Position : Paid Search Specialist — Cybersecurity/AI Company/Client : Adaptive Security Work Hours (Client) : 9am-5pm PST, Monday-Friday Pay Range : 1,400-1,800USD/month (varies based on skill set and experience level) Location of Search : South Africa, Philippines, Latin America, or Eastern Europe Work Location : REMOTE Type of Contract : Independent Contractor Company/Client Overview: Our client is a fast-growing cybersecurity company hiring an experienced Paid Search Specialist to build and lead a high-performance paid acquisition function from the ground up.  This is not a generalist PPC role. The primary goal is to design, execute, and continuously optimize paid search programs that drive qualified pipeline from enterprise buyers: CISOs, IT leaders, security architects, and practitioners across Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, and emerging AI-driven ad platforms. You will help with the full paid search lifecycle, from keyword strategy and audience segmentation to ad copy, landing page alignment, and revenue attribution. Duties and Responsibilities: Strategy & Campaign Architecture  * Develop and own the overarching paid search strategy aligned to pipeline and revenue targets, not just traffic or impression share * Architect full-funnel campaign structures across branded, non-branded, competitive, and RLSA (Remarketing Lists for Search Ads) segments * Build and manage campaigns across Google Search, Google Performance Max, Microsoft/Bing Ads, and YouTube (TrueView for Action) * Map keyword targeting to buyer journey stages — awareness, consideration, and decision — with distinct messaging and landing page strategies for each * Identify and pursue whitespace opportunities in the cybersecurity/AI paid search landscape through competitive intelligence and SERP analysis Keyword Research & Targeting  * Conduct deep keyword research using tools such as Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, Semrush, and SpyFu to identify high-intent, commercially relevant terms * Build and maintain comprehensive negative keyword lists to eliminate wasted spend and improve signal quality * Segment keyword sets by intent tier (informational, navigational, transactional) and audience persona * Monitor and adapt to keyword trends specific to the cybersecurity and AI sectors, including emerging threat categories, product categories Ad Copy & Creative  * Write compelling, persona-specific ad copy tailored to enterprise security buyers, emphasizing technical credibility, urgency, and ROI * Develop and manage A/B and multivariate ad copy tests with statistical rigor, iterating based on CTR, Quality Score, and conversion rate data * Collaborate with design and content teams to ensure landing page messaging is tightly aligned with paid search ad copy and keyword intent * Leverage ad extensions (sitelinks, callouts, structured snippets, lead forms) to maximize SERP real estate and improve click quality Bid Management & Budget Optimization * Own budget allocation across campaigns, ad groups, and channels, making data-driven decisions to maximize return on ad spend (ROAS) and cost per pipeline (CPP) * Manage automated and manual bidding strategies (Target CPA, Target ROAS, Enhanced CPC, Max Conversions) and adjust based on performance signals * Conduct regular search term report analysis to refine match types, identify new keyword opportunities, and eliminate inefficient spend * Monitor auction insights and competitive positioning to inform bid adjustments and strategic pivots   Analytics, Attribution & Reporting  * Implement and maintain conversion tracking across Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, and CRM platforms (Salesforce, HubSpot) to ensure accurate pipeline attribution * Build and maintain dashboards in Google Looker Studio, HubSpot, or equivalent tools that tie paid search activity to MQL, SQL, and closed-won revenue * Deliver weekly performance reports and monthly strategic reviews to marketing leadership, with clear insight into what is working, what is not, and recommended next actions * Partner with marketing ops and revenue ops teams to ensure UTM taxonomy, lead scoring, and attribution models are aligned across the funnel Testing & Continuous Improvement  * Maintain a structured, ongoing testing roadmap covering ad copy, keyword match types, bidding strategies, landing pages, and audience segments * Document test hypotheses, results, and learnings to build an institutional knowledge base * Stay current on Google Ads and Microsoft Ads product updates, betas, and best practices — particularly as AI-driven features (Smart Bidding, Demand Gen, Performance Max) evolve Minimum Requirements: Language requirement: Excellent English Communication Skills Education: Bachelor's Degree (ideally) Experience: 5+ years of related experience  Industry: technology/cybersecurity industry * 5+ years of hands-on paid search management experience, with a proven track record of driving measurable pipeline and revenue outcomes. * Deep expertise in Google Ads and Microsoft Advertising, including Search, Display, YouTube, and Performance Max campaign types * Experience marketing B2B SaaS, cybersecurity, or enterprise technology products strongly preferred; familiarity with cybersecurity buyer personas (CISOs, SecOps, IT Directors) is a significant advantage * Strong command of keyword research, match type strategy, Quality Score optimization, and auction dynamics * Proficiency with Google Analytics 4, Google Tag Manager, and CRM-based attribution (Salesforce or HubSpot) * Experience with paid search tools including Semrush, Ahrefs, SpyFu, or similar  competitive intelligence platforms * Demonstrated ability to manage and optimize six-figure monthly budgets with accountability to pipeline and ROAS targets * Exceptional analytical and data interpretation skills — you make decisions from data, not intuition alone * Strong written communication skills with the ability to craft ad copy that resonates with technical enterprise audiences * Ability to work independently in a remote environment, manage multiple campaigns simultaneously, and communicate proactively with stakeholders Preferred Qualifications * Google Ads certification (Search, Performance Max, Measurement) * Experience running paid campaigns alongside an organic/SEO content strategy, with an understanding of how paid and organic search interact * Familiarity with intent data platforms (6sense, Bombora, Demandbase) and how they can inform paid search audience segmentation * Experience with ABM (Account-Based Marketing) frameworks and running paid search in support of targeted account lists * Background in or understanding of AI-driven ad products and how emerging platforms (Perplexity Ads, AI Overviews) are reshaping paid search discovery