Director, Performance Marketing

NEPSE Trading; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

ZRG is seeking a Director of Performance Marketing to lead and scale our demand generation engine. You will own paid media strategy and execution across all channels, build lead generation and nurture programs, and drive cross-sell and post-hire engagement across ZRG’s services.

You will partner with Business Unit Marketing Directors and commercial teams to accelerate pipeline and revenue while building and guiding a high-performance team, leveraging data and AI to optimize ROI and outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Lead paid media strategy and execution across channels (PPC/SEM, paid social, content syndication, programmatic) with focus on cost-efficient lead and pipeline generation
• Oversee landing page strategy, CRO, and A/B testing to maximize paid investment yield
• Execute cross-sell and post-hire engagement campaigns to expand client relationships
• Partner with BU Marketing Directors to align demand gen with commercial priorities and ensure pipeline coverage
• Lead owned channels and marketing automation (Pardot/Salesforce Marketing Cloud), including lead scoring and CRM integration
• Build and maintain a performance marketing measurement framework with KPIs, dashboards, and regular reviews
• Direct a team including a Manager of Performance Marketing and liaise with agencies and external contractors
• Leverage AI-driven signals and nurture programs to convert leads into qualified opportunities

Job description

About ZRG

ZRG is a global talent advisory firm rewriting the playbook on how companies hire, retain, and develop leadership talent. We combine AI-driven intelligence with deep human expertise to deliver smarter, faster talent solutions across executive search, embedded recruiting, consulting, and interim solutions. Our performance marketing function is central to how we grow - driving demand, generating qualified leads, and ensuring the market understands and experiences the ZRG difference. The role ZRG is looking for a Director of Performance Marketing to lead and scale our demand generation engine. This is a senior, strategic role - but one that stays close to the data and the work. You’ll own paid media strategy and execution across all channels, build and optimize lead generation and nurture programs, and play a pivotal role in driving cross-sell and post-hire engagement across ZRG’s full portfolio of services. You’ll partner closely with our Business Unit Marketing Directors and commercial teams across executive search, embedded recruiting, consulting, and interim to ensure marketing is accelerating pipeline and revenue at every stage. You’ll also lead and grow a team, including a Manager of Performance Marketing, agency partners, and external contractors, and build the systems, processes, and culture that allow this function to scale.

What you’ll do

Paid media and lead generation Own ZRG's paid media strategy and execution across all channels - paid search (PPC/SEM), paid social (LinkedIn, programmatic), content syndication, intent-based targeting, and display - with a relentless focus on cost‑efficient lead and pipeline generation. Set channel strategy, be accountable to budgets set by the Director, GTM Operations, and hold agencies and platforms accountable to performance against UQL, MQL, meeting, cost‑per‑lead, cost‑per‑meeting, and pipeline contribution targets. Build and continuously optimise full‑funnel paid programmes that drive both awareness and direct response, ensuring every dollar works harder over time. Oversee landing page strategy, conversion rate optimisation, and A/B testing frameworks to maximise the yield from paid investment. Leverage new techniques around AI‑driven market signals – UQLs – and generating nurture programmes to convert those into qualified leads.

Cross‑sell and post‑hire engagement

Execute against ZRG's post‑hire engagement marketing strategy – starting with our Role Call programme - ensuring that clients who hire through one ZRG service line are exposed to, educated on, and converted to others. Build nurture programmes and campaigns that keep ZRG visible and relevant to existing clients across the full lifecycle, from placement through retention and expansion. Partner with client success, delivery, and account teams to identify cross‑sell moments and turn them into scalable, repeatable marketing programmes. Define and track metrics that connect engagement marketing activity to expanded client relationships and incremental revenue.

Business unit Marketing partnership

Serve as the performance marketing lead for ZRG's four business units - executive search, embedded recruiting, consulting, and interim - partnering with each Business Unit Marketing Director to align demand generation strategy with commercial priorities. Translate business unit goals into channel‑specific paid and owned media plans, ensuring each line of business has the pipeline coverage it needs. Own the goals on behalf of each of these BUs. Bring a consistent performance marketing framework across business units while allowing for the nuance each segment requires. Own and drive the end‑to‑end SEO strategy, including keyword research, search intent mapping, and optimisation to align organic search initiatives with business and marketing goals. Lead execution across technical, on‑page, and content SEO, partnering cross‑functionally to embed best practices across digital channels.

Owned channels and marketing automation

Lead the strategy and optimisation of ZRG's owned channels – email, Marketing automation, website, and organic social – as demand generation and lead nurture assets. Own the roadmap for ZRG's marketing automation platform (Pardot/Salesforce Marketing Cloud), including lead scoring, segmentation, nurture flows, and CRM integration. Ensure owned channels are working in concert with paid investment to deliver qualified leads and booked meetings efficiently. Partner with content and brand teams to ensure owned channel messaging is powerful, differentiated, and conversion‑oriented.

Analytics, reporting, and optimisation

Build and maintain the performance marketing measurement framework, defining the KPIs, dashboards, and reporting cadences that connect marketing activity to pipeline and revenue outcomes. Lead weekly, monthly, and quarterly performance reviews with clear attribution, insights, and optimisation actions. Drive a culture of testing and iteration, across creative, copy, audience, channel, and offer, with disciplined experimentation and clear learning agendas. Manage, report and be accountable to budget across media, agencies, tools and vendor support Partner with revenue operations and sales leadership to ensure lead handoff, attribution, and funnel visibility are accurate and actionable.

Team and agency leadership

Directly manage the Manager of Performance Marketing and provide leadership, development, and clear direction as the team grows. Own the relationships with agency partners, media buyers, and external contractors, setting expectations, managing performance, and ensuring alignment with ZRG's strategy and standards. Leverage technology and AI to drive results, with human oversight and analysis at every touchpoint In partnership with GTM Operations, build the team structure, hiring plan, and operating model to support ZRG's growth trajectory. Foster a high‑performance, test‑and‑learn culture where accountability and creativity coexist.

Who you are

A senior perform