Paid Social Manager
About the job
- At least 5 years of experience directly responsible for enterprise-level paid social advertising programs.
- At least 1 year of experience managing direct reports.
- Extensive client management experience, internal or external.
- A proven track record of driving strong positive results through paid social channels.
- Mastery of performance-based, direct-response marketing programs.
- Experience executing with platform user interfaces and ad serving or advertising technology.
- Experience managing external partners.
- Conceptual and analytical problem-solving skills.
- Exceptional attention to detail.
- Experience building and scaling team processes and organization, including workflow design, documentation, and operating routines for paid media or digital marketing teams.
- Legal authorization to work in the United States for any employer on a full-time basis without current or future need for visa sponsorship.
- Act as a subject-matter expert for paid social strategies by evolving best practices, vetting and partnering with new technology companies, managing planning and execution tools, and monitoring emerging trends.
- Develop and advance multichannel digital media strategies and roadmaps aligned with client program growth goals, focusing on retailers and omnichannel retail use cases.
- Support higher-level cross-functional marketing strategy projects with deep media expertise.
- Identify synergies across digital channels within the client mix in partnership with other team members.
- Lead day-to-day management and optimization of client paid social programs, including campaign planning, strategy and plan documentation, campaign tactics and segmentation build-out and optimization, algorithmic bid-platform and manual-bidding strategy and optimization, test ideation and management, custom analysis and reporting, creative management and trafficking execution, and site and inventory management.
- Manage privacy and evolving do-not-track trends directly or in partnership with other media partners.
- Manage strategic partners.
- Build and maintain team processes, quality-assurance checklists, and documentation that enable consistent, scalable execution across clients and team members.
- Define program objectives, tactics, and key performance indicators for client paid social programs.
- Develop and deliver client communications.
- Build client strategies and lead tactical planning and execution.
- Manage and grow client relationships and establish trust and credibility.
- Influence client stakeholders to evolve strategies and measurement approaches to drive enterprise impact through paid social channels.
- Recruit, train, and manage new team members.
- Foster a culture of open communication and 360-degree feedback.
- Inspire the team and direct reports to reach quarterly, annual, and long-term goals.
- Design, implement, and continuously improve operating rhythms, workflows, and processes, including status meetings, intake, prioritization, quality assurance, and documentation, to enable a high-performing and organized team.
- Experience leading paid media programs for large-scale retailers, omnichannel retail brands, or ecommerce businesses, including collaboration across channel activations.
- Hands-on experience with retail media network activations, including planning, activation, and measurement.
- Strong digital agency experience or experience serving as a digital lead on the client side.
- Previous experience in performance marketing, retail, or ecommerce.
- Experience with bid technology platforms.
About the company
Ovative Group is an independent firm specializing in digital-first media, measurement, and creative solutions to drive sustainable growth by linking marketing activities to business outcomes through the Enterprise Marketing Return (EMR) framework. It combines six capabilities, including media, measurement, and creative services, into a proprietary platform called EMRge that provides a single view of marketing performance to optimize investments and strategies. It differentiates itself by offering both advisory guidance and hands-on campaign execution and measurement, all supported by the EMR framework rather than relying on technology alone. Goal: help clients achieve sustainable growth by optimizing marketing investments and proving the business value of their marketing efforts.
Company Size
501-1,000
Company Stage
N/A
Total Funding
N/A
Headquarters
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Founded
2009
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Ovative posted 39% three-year revenue growth and made Inc. 5000 again in August 2026.
- September 2026 ADWEEK recognition and new clients Petco and Best Buy signal demand.
- Chicago footprint quadrupled to 31,000 square feet after surpassing 100 Chicago employees.
What critics are saying
- Ovative depends heavily on Google and Meta policies, pricing, and product roadmaps.
- Retail clients like Petco, Aerie, and Best Buy expose revenue to budget cuts.
- AI-driven in-house marketing teams and commodity agencies pressure margins within 12 months.
