Lead User Acquisition Manager

About this role

DAVE VS. GOLIATH. WE’RE DAVE.

Dave is a financial app on a mission to build products that level the financial playing field. It is redefining the financial landscape by leveraging technology to create an affordable, transparent, and user-centric access to liquidity for millions of Americans. As a leading innovator in the U.S. financial services sector, Dave’s digital financial platform offers products designed to meet the credit needs of those underserved by traditional financial institutions. Dave’s offerings include its flagship ExtraCash product, providing members up to $500 within minutes. The company is on track to launch several new product offerings in 2026, including a Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) option.

Dave is focused on serving Americans who are financially vulnerable or living paycheck to paycheck. Dave is leading the charge in creating a new era of credit products that prioritizes speed, affordability, and accessibility, making it the go-to financial partner for those who need it most.

We're looking for a Lead User Acquisition Manager to spearhead paid media strategy and drive user acquisition across our new product ecosystem. You'll own the UA playbook from strategy to execution specifically for our new product launches.

THE OPPORTUNITY:

You'll own paid media and channel strategy for new product launches plus ongoing management, with focus on scalable campaign infrastructure, creative excellence, and driving efficient customer acquisition. You'll work closely with Product, Finance, Analytics, Marketing, and Martech Engineering to align UA strategy with our product roadmap and identify how product improvements unlock better acquisition metrics. This role is ideal for someone who thrives building strategies from scratch in high ambiguity environments.

WHAT YOU BUILD & OWN:

- Build Paid Media/Channel Strategy — own the end-to-end UA approach for each new product launch. Determine which channels to test first, define audience targeting and segmentation, set realistic performance goals, and build a repeatable playbook that scales across multiple products. You'll go from zero to proven strategy in weeks, not months.

- Channel Evaluation and Testing — Assess and test potential paid channels (Meta, TikTok, Google, Apple Search, affiliates, programmatic, emerging channels) for each product. Conduct upfront research on competitive bidding, expected CPMs/CPCs, and channel-specific dynamics. Own the decision on which channels to prioritize and scale, backed by testing data and unit economics.

- Growth Forecasting & Budget Allocation — Partner with Finance and Product to establish user acquisition targets and growth forecasts for each product launch. Set realistic projections, allocate budget across channels, and own monitoring performance against goals. You'll translate business growth ambitions into achievable acquisition strategies. Drive deep understanding of CAC, LTV, CPMs, CPCs, and profitability for each product and channel combination. Identify optimization opportunities and scale levers. Own the ongoing work to protect unit economics while growing, ensuring acquisition remains profitable as Dave expands

- Campaign Optimization & Scaling — Partner with teams on day-to-day campaign management, optimization, and performance improvement. Scale winning channels aggressively while cutting underperformers. Lead the continuous testing and iteration that improves acquisition efficiency over time.

- Creative Testing Framework & Content Strategy — Develop and manage a testing framework for creative themes, ad formats, copy angles, and messaging. Own the ads portfolio and what resonates with target personas. Work with research teams and competitive benchmarking to inform creative strategy and stay ahead of market trends.

- Martech Setup — Work with Martech, Engineering, Product, and Analytics to establish the foundations for scaled paid acquisition. Define event tracking and deeplink requirements, establish campaign structure and audience taxonomy, set baseline metrics and dashboards, and own the pre-launch checklist. You'll ensure technical readiness so acquisition can scale from day one.

THE IMPACT:

Your work directly impacts Dave's ability to scale new revenue streams and reach millions more financially vulnerable Americans who need accessible financial products. By building efficient, sustainable customer acquisition engines for our 2026 and onward product launches, you'll drive company growth and expansion into new markets while maintaining profitability.

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR:

- 8-10+ years of paid media, user acquisition, performance marketing, or growth marketing experience, with demonstrated success building strategies from scratch for new products and market entries.

- Track record of successful new product launches using paid acquisition — you should have concrete examples of products you've launched and the results you achieved.

- Deep knowledge of paid media channels (Facebook, TikTok, Google, Apple Search as examples) including how they work, bidding mechanics, and optimization best practices.

- Strong analytical skills — You understand CAC, LTV, ROI, and unit economics deeply. You're comfortable with data, can spot trends, and make optimization decisions based on performance data.

- Campaign management and optimization experience — You've managed budgets, monitored performance, and scaled winning campaigns while cutting underperformers.

- Comfort with ambiguity and strategic thinking — You thrive when you need to build strategies that don't yet exist. You're not looking for a playbook; you're writing it.

- Excellent communication skills — You can articulate strategy clearly to leadership, collaborate across teams, and translate data into actionable insights

- Hands on mindset — You're willing to wear multiple hats and jump into tactical work when needed. You're not looking for a role where you only manage; you execute too.

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