Performance Marketing Specialist

Job Description

Job Description

Description

At GUNNER® we build the best dog products in the world to give our dogs the lives they deserve. Overbuilt in the USA™, we engineer them for your dog and build them for your peace of mind. If you join the pack, you'll have the opportunity to create fun, meaningful work, on our way to becoming a world-class brand that strengthens our bond with Man's Best Friend.

Energized by this exciting mission? GUNNER® is looking for a data-driven, detail-oriented Performance Marketing Specialist to own our paid media and affiliate programs in-house. This is a newly created role, born out of our decision to bring paid marketing home from agency partners. This gives you the chance to build our in-house performance engine from the ground up, with direct creative input, faster execution, and a tight feedback loop with our Creative and Ecommerce teams. This is also a key role within a broader shift out of traditional digital ads into lead generation. This position is ideal for someone with 2-4 years of hands-on paid media experience who wants outsized ownership, loves digging into the numbers, and is excited to grow into a bigger seat as our marketing program scales.

Key Responsibilities

- Lead Generation & Acquisition Strategy

• Lead the shift of budget from traditional prospecting into lead generation programs (quizzes, giveaways, lead magnets, gated offers, landing pages) that capture higher-intent, lower-cost prospects
• Build, launch, and optimize lead capture funnels across paid social, paid search, and affiliate channels
• Test and scale lead-gen ad formats (e.g., Meta Lead Ads, native lead forms) to grow a qualified prospect pipeline
• Own the handoff of captured leads into email/SMS nurture flows, in partnership with the Retention/CX team

- Paid Social & Paid Search

• Plan, launch, and optimize paid campaigns across Meta, TikTok, and Google/Search Ads to balance direct-response acquisition with lead-gen-driven prospecting
• Manage day-to-day budget pacing, bidding, and audience/targeting across channels
• Build, test, and iterate on ad creative and copy in partnership with the Creative team including creative built specifically for lead capture
• Monitor performance daily and make data-driven adjustments to improve ROAS, CPA, and other core KPIs

- Affiliate & Partnerships

• Manage GUNNER's affiliate program (e.g., via Impact), including partner recruitment, commission structures, and performance tracking
• Identify and cultivate new affiliate and partnership opportunities to expand reach
• Monitor affiliate performance and troubleshoot tracking/attribution issues

- Reporting & Analysis

• Build and maintain regular reporting on paid media and affiliate performance across channels
• Track CAC:LTV ratio, cost per new-to-file (CPNTF), and prospect-to-customer conversion rate to measure the quality, not just the volume, of new customers acquired
• Feed acquisition and lead-quality data to Product and Creative teams to inform product pathing and roadmap decisions
• Translate performance data into clear takeaways and recommendations for leadership
• Partner with Ecommerce/Ops to ensure accurate attribution and tracking (pixels, UTMs, etc.)

- Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with the Creative team to brief and test new ad concepts
• Coordinate with Ecommerce on promotions, product launches, and inventory-driven campaign timing
• Support the transition of paid media management from our agency partner to in-house, documenting processes and best practices along the way

The Ideal Candidate

• Is genuinely excited by numbers and finds satisfaction in optimizing a campaign until it performs
• Thinks beyond last-click ROAS and cares about the long-term value and quality of the customers we acquire, not just the volume
• Is curious and proactive: digs into "why" a metric moved rather than just reporting that it did
• Thrives in a fast-paced, resource-lean startup environment and is comfortable wearing multiple hats
• Is comfortable with ambiguity and enjoys building processes rather than just following them
• Communicates clearly, in writing and verbally, and can present data to non-marketing audiences
• Is coachable and eager to grow into a bigger scope as the paid program matures
• Loves dogs (bonus if you bring them to work!)

Required Qualifications

• 2-4 years of hands-on experience managing paid social (Meta/TikTok) and paid search (Google Ads) campaigns, ideally for a DTC/ecommerce brand
• Working knowledge of Meta Ads Manager, Google Ads, and Shopify; familiarity with TikTok Ads and an affiliate platform (e.g., Impact) is a strong plus
• Bachelor’s Degree in Business/Marketing or a related field — OR equivalent practical experience
• Experience building or running lead generation campaigns (landing pages, lead ads, gated offers, giveaways) is a strong plus
• Comfortable working with performance data in spreadsheets/dashboards to inform decisions
• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills to manage multiple campaigns and channels at once
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Available to work on-site in Nashville, 5 days/week

Departments & Supervisor

This role will report directly to our Chief Executive Officer with reporting lines to be revisited as the Marketing organization is built.

Location

On-site at GUNNER® HQ in Nashville, TN.

Compensation

• Competitive annual salary based on experience
• Performance-based bonus tied to company and individual performance
• Standard benefits package (health insurance, PTO, 401(k))
• Work with a fun, mission-driven team and dog-friendly office
• Opportunity for growth as GUNNER® continues to scale

GUNNER® Core Values

• Overcomes obstacles: is resilient, takes initiative, and solves problems
• Exceeds expectations: goes above and beyond the call of duty
• Is authentic: true to themself and brings their best selves everyday
• Is a team player: willing to help others and put the team before self
• Is customer obsessed: puts the customer at the center of every decision

References

• Resume
• 3 Professional References (requested later in process)