What makes Ovative unique
- EMRge ties media, measurement, and creative to revenue, not channel metrics.
- Ovative holds Google Premier Partner and Meta Measurement credentials, strengthening platform access.
- Independent ownership lets Ovative move faster than holding-company agencies across retail and healthcare.
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Benefits
Health Insurance
Flexible Paid Time Off
401(k) Company Match
Sabbatical Leave
Phone/Internet Stipend
Company News
Driving omnichannel sales with Google's Demand Gen. During Cyber Week, Petco faced a classic retail challenge: how to drive immediate online sales without leaving physical store lanes empty. As competitors consolidated their budgets into the same social channels, bidding up costs and competing over a shrinking pool of attention, Petco needed a way to reach high-intent shoppers. Betting that the least-contested demand was waiting outside the social feed, Petco partnered with Ovative Group to capture it through a single, unified Google Demand Gen investment built to drive both online and in-store outcomes. 626%. Approach. One campaign, two paths to purchase. To capture that untapped demand, Ovative and Petco's solution expanded outside the social media bubble, running Google's highly visual Demand Gen ads to reach shoppers during the key holiday gifting window. This strategic shift enabled Petco to reach high-value pet parents where they already spent their time: browsing YouTube, checking Gmail, or scrolling through their personalized Discover feeds. Instead of splitting budget and creative assets into separate online and offline efforts, Ovative built a unified campaign to drive both outcomes from a single investment. Building that unified campaign didn't require a new production budget. Ovative repurposed Petco's high-performing Instagram and Facebook videos, reformatted to look native across Google's placements. This meant every dollar not spent on new production could go straight into media investment instead. As Petco's media and creative partner, Ovative also ensured the hook and Petco branding were front-loaded into the first five seconds for an immediate visual and emotional grab. Closing the gap between inspiration and action meant making the creative itself shoppable. Ovative synced Petco's live product catalog to the ads through Google Merchant Center, so shoppers could purchase a product straight from the video they were watching. Finally, Ovative layered in Petco's first-party customer data to build lookalike audiences, feeding those signals into Google's automated Maximize Conversions bidding. This let Google's AI optimize toward an online checkout or a physical store visit, depending on what each pet parent was most likely to do. Impact. From untapped demand to breakthrough results. By connecting digital performance directly to Petco's most important business outcomes, including physical store visits, customer acquisition costs, and total revenue, Ovative proved that Petco didn't need to choose between digital performance and physical foot traffic to win the season. During Cyber Week, the unified campaign delivered a 626% lift in omnichannel ROAS, Petco's strongest Demand Gen performance to date, alongside a surge in omnichannel visits and a sharp drop in cost per acquisition. These results carried enough weight to turn what could have been a one-off holiday experiment into a core part of Petco's ongoing media strategy. Demand Gen has remained part of Petco's always-on strategy since, with the same product feed and first-party signals now shaping media investment well beyond the holidays. increase in omnichannel ROAS. 71%. increase in site and store visits 86%. reduction in omnichannel cost per acquisition 6%. lift in purchase intent
Performance metrics are a governance issue. Retail media must elevate how it defines impact. This sponsored article by Albertsons Media Collective will explore incremental return on ad spend (iROAS). Retail media has become one of the most powerful growth engines in modern marketing. It sits at the intersection of media, merchandising, data, and commerce, influencing how brands allocate capital. It increasingly carries enterprise-level expectations for measurable return, and it's its job to ensure performance accuracy for all advertisers. Performance metrics are no longer simply "campaign reporting." They're a testament to effective and trustworthy planning, media packaging, incremental results, and category, shopper, and basket expansion. And that's where its industry must evolve. Growth metrics must withstand executive scrutiny In retail media, incremental return on ad spend (iROAS) has become the shorthand for growth impact. At its core, it answers a critical question: What revenue occurred because of advertising that would not have happened otherwise? It's a powerful metric. But it's