What we assess
Channel strategy. How do they allocate budget across channels? What's their testing framework?
Creative system. How do they approach creative testing? What's their iteration velocity?
Measurement. How do they think about attribution? What's their approach to incrementality?
Unit economics. Do they understand how paid acquisition fits into the broader business model?
Scorecard highlights
- Channel strategy and allocation
- Creative testing system
- Measurement discipline
- Unit economics awareness
- Scale and efficiency balance
The performance marketing system
Great Performance Marketing Leads own all four pillars.
1
Creative
Testing, iteration, and creative strategy
2
Targeting
Audience strategy and segmentation
3
Measurement
Attribution and incrementality
4
Iteration
Learning velocity and optimization
Performance Marketing Lead salary ranges (2026)
Base salary ranges across our placements. Candidates managing $1M+ monthly spend typically command the upper end.
| Market | Performance Manager | Head of Perf. Marketing | Director / VP |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $100K-$140K | $140K-$190K | $190K-$260K |
| United Kingdom | £55K-£80K | £80K-£120K | £120K-£165K |
| Western Europe | €50K-€75K | €75K-€110K | €110K-€155K |
| Remote (global) | $80K-$120K | $120K-$165K | $165K-$230K |
Red flags we screen for
- ✗Cannot discuss incrementality or explain their measurement approach beyond last-click
- ✗Only managed small budgets ($50K/month or less) without experience scaling
- ✗No creative input. Treats ads as a targeting problem, not a creative one
- ✗Cannot name a channel they pulled budget from and explain why
- ✗Reports ROAS without understanding how it connects to CAC, LTV, and payback period
Interview questions we use
- Walk me through your last budget allocation. How did you decide the split across channels?
- Tell me about a channel you stopped investing in. What signal did you use?
- How do you think about incrementality? What is your approach when you cannot run a holdout test?
- Describe your creative testing system. How many variants do you run per week and how do you decide what to test?
- What is your CAC right now, what is your target, and what lever are you pulling to close the gap?
Frequently asked questions
We hire for multi-channel performance marketers as well as specialists in paid social, paid search, programmatic, and affiliate.
Yes. Modern performance marketing requires creative strategy skills. We assess candidates on their approach to creative testing and iteration.
We match candidates to your budget scale, from $100K to $10M+ monthly spend, depending on your needs.
We dig into specifics: ROAS, CAC, scale achieved, incrementality approach, and measurement methodology.
Ready to hire a Performance Marketing Lead?
Tell us about the role. We'll deliver a shortlist in under 10 days.