Senior paid media leadership, without hiring a full-time head of department
I act as your Head of Paid Media on a fractional basis: I own the strategy, the budget split across channels and the day-to-day running of the accounts. There is no hand-off to a junior team, because I personally manage and optimise every account I take on. Performance is reported against your CRM pipeline or store revenue, not just what the ad platforms claim.
What I review
- Current channel mix and how budget is split across Google, LinkedIn, Meta and TikTok
- Conversion tracking, consent mode and which events each platform optimises towards
- How platform-reported results compare with CRM pipeline or store revenue
- Account structures and whether they give the bidding algorithms enough data
- Targets: CPA, ROAS, cost per opportunity or MER, and how they were set
- Reporting in place today and who uses it to make decisions
- Creative supply: volume, formats and how often new ads reach the accounts
What I manage and optimise
- Quarterly paid media plan with channel budgets, targets and test priorities
- Monthly budget allocation across channels based on CRM or store results
- Hands-on build and optimisation of campaigns on each active platform
- Creative briefs for your designers or agency, based on what is converting
- Tracking and offline conversion setup, working with your developers where needed
- Test roadmap: one clear hypothesis at a time, with a defined read-out date
- Liaison with sales, finance and leadership on what paid media is returning
What you get
- A written paid media plan agreed at the start and reviewed each quarter
- Weekly update on spend, results and actions taken
- Monthly report reconciling platform data with CRM pipeline or store revenue
- A regular call with you, plus access to me between calls
- Creative briefs and a running log of tests and their outcomes
Not included
- Creative production: I write briefs, but design and video are produced by your team or agency
- Custom dashboards, data integrations and AI automation, which are handled by Ad Ops Autopilot
- Line management of in-house staff or recruitment
Pricing
Retainers start from £3,500 a month for one channel at an early-stage company, and most multi-channel engagements are £6,000 to £10,000 a month. It is a flat monthly fee, never a percentage of ad spend, on a 30-day rolling basis with no exit fees.
How pricing worksFractional Head of Paid Media: common questions
More in the FAQs.
How is this different from hiring an agency?
You work directly with me, and I am the person who builds and optimises the accounts. There are no account managers in between and no handover to a junior team. You also get someone who sits across all your paid channels and sets the budget split, rather than a specialist defending one platform.
How much of my time will this take?
Most of the work happens without you. I need access to the ad accounts, your CRM or store data, and a regular call to agree priorities. Beyond that, I come to you when a decision needs your input.
Can you work alongside our in-house team?
Yes. A common setup is that I own strategy and the more complex accounts while an in-house marketer handles day-to-day tasks. I am clear upfront about who owns which account so nothing falls between us.
What happens if it is not working?
The arrangement is 30-day rolling with no exit fees, so you are never locked in. I would rather tell you early if a channel is not worth the spend than keep it running to protect a fee.
Related services
- Paid Media Audits An independent review of your Google, LinkedIn, Meta or TikTok accounts, covering structure, waste, tracking and how platform numbers compare with your CRM or store.
- Google Ads Management Search, Shopping, Performance Max and Demand Gen, run by hand and measured against CRM pipeline or store revenue. Microsoft Ads included where it is worth running.
Related insights
- Flat Fee vs Percentage of Ad Spend: Paid Media Pricing Why percentage of ad spend pricing misaligns incentives, how flat fee paid media pricing works, and what to ask any agency or consultant before you sign.
- Fractional Head of Paid Media vs Agency: Which Is Right for Your Business? How fractional paid media support compares with an agency, and how to choose based on the work your business actually needs.
- When Should You Bring Paid Media Management In-House? A practical way to decide whether your organisation needs a permanent paid media employee, an agency or fractional specialist support.
See what I'd change in your accounts
Request a free audit. I'll send a short written review of where money is being wasted and what I'd fix first. It's yours to keep either way.