Manager Performance Marketing

The Manager of Growth & Performance Marketing role brings a media and data analytics expert responsible for maximizing Ascend's digital media investment across SEM, SEO, programmatic and other performance channels. The role leads media strategy, agency management, optimization and measurement, bringing the technical depth to challenge partners, navigate platform complexity and continuously improve performance. The role also flexes into analytics, reporting and broader growth initiatives.

The ideal candidate combines deep media expertise, strong analytical instincts and the ability to turn complex performance data into clear business action.

• Own media strategy and optimization across SEM, SEO, programmatic and other paid digital channels, focused on maximizing business impact and ROI.
• Manage budgets, pacing, audience strategy, channel mix and performance against acquisition, traffic, conversion, CAC, ROAS and other commercial KPIs.
• Lead agency and vendor management, challenging recommendations and ensuring partners apply best practices across planning, activation, optimization, measurement and reporting.
• Serve as the internal subject-matter expert on paid/organic search, programmatic media, platform capabilities and optimization, translating technical complexity into clear actions.
• Translate promotions, launches and market priorities into media strategies, briefs, audience plans and activation requirements for agency execution.
• Build and interpret reporting that connects media activity to business outcomes; identify trends, anomalies, risks and opportunities and translate them into action.
• Partner with the Sr. Manager, Performance Marketing on analytics, market intelligence, forecasting, customer acquisition and broader growth initiatives as needed.
• Drive disciplined testing across audiences, creative, channels and offers, with clear hypotheses, sound readouts and actionable recommendations.
• Work cross-functionally with Brand, Retail & Trade, eCommerce, Loyalty/CRM, Creative and Insights to connect media strategy to commercial priorities.
• Maintain a high bar for media QA, tracking, attribution, landing-page experience and reporting; proactively resolve issues with agencies and partners.
• Stay current on platform changes, search trends, privacy/measurement developments and cannabis advertising restrictions; use AI tools to improve analysis and workflow efficiency.

• Bachelor’s degree preferred, ideally in Marketing, Business, Analytics or a related discipline.
• 4+ years of performance marketing or digital media experience, with deep expertise in SEM and programmatic and strong working knowledge of SEO; cannabis media experience is a strong asset.
• Demonstrated experience managing meaningful media budgets and agency partners, with a track record of improving acquisition, conversion, CAC, ROAS and other KPIs.
• Deep understanding of media best practices, optimization levers, audience strategy, bidding, attribution, tracking and platform mechanics; able to confidently challenge agencies and technical partners.
• Strong analytical skills and comfort working with large or imperfect datasets to diagnose performance, identify opportunities and support decisions; experience with BDSA and Hoodie Analytics is a significant plus.
• Strong working knowledge of Google Ads, Google Analytics, Search Console and programmatic/DSP platforms; advanced Excel skills required.
• Ability to translate complex media and performance data into clear business insights and recommendations, with curiosity to stretch into market intelligence, forecasting and broader growth work.
• Strong agency/vendor management skills, organization, QA discipline, urgency and follow-through across multiple markets and…