Senior Associate, Paid Search (Hybrid)

Enova International; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental & vision insurance

401(k) matching

PTO & holidays

Sabbatical program

Summer hours

Paid parental leave

DEI groups @ Enova

Employee recognition program

Charitable matching

Job summary

Enova International is seeking a strategic, self-directed marketing leader to own the growth of the SMB search and affiliate strategy. You will define where the strategy goes next, connect analytics and performance to the bottom line, and leverage AI to surface signals and guide decisions.

You will lead SEM and affiliate programs, partner management, and cross-functional collaboration to drive profitable customer acquisition and scalable growth.

Qualifications

• 7+ years in performance marketing (paid search, affiliate).
• Strategic ownership mindset with proactive problem solving.
• Proficiency with AI tools to drive outcomes.
• Hands-on fluency in Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, and optimization platforms.
• Experience with GA/GA4, Adobe Analytics, and SQL/BI tools.
• Ability to connect channel performance to P&L and business outcomes.
• Strong communication, project management, and cross-functional alignment.

Responsibilities

• Own the SEM and affiliate strategy, budget, and testing agenda.
• Recruit and manage affiliate partners; monitor fraud and lead quality.
• Bridge data science with analytics to inform decisions.
• Translate channel decisions into impact on acquisition and profitability.
• Lead with AI across research, analysis, reporting, and optimization.
• Identify new growth opportunities and partnerships.
• Oversee hands-on execution across campaigns, bidding, and landing pages.
• Ensure compliance and brand integrity in-channel.
• Collaborate with Analytics, Finance, Creative, Legal, and Compliance.

Skills

Performance marketing

Paid search (SEM)

Affiliate marketing

AI tools

Analytics

SQL/BI tools

P&L awareness

Cross-functional leadership

Tools

Google Ads

Microsoft Ads

Search Ads 360

Marin

GA/GA4

Adobe Analytics

Affiliate networks/tracking

Job description

We are looking for a strategic, self-directed marketing expert to own the growth and trajectory of our search and affiliate strategy for Enova’s Small Business division. This role reports to the Head of Acquisition, SMB and sits at the center of how paid search (SEM) and affiliate marketing drive new customer acquisition and profitable growth.

This is not an execution-only seat. We need an owner - someone who treats the performance of these channels as if it were their own business, sets the strategy, and drives the results. You will still be close enough to the levers to be hands‑on in the platforms, but your primary mandate is to define where the strategy goes next and to connect the dots between analytics, reporting, channel performance, and the bottom line. You’ll be the person who anticipates where performance is headed, not waiting for a report to tell you something changed. You’ll use AI to surface signals, generate ideas, and pressure‑test decisions - not the one waiting for a report to tell you something changed.

Responsibilities

• Own the search strategy. Set the vision, roadmap, and growth trajectory for SEM and channels - from budget allocation and bid strategy to partner mix and testing agenda — and be accountable for the performance and efficiency over time.
• Build and manage the affiliate partner portfolio. Recruit, vet, and onboard partners and networks; structure and negotiate commission and payout models; run relationship and performance reviews; and monitor for brand bidding, lead‑quality issues, and fraud — ensuring third‑party promotion of our products meets the same standards as our owned channels.
• Bridge data science, analytics, and performance. Work hand‑in‑hand with the Data Scientist who owns the model and with internal and external analytics and reporting/BI teams — building enough fluency in the model to translate its inputs and outputs, keep everyone working from the same numbers, and turn insight into channel decisions that improve performance.
• Connect performance to the P&L. Translate channel decisions into their impact on acquisition volume, efficiency, cost, and profitability. Understand and clearly articulate how spend and optimization choices flow through to unit economics and the P&Ls bottom line.
• Lead with AI. Actively adopt and champion AI tools across the search and affiliate workflow - using them to accelerate research, analysis, creative, reporting, and optimization — and continually find new ways to apply AI to extend the channel’s reach, efficiency, and workflow. Let AI do the heavy lifting on research and analysis while the final call stays yours.
• Find growth before it’s asked for. Proactively identify new opportunities, channels, and partner relationships that extend our reach and capture via the Search model and keep us ahead of the market.
• Run and optimize the channels hands‑on. Own day‑to‑day execution across the SEM and Affiliate portfolio - campaign builds, bid and budget management, keyword and audience strategy, affiliate partner management, and landing pages — and drive the testing and optimization agenda end to end: design and prioritize high‑impact experiments across creative, bidding, and partners, measure rigorously, and scale what works.
• Own compliance and brand integrity in‑channel. Ensure all paid search and affiliate activity - including ad copy, landing pages, and affiliate promotion — meets Enova’s regulatory, legal, and compliance requirements, partnering closely with Legal and Compliance to keep the channel audit‑ready as it scales.
• Communicate cross‑functionally. Partner with Analytics, Finance, Creative, Product Marketing Legal, and Compliance to align on measurement, messaging, and reporting, and to present clear recommendations and results to leadership.

