Sr Manager Paid Media and Owned Communications - Strategy

As Sr Manager of Paid & Owned Communications, you’ll step into a highly visible leadership role with the responsibility—and the runway—to build, challenge, and transform how Southwest brings our Brand to life. Leading a Team across paid media and sponsorships, you’ll integrate media, partnerships, and agency collaboration into a single, forward leaning engine for growth. You’ll make smart, decisive calls on where Southwest invests, how boldly we compete, and how paid and owned channels work together to drive meaningful brand and business impact. Partnering closely with Brand, Marketing, Analytics, Finance, Legal, and agency Teams, you’ll elevate strategy, strengthen accountability, and turn efforts into cohesive, high performing programs. At a pivotal moment for Southwest, this role offers the chance to shape how we show up in the market—honoring a 55-year legacy while helping define what the next chapter looks like. 

Additional details 

• The culture of Southwest Airlines means we value the camaraderie, collaboration, and innovation that occurs when we come together and interact face-to-face at our vibrant Corporate Campus. Due to the nature of this role, you would be required to work from our Dallas, TX Headquarters facility during business hours.  
• U.S. citizenship or current authorization to work in the U.S. required and no current or future work authorization sponsorship available. 

We’re committed to fair hiring practices and to making employment decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, military or veteran status, disability, genetic information, or other legally protected characteristics.   

• Guide and lead team members using SWA talent management practices to coach, develop, and engage employees
• Adhere to company values and competencies to foster a culture of inclusion, recognition, and support of a safe work environment
• Invest in leadership and self-growth through participating in continuous learning and development

• Initiate, develop, defend communication planning decisions, fostering media innovation, and ensuring recommendations align to key performance indicators (KPIs)
• Ensure business briefs are all-encompassing and provide details for agency to deliver plans that support business KPIs through media KPIs
• Partner with internal analytics and media analytics to bridge gaps on performance and providing storytelling through data
• Collaborate with agency leaders to provide direction and support, and accountable for agency resource management regarding media planning and activation
• Ensure multi-million dollar media budget is accurate, provide monthly updates, and meet with Finance to reconcile any inconsistencies and ensure the agency spends to budget
• Articulate paid and owned communication strategies to business leaders, and act as a resource for questions or support
• Oversee digital activation and apply advanced understanding of digital ad technology and tools including but not limited to site pixels, tagging, trafficking and targeting capabilities
• Utilize research and resources to effectively develop communication insights and put into practice via communication strategies and tactics
• Ensure communication efforts align with Data Privacy and Governance, connecting with Data Privacy office and Legal
• May perform other job duties as directed by Employee's Leaders

• Expert knowledge of how DSPs work, the vendors in the space and how third-party data is leveraged
• Advanced knowledge of ad technology and tools such as site pixels, tagging, trafficking and targeting capabilities
• Expert knowledge of consumer behavior that drives channel decisions; data-driven and insight-led
• Expert knowledge of media strategy, activation, and communication channels in order to educate and inform internal business owners and to ensure appropriate usage to drive consumer response
• Expert understanding of media channel usage, media mix and the marketing funnel
• Expert knowledge of digital media flow and how advertising is enabled through technology
• Expert knowledge of media analytics in order to share and explain nuances in data
• Advanced understanding of consumer insights and how customers consume advertising through paid and owned channels
• Ability to remain current on all updates and advancements in the ad tech industry and how it effects paid media
• Skilled in presenting and providing commentary to internal stakeholders and Leaders
• Skilled in utilizing Microsoft Office

• Required: High School Diploma or GED

• Required: Demonstrated experience in directly or indirectly leading team(s)
• Required: Fully functioning, broad knowledge in:
  • Paid Media (all channels)
  • Owned Communications (email, web, content)
• Preferred: Experience and proven ability as a strategic business Leader; operating at an enterprise level and translating various strategies and priorities into roadmaps
• Preferred: Experience in cross-functional leadership and aligning Teams toward shared outcomes and smarter execution at scale
• Preferred: Experience using media and partnerships as strategic levers to create multiple effects across brand, demand, loyalty, and Customer lifetime value
• Preferred: Experience managing agencies, particularly as strategic partners
• Preferred: Experience and fluency in analytics, measurement, and performance diagnostics
• Preferred: Experience/strong fluency in Customer segmentation for determining where, how, and why media and partnership dollars are deployed across the portfolio

• N/A

• Ability to perform work duties from limited space work station/desk/office area for extended periods of time
• Ability to communicate and interact with others in the English language to meet the demands of the job
• Ability to use a computer and other office productivity tools with sufficient speed and accuracy to meet the demands of the job

• Must maintain a well-groomed appearance per Company appearance standards as described in established guidelines
• Must be a U.S. citizen or have authorization to work in the United States as defined by the Immigration Reform Act of 1986
• Must be at least 18 years of age
• Must be able to comply with Company attendance standards as described in established guidelines

Pay & Benefits:

Competitive market salary from $160,550 per year to $178,400 per year* depending on qualifications and experience. For eligible Leadership and individual contributor roles, additional bonus opportunities are available and awarded at the discretion of the company.

Benefits you’ll love:

•Fly for free, as a privilege, on any open seat on all Southwest flights (your eligible dependents too)

•Southwest will help fund your 401(k) retirement savings with Company contributions up to 9.3% of your eligible earnings**

•Potential for annual ProfitSharing contribution in the Southwest Retirement Savings Plan- when Southwest profits, you profit***

•Competitive health insurance for you and your eligible dependents (including pets)

•Southwest offers health plan coverage options that start from the very first day of employment. You will have 30 days to select and enroll in your health plan with coverage retroactively available to your first day of employment.

•Explore more Benefits you’ll love:  https://careers.southwestair.com/benefits

*Pay amount does not guarantee employment for any particular period of time.

**401(k) match contributions are subject to Retirement Savings Plan vesting schedule and applicable IRS limits

***ProfitSharing contributions are subject to Retirement Savings Plan vesting schedule and are made at the discretion of the Company.