigns to maximise performance and ROI.
* Maintain hands-on ownership of campaign strategy, set-up, optimisation, and ongoing performance improvement.
Ad Operations & Financial Governance
* Own end-to-end Ad Operations, including campaign set-up, monitoring, troubleshooting, and reporting.
* Troubleshoot spend, budget, and purchase order issues, working closely with finance and client teams to resolve discrepancies efficiently.
* Ensure accurate pacing, budget control, and spend reconciliation across platforms.
Insight, Reporting & Optimisation
* Work closely with the dashboard team to turn automated reporting into actionable insight.
* Translate performance data into clear recommendations, growth opportunities, and next steps for clients.
Platform Leadership & Innovation
* Stay ahead of platform developments, AI-led optimisation, automation, and governance or legal changes impacting paid media.
* Develop and maintain strong relationships with digital media partners and platform representatives including Google, Meta, LinkedIn, and Programmatic partners.
* Leverage partner relationships for beta access, innovation opportunities, and performance advantages.
Client Leadership & Growth
* Lead client conversations around performance, insight, and optimisation with confidence and authority.
* Present results, insights, and recommendations clearly to senior client stakeholders.
* Act as the senior performance voice in pitches and new business activity.
Cross-Agency Collaboration
* Work closely with the SEO Director and wider strategy teams to deliver integrated performance solutions.
* Support team development through mentoring, knowledge-sharing, and best-practice leadership.
Skills & Experience
Essential
* 4–5+ years of hands-on experience managing Paid Search, Paid Social, and Programmatic campaigns.
* Advanced knowledge of Google Ads, Meta Ads Manager, LinkedIn Campaign Manager, and other paid platforms.
* Proven experience leading or managing performance teams.
* Strong working knowledge of Google Tag Manager and Google Analytics 4.
* Google Ads and Meta certifications.
* Demonstrable track record of optimisation and delivering measurable performance improvements.
* Highly analytical, with the ability to interpret dashboards and present insight clearly.
* Confident, credible communicator in client-facing and pitch environments.
* Strong interest in innovation, AI, and the evolving governance landscape of paid media.
Desirable
* Experience working within or a strong interest in the Higher Education sector.
* Working knowledge of SEO to support integrated delivery.
* Experience with platform automation, scripts, APIs, or advanced bidding frameworks.
What We Are Looking For
* A hands-on performance leader with a results-driven mindset.
* Ambitious, proactive, and commercially minded, with clear leadership potential.
* A strong collaborator who can operate independently and influence senior stakeholders.
* Calm, solutions-focused problem solver in fast-paced environments.
Benefits
* Profit-share bonus scheme.
* Industry-leading CPD programme with 17 IPA Gold and 12 IPA Platinum awards.
* Clear and defined pathway to board-level responsibility within three years.
* Hybrid working model.
* Inclusive, supportive culture with exposure to major national and international campaigns.