also a sensitive one. Recently, EMARKETER Inc. partnered with Ovative Group and Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management to evaluate 42 campaigns and found that reported iROAS could vary by 6.5x on average and 83% of campaigns could flip from positive to negative based solely on methodological choices. This means when media, audience, and spend are constant, and the only variable is measurement methodology, the results can swing widely. That level of variance is a strategic signal. When methodology can materially shift performance narratives, leadership and decision-makers must clearly and comprehensively understand what sits beneath the number. This is about governance, not debate Retail media now plays a central role in shaping enterprise growth projections, informing trade and media investment decisions, and influencing how brands prioritize retailer partnerships. It's also increasingly tied to broader marketing efficiency discussions at the CFO level, as leaders look for clearer accountability and measurable performance, spanning all marketing levers. If performance metrics and methodologies vary, EMARKETER Inc. risk optimizing for measurement mechanics instead of business growth. Focusing on flawless execution and pinpoint accuracy, EMARKETER Inc. ensure what EMARKETER Inc. report reflects what actually happened - not what's convenient. Retailers operate in different models. But executive decision-making requires three constants: * Transparency: Advertisers and leaders should have access to clearly defined and calculated incrementality. * Consistency: Methodologies should not shift without clear rationale. * Understanding: Ensure day-to-day users understand the methodology well enough to interpret results correctly. Its approach at Albertsons Media Collective As an omnichannel retailer, EMARKETER Inc. operate in an environment where customers move fluidly between digital and physical touchpoints - from couch to checkout. Clean experimental isolation is not always possible, which makes disciplined measurement design essential. At Albertsons Media Collective, its approach is grounded in performance and accuracy through transparent practices, consistent methodology, and understanding of results. * Transparency. EMARKETER Inc. clearly define how its incrementality is measured, including how test and control groups are constructed, which behavioral and purchase signals are used, and how incremental revenue is isolated. Advertisers should have a confident understanding of what sits beneath the reported number. * Consistency. Methodologies are documented and applied systematically at The Collective. Incrementality is not recalculated to fit a narrative or adjusted on a campaign-to-campaign basis without clear rationale. Stability builds trust and enables meaningful, longitudinal decision-making and partnerships. * Understanding. A comprehensive and digestible understanding of assumptions, limitations, and situational impact is crucial. Incrementality only drives better decisions when stakeholders understand what the metric truly represents. At The Collective, EMARKETER Inc. apply advanced matching methodologies grounded in predictive purchase behavior to construct credible test and control groups. This methodological rigor allows for understanding at all levels of an organization and enables mid-flight optimizations for best-in-class performance. Before reporting lift, EMARKETER Inc. evaluate match quality and, where business context is required, EMARKETER Inc. incorporate time-series modeling to account for trend and seasonality. In addition, EMARKETER Inc. offer a randomized testing methodology upon request. This commitment ensures reported iROAS reflects true, consumer purchase responses. As an advertiser, you will see this level of disciplined reporting on Albertsons Media Collective's Pinterest, In-Store and Offsite Display and, now, Onsite Display capabilities when programming reaches the appropriate scale. The industry's next phase Retail media has scaled rapidly. Now, measurement standards must scale with it. If incremental impact is going to guide how brands allocate billions of dollars, the industry must ensure that those metrics are interpretable, governed, and trusted at the executive level. At Albertsons Media Collective, EMARKETER Inc. is leading with research and actioning through transparency, consistency, and understanding. Growth deserves measurement that can withstand scrutiny. And that responsibility sits with all of EMARKETER Inc.. And now, fellow media providers, will you join EMARKETER Inc. in the fight for complete, actionable, and scalable performance accuracy? Advertisers, will you accept nothing less than clear, consistent measurement driven by outcomes with EMARKETER Inc.? You've read 0 of 2 free articles this month. Get more articles - create your free account today!
