Performance Marketing Analyst (Washington, DC)

U.S. News & World Report is a multifaceted digital media company dedicated to helping citizens, consumers, business leaders and policy officials make important decisions in their lives. We publish independent reporting, rankings, data journalism and advice that has earned the trust of our readers and users for 90 years. Our platforms on usnews.com include Education, Health, Money, Travel, Cars, News, Real Estate, Careers and Insurance.

We reach millions of people monthly during moments when they are most in need of expert advice and motivated to act on that advice directly on our platforms. Our signature franchises include our “Best” series of consumer guides on colleges, graduate schools, hospitals, diets, cars, financial services and more. These guides provide an easy-to-digest list for consumers to better understand and compare when making their decisions. We continue to publish annual guides of the authoritative Best Colleges and Best Hospitals rankings on our website and in print. And our U.S. News Live flagship conferences highlight important national conversations such as Healthcare of Tomorrow .

We believe in having a broad range of talent and backgrounds at U.S. News. We strive to maintain a welcoming and inclusive workplace where everyone is given an opportunity to succeed and contribute to their fullest.

Your Role in Helping Us Shape the Future

U.S. News & World Report is seeking a hands-on, analytical Paid Search & Social Marketing Specialist to support our cross-vertical team. Reporting to the SEM & Paid Marketing Manager, this role is responsible for execution, optimization, and scaling of multi-channel paid acquisition campaigns across Search Engine Marketing (SEM) and Paid Social platforms, with a heavy focus on helping to build out an A/B testing program.

You will be tasked with driving high-intent audience growth, engagement, and lead generation. This is an execution-focused role requiring deep technical platform familiarity, rigorous A/B testing, creative optimization, and the ability to manage performance budgets efficiently to meet acquisition targets.

Are you up to the challenge?

• Campaign Execution: Build, launch, and manage daily performance campaigns across search engines (Google Ads, Microsoft Advertising) and major paid social platforms (Meta, LinkedIn, TikTok, etc.) to support high-growth verticals.

• Cross-Channel Synergy: Partner with the marketing manager to integrate paid search and paid social strategies, leveraging search intent data and organic affiliate partner performance, to inform social audience targeting and utilizing social engagement loops to reinforce search funnel performance.

• Advanced Experimentation Engine: Implement end-to-end A/B testing pipelines, from creative iteration and copy variants to landing page CRO, driving rapid learning cycles and performance lifts.

• Technical & Data Integration: Partner with our internal Data Science, UX, and Content teams to track down-funnel lead quality, refine attribution models, and test incrementality.

• Advanced Bidding & Pacing: Implement and monitor automated bidding strategies (Target ROAS, Max Conversion Value, tCPA) utilizing offline conversion tracking (OCT) data. Ensure strict adherence to daily and weekly budget pacing across the portfolio.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with Data, Partner, & Product teams to align paid traffic with site user experience, attribution models, and down-funnel lead quality requirements.

Requirements

You should definitely have

• Experience: Minimum of 3 years’years of hands-on performance marketing experience, managing active budgets across both paid search and paid social channels.

• Platform Expertise: Tactical familiarity with major social ad managers, and Google Ads (Meta Ads Manager, LinkedIn Campaign Manager).

• Analytical Rigor: Advanced proficiency in Excel/Google Sheets (Pivot tables, VLOOKUPs, array formulas) and strong familiarity with analytics platforms like Looker Studio, Google Analytics 4 (GA4), etc.

• Execution Focus: Strong attention to detail, highly organized, and capable of prioritizing multiple campaign launches and fast-moving optimization sprints.

• Creative Thinking: Ability to think beyond campaign metrics to creatively solve and improve business-impact.

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Economics, Statistics, Communications, or a related field.

Must Haves

• Experience working within the affiliate marketing industry.

• Familiarity with marketing automation tools, GA4, and multi-touch attribution structures.

• Basic graphic design or copywriting skills for quick ad iteration and creative testing.

• UX/Landing page optimization experience

• Passion for the U.S. News mission of providing trusted advice to consumers.

What it’s like to work with us:

Talent is our best asset!

We invest in people with passion and potential who understand U.S. News’ dedication to our consumers.

• Entrepreneurial, mission-driven culture with core values of quality and integrity
• Focus on fostering personal and professional growth
• Competitive benefits including paid vacation time, medical, tuition reimbursement, and
• training
• Collaborative Work Environment ~ Fun, diverse, inclusive and ambitious co-workers

Other Job Info:

• These statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this job. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of employees assigned to this job.

• U.S. News & World Report strongly encourages all employees to be fully vaccinated (including boosters).

• Strong preference for Washington, DC based applicants to work a hybrid schedule.

• The anticipated base salary for this position is $70,000 to $95,000. The actual base salary offered will depend on a variety of factors, including without limitation, the qualifications of the individual applicant for the position, years of relevant experience, level of education attained, certifications or other professional licenses held, interview performance, and if applicable, the location in which the applicant lives and/or from which they will be performing the job.