Paid Media Director

Reports To: CEO, Erik Lambert
Department: Paid Media
Status: Half-time W-2 Employee
Hours/Week: 20 hours per week to start
Location: Hybrid (Golden, CO HQ + remote flexibility)

About Bonfire Collective

Bonfire Collective is a marketing agency serving changemakers in the outdoors and environment. We are strategists and creatives forged by the elements. We live by our core values: Work Smart. Play Hard. Care Deeply.

Role Purpose

The Paid Media Director leads the vision, growth, and execution of the agency’s paid media department — overseeing strategy, team development, and cross-functional collaboration. 

This management and leadership role is responsible for elevating the agency’s paid media capabilities, ensuring campaigns deliver measurable impact for clients across paid channels (while coordinating with organic and earned efforts), and contributing to new business efforts and agency-wide initiatives.

The Media Director is a proactive leader and strategic thinker, passionate about mentoring talent, pushing creative boundaries through media, and driving results for mission-driven brands.

This role is new to Bonfire and will have the authority to develop and implement the bones of the paid media department. It is designed to be an equal balance of external and internal projects to start, balancing hands-on client work with department management and leadership. 

Key Responsibilities

Paid Media Strategy & Implementation – 50%

• Serve as a senior point of contact for key accounts, providing strategic oversight and ensuring alignment between media strategies and broader client goals.
• Guide development of full-funnel media strategies across paid social, search, programmatic, video, OOH, and emerging channels, ensuring creative, placement, and context work together.
• Create agency processes for paid media planning, buying, measurement, optimization, and reporting.
• Champion the integration of paid media, creative, storytelling, and brand strategy to deliver cohesive marketing solutions.
• Drive excellence in campaign performance, planning, and reporting across all client work.

Department Leadership & Team Development – 35%

• Create and establish the fundamentals for our new Paid Media Department, including structure, budget, training programs, systems, processes and tools.
• Lead, manage, and mentor the media team, including paid media strategists, planners, buyers, and specialists (currently three direct reports).
• Build a culture of curiosity, accountability, and collaboration, encouraging continuous learning and innovation.
• Oversee hiring, onboarding, and professional development plans for media team members.
• Identify new tools, platforms, and partnerships to advance agency capabilities.
• Ensure the team is resourced appropriately to meet client and agency needs.
• Collaborate with creative, account, strategy, and analytics teams to ensure media is seamlessly integrated into campaign planning and execution.
• Ensure internal processes support strong communication, project flow, and campaign execution across departments.

Agency Leadership & New Business – 15%

• Participate as a member of Bonfire’s leadership team, including attending and contributing to weekly leadership meetings.
• Partner with leadership to shape and evolve the agency’s paid media services, keeping ahead of industry changes and client needs.
• Lead or support new business efforts by contributing to proposals, pitches, and media strategy development.
• Represent the media discipline in prospective client conversations and presentations, articulating value and innovation.

Ideal Strengths & Skills

Must-Have Skills

• 7+ years of experience in paid media strategy, planning, and buying, preferably in both agency and client-side settings; comfort managing budgets of $1mm+.
• Expertise in full-funnel media strategy across: paid social, search, programmatic display and video, streaming (CTV and audio), and select offline channels including OOH, print, and partnerships.
• 3+ years of proven leadership experience managing and developing media teams across planning, buying, and analytics.
• Strong collaborator with the ability to work cross-functionally and communicate with stakeholders at all levels.
• Experience in new business or business development efforts within an agency environment.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and data storytelling skills — can lead conversations with both clients and internal teams.
• Strong understanding of media performance metrics, attribution, and optimization strategies.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with nonprofit, outdoor, and startup clients is a plus.
• Familiarity with tools such as Google Ads, Meta, GA4, Tag Manager, Looker Studio, DashThis, and major DSPs.
• Working experience with owned and earned media, including: PR, organic social, affiliate, athlete/brand ambassador programs.

What Success Looks Like:

• The media team is engaged, well-supported, and delivering high-quality, high-performing work.
• Meet or exceed client KPIs and expectations.
• Clients view the media team as strategic partners and trusted advisors.
• The agency’s media offering evolves through new ideas, tools, and approaches led by your vision.
• Media is effectively integrated into pitches and contributes meaningfully to new business wins.
• You are an engaged and contributing member of the leadership, supporting cross-department alignment and EOS implementation.
• Cross-functional collaboration is smooth and productive, leading to better campaign outcomes, team cohesion, and agency efficiency.
• The agency continues to grow its reputation for smart, impactful, and data-driven media strategy.

Wellness & Culture Contribution

Every Bonfire employee helps steward our culture and wellbeing. This role is expected to:

• Model Bonfire’s values daily
• Advocate for sustainable workloads for clients, colleagues, and self
• Support wellness initiatives as a participant and culture champion
• Contribute to team recognition, collaboration, and creative exploration

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary Range: This is a half-time, salaried position that has potential to expand into a full-time employee over time. The full-time equivalent salary range is $120,000–$160,000 to start, depending on experience, which equates to approximately $60,000–$80,000 annually for a half-time schedule. 
• Benefits: 
  • Medical 
  • Dental & Vision 
  • 401(k) Program and Company Match
  • Unlimited Paid Time Off (targeting 6+ weeks)
  • Parental Leave
  • Flexible Schedule 
  • Hybrid/Office Work Space 
  • Company-wide Events and Retreats
  • Professional Development Stipend
  • Active Wellness Program

Work Environment & Logistics

• Classification: Half-time exempt employee, targeting 20 hours per week
• Core schedule: Must be available for key internal and partner meetings during business hours; otherwise, your schedule is self-managed
• Location: Hybrid role based in Golden, CO with a mix of remote and in-office presence
• Travel: Occasional travel for internal and external events and retreats

Equal Opportunity Statement

Bonfire Collective is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws.

How to Apply:

If you’re interested in this contract position, please fill out an application here.