Influencer trend report: august 2026. Article authors: Kenzie Callahan A raccoon named Jimothy. The word "chic." Neither came from a brand, and both took over the internet this month. August's biggest wins prove audiences want conviction, and the brands paying attention are the ones trusting creators to deliver it. Top august 2026 trends. Three obsessions took over the internet this month: opinionated "worth the money" lists, a lovable raccoon named Jimothy, and the word "chic." Each trend proves audiences reward conviction over polish, with "chic things to do" searches up more than +1,000% on TikTok. Brands earn attention by giving audiences permission to have an opinion, not by handing them one. Creator Economy Live 2026 recap. Ovative was on the ground at Creator Economy Live in New York City, where the biggest signal was clear: creators are quietly powering search, discovery, and retention. 74% of Gen Z now searches TikTok before Google, and no single post is carrying a brand anymore. The best takeaway from the event said it plainly: if it can't fit on one page, it's too much for a creator to retain. Fall 2026 fashion forecast. Pinterest's fall data shows three specific outfit codes leading the charge: Polished Prep, Sport Social Club, and Scarf Situation. Search volume is soaring across all three, and the brands showing up now are setting the pace instead of chasing it. The call for influencer content ownership. Three creators called out the same thing this month: brands ask for "authentic," then hand over briefs that make it impossible. Ovative turned that insight into a test, loosening creative control for a client who saw engagement jump +188% MoM. Creator ownership is what makes content feel native. In this report. Ovative's influencer marketing experts break down the trends shaping performance this month. In this report, you'll find: * The trends taking over the feed right now * The Creator Economy Live takeaways worth building into your next brief * The three fall fashion outfit codes leading search volume on Pinterest * How one Ovative client shifted its creative brief and grew engagement +188% MoM ARTICLE AUTHOR * Kenzie Callahan Sr. Analyst, Influencer Known for her urgent optimism and disciplined approach, Kenzie is a Senior Influencer Marketing Analyst at Ovative Group, where she helps brands connect authentically with creators and audiences. Always scanning social and cultural trends, she pushes campaigns forward season after season - reimagining how influencers can grow with brands and drive lasting impact.
Ovative marks ninth straight year on Inc. 5000 Fastest-Growing Private Companies. Article authors: Ovative Group MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. August 11th, 2026 - For the ninth year in a row, Ovative Group has been named to the Inc. 5000 list of Fastest-Growing Private Companies with 39% three-year revenue growth. This achievement extends a streak that puts Ovative among a small group of companies that make the list more than once, let alone nine times. "Nine years on this list is a reflection of the world-class growth we've achieved and a result of the great results we drive for our clients every day. Thank you to each of our clients for your trust and partnership." said Dale Nitschke, CEO and Founder of Ovative. That client-first approach was on display this year with impact delivered for brands like Aerie. For their "The REAL Ones" bra campaign, they wanted a campaign focused on cementing and extending brand's trust with key audiences. Ovative built a media strategy around where confidence gets tested throughout a woman's day, that drove a two-year high in brand awareness and earned Ovative and Aerie a joint "Best Use of Out of Home" win at ADWEEK's Media Plan of the Year awards. Ovative has continued investing in this client-first culture throughout its growth streak. This year marketed the opening of a new office at 111 N Canal in the West Loop that quadrupled its Chicago footprint. The space was built for team collaboration as the Chicago team surpassed 100 employees, proof that the firm's investment in talent is keeping pace with its growth. The firm has continued to build out technology for client impact as well. EMRge(TM), its proprietary marketing intelligence platform, was built to help clients understand and drive Enterprise Marketing Return (EMR), the true business impact of their marketing across revenue, customer growth, and brand. More than 90% of Ovative's clients now run on EMRge(TM), using it to see clearly what's driving results and to act faster, the same client impact the firm's culture has always been built to deliver. With smarter platforms, faster