What Success Looks Like

In this role, you don’t just report on what the channels did - you decide where they go, and you use AI to get there faster and with sharper judgment. A strong quarter is one where you spotted a shift in search or affiliate performance early — often with AI surfacing the signal before a standard report would - understood its bottom line implications, aligned analytics and model enhancements around a shared view, and moved budget decisively to protect and grow profitable acquisition — with a clear, well‑communicated, data‑backed rationale that leadership and cross‑functional partners could get behind.

Requirements

• 7+ years of experience in performance marketing, specifically paid search / SEM, affiliate marketing and a proven track record of driving online conversions and customer acquisition.
• A strategic, ownership mindset - a history of identifying opportunities and problems and driving solutions without being prompted.
• Proven proficiency with AI tools and a track record of using them to drive real marketing outcomes - applying AI across analysis, reporting, creative, testing, and decision support to work faster and at greater scale.
• Hands‑on fluency across paid search, AI/LLM and affiliate platforms - Google Ads and Microsoft (Bing) Ads, a bid‑management/search platform such as Search Ads 360 or Marin, and affiliate networks/tracking platforms - with the technical comfort to stay in the tools when needed.
• Strong analytical skills - comfort working with data in performance reporting, web analytics tools (e.g., Google Analytics / GA4, Adobe Analytics), and SQL/BI tools to identify trends and make informed decisions.
• The ability to connect channel performance to business and P&L outcomes and to explain that story simply to non‑technical stakeholders.
• Exceptional communication and project management skills, with a track record of aligning cross‑functional teams (analytics, reporting, finance, creative, compliance) and delivering on timelines.
• A self‑starter, action‑oriented approach - you operate as an owner and treat the P&L as your own.

Compensation

The budgeted annual salary range for this position is $90,000 to $120,000. Actual annual salary will be determined based on qualifications, skills, experience, and level assessed during the hiring process and may fall outside of the range shown. Additional compensation for this role may include a bonus and restricted stock units. All full‑time employees are eligible to participate in Company benefits, described in more detail here .

#LI-Hybrid #BI-Hybrid

• Our hybrid roles require in‑office work Tuesday through Thursday, with remote flexibility on Mondays and Fridays. This schedule fosters collaboration, team connection, and strategic planning, enhancing communication and effectiveness to drive results.
• Health, dental, and vision insurance including mental health benefits
• 401(k) matching plus a roth option (U.S. Based employees only)
• PTO & paid holidays off
• Sabbatical program (for eligible roles)
• Summer hours (for eligible roles)
• Paid parental leave
• DEI groups (B.L.A.C.K. @ Enova, HOLA @ Enova, Women @ Enova, Pride @ Enova, South Asians @ Enova, APEX @ Enova, and Parents @ Enova)
• Employee recognition and rewards program
• Charitable matching and a paid volunteer day…Plus so much more!

About Enova

Enova International is a leading financial technology company that provides online financial services through our AI and machine learning-powered Colossus™platform. We serve non-prime consumers and businesses alike, while offering world‑class technology and services to traditional banks—in order to create accessible credit for millions.

Being a values‑driven organization is at the core of Enova’s success. We live our values by listening to our customers, challenging assumptions, thinking big, setting high expectations, and hiring and developing the best. Through our values and our commitment to making Enova an awesome place to work, we maintain an environment of inclusion and culture where our employees can thrive. You can learn more about Enova’s values and culture here .

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As set forth in Enova International’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

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