Senior Search Engine Marketing Manager
KAYAK, Cambridge, MA, United States
Senior Search Engine Marketing Manager
We are looking for a senior‑level manager to lead our Search Engine Marketing initiatives across North America. This role will own and drive growth of our travel brands across SEM, manage substantial advertising budgets, and lead innovative projects with global impact.
Responsibilities As an SEM Manager you will be a strategic driver of our SEM programs, exercising high autonomy to scale our brands across major search engines. You will lead high‑stakes, cross‑functional initiatives, partnering closely with Commercial, Analytics, and Engineering teams to pioneer best practices and shape the roadmap for our internal marketing platforms.
Key Responsibilities
Define global guidelines and contribute to the development of our suite of in‑house marketing technologies.
Monitor industry shifts and emerging technologies, including AI and LLM‑driven search, to design and execute rigorous testing frameworks that enhance the user journey.
Lead high‑impact projects from ideation to delivery, managing competing priorities and coordinating across multiple teams to ensure results are delivered.
Communicate clearly with global teams, sharing optimization insights across the broader performance marketing team.
Use advanced analytical skills to turn deep‑dive performance data into clear, actionable recommendations for senior leadership and global teams.
Provide day‑to‑day guidance and technical mentorship to junior team members, fostering a culture of excellence and training the team on advanced performance marketing processes.
Act as a strategic partner to Engineering and Product teams, providing the domain expertise needed to develop and automate our in‑house tools.
Work from the Cambridge, MA office three days per week.
Qualifications & Experience
Hands‑on experience managing large‑scale, high‑budget campaigns across top search engines. Experience in the travel industry or a high‑volume e‑commerce environment is a plus.
Fluency in both written and spoken English. Proficiency in another language relevant to our international markets is a plus.
Strong knowledge of the search landscape, including attribution and tracking, with proven ability to use advanced automation, scripting, and bidding technologies.
Advanced proficiency in Excel/Google Sheets; experience with SQL and data visualization tools is a plus to facilitate deep‑dive performance modeling.
A high‑ownership mindset with the motivation to lead complex projects from initial concept to final delivery, ensuring cross‑functional alignment and measurable impact.
Ability to translate complex datasets into strategic recommendations for global teams and senior leadership.
Experience mentoring junior team members and contributing to a culture of technical excellence and continuous experimentation.
Benefits And Perks
Work from (almost) anywhere for up to 20 days per year
Company‑paid therapy sessions through SpringHealth
Company‑paid subscription to HeadSpace
Company‑wide week off a year – the whole team fully recharges and returns without a pile‑up of work
No meeting Fridays
Paid parental leave
Generous paid vacation + time off for your birthday
Paid volunteer time
Development Dollars
Leadership development
Access to thousands of on‑demand e‑learning courses
Travel discounts
Employee Resource Groups
Competitive retirement and health plans
Free lunch 2 days per week
Fun quarterly events such as boat trips, arcades, ski trips, Thursday happy hours, and more
Compensation The range for this Massachusetts‑based role is
$105,000 – $115,000 . This role is eligible for an annual bonus and also includes a competitive base salary, health benefits, a flexible spending account, retirement benefits, life insurance, paid time off (including PTO, paid sick leave, medical leave, bereavement leave, floating holidays and paid holidays), and parental leave benefits.
Inclusion At KAYAK, we want everyone to have the space to grow, share ideas, and do great work. That’s why we’re focused on hiring the best talent from all walks of life and experiences, supporting them well, and ensuring no one feels they have to fit a mold to belong here. If you need accommodations during the application or interview process, or on the job, we’re here to support you. Please reach out to your recruiter to request any accommodations.
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Responsibilities As an SEM Manager you will be a strategic driver of our SEM programs, exercising high autonomy to scale our brands across major search engines. You will lead high‑stakes, cross‑functional initiatives, partnering closely with Commercial, Analytics, and Engineering teams to pioneer best practices and shape the roadmap for our internal marketing platforms.
Key Responsibilities
Define global guidelines and contribute to the development of our suite of in‑house marketing technologies.
Monitor industry shifts and emerging technologies, including AI and LLM‑driven search, to design and execute rigorous testing frameworks that enhance the user journey.
Lead high‑impact projects from ideation to delivery, managing competing priorities and coordinating across multiple teams to ensure results are delivered.
Communicate clearly with global teams, sharing optimization insights across the broader performance marketing team.
Use advanced analytical skills to turn deep‑dive performance data into clear, actionable recommendations for senior leadership and global teams.
Provide day‑to‑day guidance and technical mentorship to junior team members, fostering a culture of excellence and training the team on advanced performance marketing processes.
Act as a strategic partner to Engineering and Product teams, providing the domain expertise needed to develop and automate our in‑house tools.
Work from the Cambridge, MA office three days per week.
Qualifications & Experience
Hands‑on experience managing large‑scale, high‑budget campaigns across top search engines. Experience in the travel industry or a high‑volume e‑commerce environment is a plus.
Fluency in both written and spoken English. Proficiency in another language relevant to our international markets is a plus.
Strong knowledge of the search landscape, including attribution and tracking, with proven ability to use advanced automation, scripting, and bidding technologies.
Advanced proficiency in Excel/Google Sheets; experience with SQL and data visualization tools is a plus to facilitate deep‑dive performance modeling.
A high‑ownership mindset with the motivation to lead complex projects from initial concept to final delivery, ensuring cross‑functional alignment and measurable impact.
Ability to translate complex datasets into strategic recommendations for global teams and senior leadership.
Experience mentoring junior team members and contributing to a culture of technical excellence and continuous experimentation.
Benefits And Perks
Work from (almost) anywhere for up to 20 days per year
Company‑paid therapy sessions through SpringHealth
Company‑paid subscription to HeadSpace
Company‑wide week off a year – the whole team fully recharges and returns without a pile‑up of work
No meeting Fridays
Paid parental leave
Generous paid vacation + time off for your birthday
Paid volunteer time
Development Dollars
Leadership development
Access to thousands of on‑demand e‑learning courses
Travel discounts
Employee Resource Groups
Competitive retirement and health plans
Free lunch 2 days per week
Fun quarterly events such as boat trips, arcades, ski trips, Thursday happy hours, and more
Compensation The range for this Massachusetts‑based role is
$105,000 – $115,000 . This role is eligible for an annual bonus and also includes a competitive base salary, health benefits, a flexible spending account, retirement benefits, life insurance, paid time off (including PTO, paid sick leave, medical leave, bereavement leave, floating holidays and paid holidays), and parental leave benefits.
Inclusion At KAYAK, we want everyone to have the space to grow, share ideas, and do great work. That’s why we’re focused on hiring the best talent from all walks of life and experiences, supporting them well, and ensuring no one feels they have to fit a mold to belong here. If you need accommodations during the application or interview process, or on the job, we’re here to support you. Please reach out to your recruiter to request any accommodations.
#J-18808-Ljbffr