Paid Media Strategist & Planner

About Northern

Headquartered in London, Ontario, Canada, Northern is an integrated digital solutions agency specializing in helping leading commercial and public service brands navigate digital change. By leveraging our expertise and deep understanding of our clients’ businesses, we collaborate to design, create, and enable tailored digital experiences that drive growth.

Since our founding in 2015, Northern has grown into a team of 200+ digital experts, receiving multiple recognitions in employee engagement from Great Place to Work® Canada, including Best Workplaces™ for Inclusion, Women, Mental Health, Hybrid Work, and more.

What We’re Looking For

We're looking for a Paid Media Strategist & Planner to join our growing paid media team—someone with experience driving lead generation campaigns for clients in higher education, financial services, or similar industries where conversion paths are longer and decision-making is complex.

This role sits at the intersection of strategy, client partnership, and campaign oversight. You'll translate business objectives into actionable media strategies, lead client communications, and ensure the quality and strategic alignment of our team's work. While not purely execution-focused, you'll need platform depth to QA work, spot issues quickly, pull meaningful insights, and gut-check recommendations before they reach clients.

Our Connected Workplace Program gives you the option to choose a remote, hybrid or in-office workspace!

Benefits of Becoming a Northerner

In exchange for your talent and expertise, Northern is committed to providing:

• Benefits plan, including a Health Spending Account
• Wellness Program & LifeWorks EAP
• Fitness Reimbursement Program
• Vet Care Program
• RRSP Matching
• Profit-Sharing Performance Bonuses
• Endless Professional Growth Opportunities
• Delicious Meals & Company Social Events
• Free Onsite Parking
• Referral Bonus Program
• Flexible work environment - so you can work where & when you work best
• Allowance to help set up home office

Just to name a few!...

Duties & Responsibilities

• Translate client objectives into paid media strategies across search, social, programmatic, and video, connecting paid media with nurture sequences, CRM handoffs, and sales processes.
• Develop targeting strategies using consumer research and data insights across awareness, consideration, and decision stages with detailed recommendations on audiences, channel mix, placements, and KPIs.
• Monitor campaign pacing and performance across channels, identify optimization opportunities, and recommend adjustments to improve lead volume, quality, and efficiency.
• Serve as primary media lead and account contact, directing campaign updates, performance reviews, and strategic recommendations with transparency.
• Maintain an understanding of client business models, market dynamics, competitive landscapes, and audience motivations to inform strategy.
• Plan and lead Quarterly Business Reviews, presenting performance insights, learnings, and forward-looking recommendations to stakeholders.
• Cultivate relationships grounded in reliability, solutions-driven thinking, strategic value, and timely responsiveness.
• Develop campaign reports connecting media metrics to business outcomes and provide actionable recommendations for current and future initiatives.
• Develop measurement frameworks tied to lead generation KPIs, ensure accurate tracking and CRM integration, and explore advanced analytics.
• Review and QA team work to reduce errors and improve output quality.
• Act as the bridge between paid media and other teams (creative, CRO, analytics) to ensure integrated and high-performing campaigns.
• Partner with creative teams on messaging strategies tailored to audiences making significant decisions.

What You’ll Bring

• 5+ years of experience in paid media strategy, planning, or account leadership with a focus on lead generation in an agency environment.
• Strong hands-on experience managing campaigns across Google Ads, Meta Ads, LinkedIn, programmatic, and/or video platforms.
• Experience working with clients in higher education, financial services, insurance, healthcare, or B2B industries.
• Deep understanding of full-funnel marketing and how paid media integrates with CRM, nurture, and sales processes.
• Experience optimizing toward lead quality metrics, not just volume (e.g., cost-per-qualified-lead, application rate, MQL/SQL).
• Excellent client communication skills with experience leading meetings and presenting to senior stakeholders.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to turn data into strategic insights and recommendations.
• Detail-oriented with strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple accounts.
• Proven ability to develop and present media strategies that align with client business objectives.
• Experience collaborating cross-functionally with creative and analytics teams.
• A proactive, solutions-driven mindset with the ability to manage multiple accounts and priorities.
• Experience with measurement frameworks, attribution models, and advanced analytics.

Nice to Haves

• Familiarity with tools like Google Analytics (GA4), Looker Studio, or BI platforms.
• Experience supporting new business development, including audits and pitch presentations.
• Background working with clients in higher education, retail, healthcare, or B2B sectors.
• Experience with CRM platforms (Salesforce, HubSpot, Slate, etc.)
• Background in B2B demand generation, attribution models and marketing measurement.

Why Join Northern Commerce?

• Be part of a high-performing, collaborative team.
• Work on exciting analytics projects with leading brands.
• Opportunity to drive operational excellence and team strategy.
• Hybrid work environment with flexibility to balance remote and in-office collaboration.

Compensation

This role has a target salary range of $70,000 - $100,000 CAD. Placement within this range is based on relevant skills, directly applicable experience, and depth of expertise. Candidates with solid experience that meets most, but not all, role requirements typically fall near the mid-point of the range. In addition to base salary, Northern offers a comprehensive total rewards package, including health & dental benefits, RRSP matching, profit sharing, and other perks.

Equity and Diversity

Northern welcomes applications from all qualified individuals and is dedicated to fostering a culture of inclusivity, employment equity, and diversity in the workplace. We encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply, including but not limited to members of visible minorities, Indigenous peoples, individuals with diverse abilities, and those of all gender identities and expressions.

We are also committed to ensuring an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. Accommodations are available at every stage of the hiring process. If you require support or adjustments to participate fully, please let us know when you apply, and we will work with you to meet your needs.

AI Use & Interview Transparency

Northern uses AI tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as drafting interview questions and organizing candidate information. We may also record and transcribe interviews to ensure accuracy and consistency in our evaluations. Rest assured, you will be speaking with real live human beings!

If you prefer not to be recorded or require an accommodation, please let us know in advance. This will not affect your candidacy. All interview information is used solely for recruitment purposes and managed in accordance with Ontario privacy requirements.

Why Join Northern?

You’ll work alongside a team of 200+ digital experts at one of Canada’s Best Workplaces™ for Inclusion, Women, Mental Health, Hybrid Work, and more. We’re intentional about growth, collaboration, and creating meaningful digital experiences that move our clients forward.