Senior Manager, User Acquisition

Role Description

Own strategy, execution, pacing, and optimization across paid search and programmatic channels. Google UAC is your primary channel and where you're most at home. You'll also run Apple Search Ads, rewarded networks, and managed-service DSPs (Unity, Tapjoy, and similar).

• Be the in-house expert on Google's app campaign ecosystem: bidding strategy, audience signals, campaign structure, and how to push reps for what we actually need.
• Manage partner relationships across search and programmatic, and hold DSP and network reps accountable to performance, ensuring clear expectations, accurate builds, and timely optimizations.
• Lead the testing roadmap for search and programmatic channels, owning the evaluation and onboarding of new partners so Underdog stays at the cutting edge of what's working in app-based UA.
• Translate MMP and backend data into clear performance narratives, budget recommendations, and executive-ready reporting.
• Work closely with Analytics and Data Science to validate attribution, forecast accurately, and optimize toward LTV and pROAS targets.
• Partner with Creative and Growth leadership to brief channel-specific creative concepts, and build a feedback loop between creative performance and spend decisions.
• Monitor competitive UA activity, ad trends, and industry innovation to surface new growth vectors.
• Support budget forecasting, channel planning, and monthly business reviews.
• Over time, manage and develop a direct report, providing clear direction and coaching on campaign execution, reporting, and optimization.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of hands-on UA experience with a heavy focus on paid search and programmatic channels.
• Deep fluency in Google Ads and Google UAC - app campaign structure, Smart Bidding, Performance Max, audience signal strategy, and creative best practices.
• Hands-on experience with Apple Search Ads at scale.
• Experience with DSPs (Moloco, Liftoff, etc.), and video ad networks (Unity Ads, etc.).
• Exceptional MMP experience (Adjust, AppsFlyer, or Singular), including validating attribution paths and troubleshooting discrepancies.
• Highly analytical with the ability to synthesize performance data into clear narratives, budget recommendations, and actionable next steps.
• Background in gaming, fintech, sports betting, or a high-growth consumer app.
• Strong experience building and owning a robust testing roadmap, not just running tests but designing the framework and onboarding new partners.
• Comfortable managing a direct report and providing clear direction on campaign execution and optimization.

Requirements

• Prior experience at a startup that scaled quickly or reached unicorn status.
• Experience implementing and/or building AI solutions for UA efficiency.
• SQL or BI tool familiarity (Sigma, Looker, Tableau).

Benefits

• Unlimited PTO (we're extremely flexible with the exception of the first few weeks before & into the NFL season).
• 16 weeks of fully paid parental leave.
• Home office stipend.
• A connected virtual first culture with a highly engaged distributed workforce.
• 5% 401k match, FSA, company paid health, dental, vision plan options for employees and dependents.