Senior Performance Marketing Manager, SMB

NerdWallet is a financial resource for small businesses, helping entrepreneurs achieve their financial goals. They are seeking a driven performance marketer to lead and scale paid acquisition efforts across various SMB verticals, focusing on strategy, execution, and optimization.

Responsibilities:

• Own and optimize day-to-day SEM operations across SMB lending, credit cards, insurance, and banking verticals, including bidding strategies, budget allocation, ad copy development, keyword management, and campaign structure optimization
• Design, execute, and analyze structured experiments across audiences, creative, bidding strategies, and landing page experiences, synthesizing findings into scalable optimization playbooks and growth frameworks
• Develop and maintain reporting frameworks and dashboards using Salesforce, Looker, Snowflake, and other analytics tools to measure marketing performance, identify opportunities, and surface actionable insights
• Manage and optimize campaigns across Google Ads, SA360, and Microsoft Ads, applying best practices in campaign architecture, automation, and performance optimization
• Build and scale emerging paid social acquisition programs across platforms such as Meta, LinkedIn, and TikTok by defining channel strategy, testing creative approaches, and establishing repeatable growth loops
• Independently drive initiatives from concept through launch and post-performance analysis, bringing structure, momentum, and strong business judgment in a fast-paced environment
• Partner cross-functionally with Product, Analytics, BI, Creative, and broader Marketing teams to improve acquisition performance and align channel strategy with broader SMB business goals
• Stay informed on industry trends, platform changes, privacy developments, and emerging growth opportunities to continuously evolve acquisition strategies and maintain a competitive edge

Requirements:

• 3–6 years of hands-on SEM and performance marketing experience, ideally within financial services, fintech, or other regulated industries
• Deep familiarity with Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, and SA360, with experience managing large, complex account structures and optimizing toward measurable business outcomes
• Proficiency with analytics and business intelligence tools such as Salesforce, Snowflake, Looker, or similar platforms
• Strong analytical mindset with the ability to build reports, interpret complex performance data, identify actionable insights, and influence strategy through data-driven recommendations
• Demonstrated success designing and executing structured experiments and translating findings into scalable improvements
• Experience with or strong interest in paid social acquisition channels including Meta, LinkedIn, TikTok, or similar growth platforms
• Ability to operate independently, manage ambiguity effectively, and balance multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Clear and concise communication skills with the ability to translate complex marketing performance data into actionable insights for cross-functional stakeholders
• Strong collaboration skills and experience partnering cross-functionally across Marketing, Product, Analytics, and Operations teams
• Experience marketing SMB financial products, including lending, banking, credit cards, or insurance
• Familiarity with incrementality testing, media mix modeling (MMM), multi-touch attribution methodologies, or advanced measurement frameworks
• SQL proficiency with experience querying Snowflake or similar data warehouse environments directly
• Prior experience in a startup or high-growth environment where you helped build and scale acquisition programs with limited support and evolving processes
• Experience launching or scaling emerging acquisition channels or new growth initiatives from early-stage development through operational maturity