Director, Paid Media (Hybrid)

Director, Paid Media (Hybrid)

Overview:

Weedmaps is seeking a Director of Paid Media to lead our full-funnel paid media strategy across both performance and brand channels. This role will own media planning, buying, optimization, and measurement across digital and offline channels, while building and developing a high-performing paid media team.

The Director of Paid Media will architect a scalable, data-driven paid media engine that balances near-term performance with long-term brand impact. This is a highly cross-functional leadership role, partnering closely with Creative, Brand Marketing, Finance, Data, Engineering, Marketing Operations, Field Marketing, and Events to deliver integrated, measurable growth.

The impact you'll make:

• Recruit, manage, and develop a high-performing paid media team across performance and brand disciplines.
• Establish clear roles, operating rhythms, goals, and expectations to support scale and accountability.
• Coach team members on strategy, execution, measurement, and effective cross-functional collaboration.
• Foster a culture of rigor, experimentation, ownership, and continuous improvement.
• Own Paid Media Strategy & Vision
  • Define and lead Weedmaps’ paid media strategy across performance and brand channels, ensuring alignment with company growth goals and brand objectives.
  • Build an integrated, full-funnel media approach that balances acquisition efficiency with sustained brand investment.
  • Establish a clear point of view on channel mix, investment strategy, experimentation, and measurement frameworks.
• Lead Planning, Buying & Optimization
  • Oversee media planning and execution across channels including paid search, paid social, display, mobile app acquisition, video, audio, influencer, and offline channels such as out-of-home (OOH) and streaming.
  • Own budget allocation, pacing, and optimization to maximize ROI while supporting long-term brand health.
  • Drive a strong test-and-learn culture with clear hypotheses, structured experimentation, and insights that inform future investment decisions.
• Measurement, Reporting & Insights
  • Partner with Data, Marketing Operations, and Analytics to define and evolve paid media measurement frameworks, including attribution, incrementality, and channel-level performance.
  • Ensure consistent, actionable reporting that supports executive decision-making and investment tradeoffs.
  • Translate complex performance data into clear insights, recommendations, and strategic narratives.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
  • Work closely with Creative and Brand teams to improve asset strategy, channel fit, and creative testing frameworks.
  • Partner with Finance on forecasting, budget management, and performance reviews.
  • Collaborate with Engineering, Data, and Marketing Operations to ensure the tooling, infrastructure, and integrations needed to support paid media at scale.
  • Align with Field Marketing and Events to integrate paid media into regional, experiential, and tentpole initiatives.
• Vendor & Partner Management
  • Own relationships with media platforms, vendors, and agency partners, setting clear performance expectations and operating standards.
  • Determine when to leverage in-house execution versus agency support to optimize effectiveness and efficiency.
  • Partner with Lifecycle Marketing to ensure seamless coordination between paid and owned channels for a cohesive customer journey.

What you've accomplished:

• 10+ years of experience in paid media, growth marketing, or media leadership roles.
• 5+ years of people management experience, including hiring and developing high-performing teams.
• Deep experience across performance and brand media channels, including digital and offline.
• Strong understanding of attribution, incrementality, experimentation, and media measurement methodologies.
• Experience managing large media budgets and making data-informed investment decisions.
• Advanced proficiency in data analysis with comfort partnering closely with data and analytics teams.

Bonus points: 

• Experience leading paid media functions in highly regulated industries (e.g., cannabis, alcohol, fintech, healthcare, or other compliance-driven categories).
• Background managing both in-house teams and agency partners, with a clear point of view on when and how to leverage each model.
• Hands-on experience with mobile app marketing, including app install, re-engagement, and app-centric measurement frameworks.
• Familiarity with modern marketing technology stacks and attribution tools (e.g., MMPs, analytics platforms, experimentation tools).
• Strong understanding of full-funnel measurement, including incrementality testing, lift studies, and media mix modeling.
• Experience integrating paid media with lifecycle marketing, CRM, field marketing, and events.
• Proven ability to operate in fast-paced, high-growth environments and adapt strategy as business priorities evolve.
• Experience presenting performance insights and investment recommendations to executive leadership.

The base pay range for this position is $160,000.00 - $184,080.00 per year

2026 US Benefits for Full Time, Regular Employees:

• Physical Health (Medical, Dental & Vision)
• 100% employer-paid premium for employees
• Up to 80% coverage for dependents
• Company HSA contribution with the High Deductible Health Plan
• 401(k) Retirement Plan (employer will match contribution up to 3.5% of employee contribution)
• Basic Life, Voluntary Life and AD&D Insurance options
• Supplemental, voluntary benefits
• Student Loan Repayment/529 Education Savings with a monthly company contribution
• FSA (Medical, Dependent, Transit and Parking)
• Voluntary Life and AD&D Insurance
• Critical Illness Insurance
• Accident Insurance
• Short- and Long-term Disability Insurance
• Pet Insurance
• Identity theft protection
• Legal access to a network of attorneys
• PTO, paid sick leave, and company holidays (including a 2026 holiday shutdown)
• Paid parental leave