data, and AI reshaping what execution looks like, the market around Ovative has changed fast. What hasn't changed is Ovative's focus on driving client outcomes. That commitment has fueled the firm's growth since its founding in 2009, transforming it from a small startup into a national leader in marketing and measurement. Today, Ovative partners with some of the most recognized brands in retail, food and beverage, and beyond, including Polaris, Boost Mobile, Post Consumer Brands, Domino's, and American Eagle Outfitters. About Inc 5000 The Inc. 5000 ranks companies by percentage revenue growth over a three-year period, celebrating innovation, resilience, and entrepreneurial excellence. Past honorees include household names such as Intuit, Zappos, and Patagonia. View the complete 2026 Inc. 5000 list here. About Ovative Group Ovative Group is an independent, full-funnel media, measurement, and creative firm. Leveraging deep industry expertise, the firm helps brands like Polaris, Boost Mobile, Post Consumer Brands, American Eagle Outfitters, Petco, and UnitedHealth Group transform their media, measurement, and creative programs. The result? Profitable growth that speaks for itself. Ovative doesn't just track data, it redefines success. Its proprietary marketing intelligence platform, EMRge(TM), helps businesses transform marketing into a driver of sustainable growth. Powered by Enterprise Marketing Return (EMR), Ovative's differentiated approach to holistic media buying, planning, and measurement, EMRge(TM) is the first marketing intelligence platform to measure businesses holistically. Ovative is all about raising the bar every day, and it shows. Its work has been recognized by organizations like AdWeek, Digiday, Google, Meta, Inc. 5000, and USA Today. For more information about Ovative, visit its website or follow Ovative on Instagram or LinkedIn. For media inquiries, please contact: Courtney Stoesz Sr. Manager of Brand Marketing and Events [email protected] 715-307-2255 ARTICLE AUTHOR * Ovative Group Ovative Group is an independent, full-funnel media, measurement, and creative firm. Leveraging its deep industry expertise, Ovative Group help brands like Domino's, Facebook, The Home Depot, General Mills, Disney, and UnitedHealth Group transform their media and measurement programs. The result? Profitable growth that speaks for itself.
Ovative Group wins 2026 AMA Chicago Palmer Award for Engagement. "Launching Cinnamon Pebbles with High-Impact Social " earns top honors in the engagement category. Chicago, Illinois-(Newsfile Corp. - June 24, 2026) - The American Marketing Association Chicago (AMA Chicago) announced that Ovative Group has received a 2026 Palmer Marketing Award in the Engagement category. The award was presented during the Palmer Marketing Awards celebration held June 16 at the House of Blues Chicago. The Palmer Marketing Awards recognize marketing campaigns that demonstrate exceptional creativity, innovation and measurable results. In a rare tie, Ovative Group earned top honors in the Engagement category for its campaign, "Launching Cinnamon Pebbles(TM) with High-Impact Social," a campaign recognized for leveraging social media to generate audience excitement, participation and measurable engagement. "The judges were impressed by the campaign's ability to capture attention and create meaningful interactions through innovative social media strategies," said Chris McGuire, president of AMA Chicago. "Ovative Group demonstrated how creative audience engagement can translate into measurable success." Named for James L. Palmer, the first president of the Chicago chapter of the American Marketing Association, the Palmer Marketing Awards celebrate marketing excellence and recognize campaigns that push boundaries, elevate the profession and drive results. Rachel Cafferty and Jennifer Guido of Ovative Group accept a 2026 Palmer Marketing Award for Engagement President of AMA Chicago Chris McGuire presents Rachel Cafferty and Jennifer Guido of Ovative Group with a 2026 Palmer Marketing Award for Engagement About AMA Chicago AMA Chicago, the largest professional chapter in the American Marketing Association's North American network, provides ongoing development opportunities for marketers to expand knowledge, improve skills and grow careers through access to industry thought leaders and cutting-edge programming. Marketers from agencies, brands, small businesses, nonprofit organizations and consultancies are invited to join and connect with peers across industries. Learn more at amachicago.org. Ready to announce with confidence? Send us a message and a member of our TMX Newsfile team will contact you to discuss your needs.