Associate Director, YouTube & CTV Paid Acquisition
Marketing & Communications
Remote
USD 145k-165k / year + Equity
ABOUT THRIVE MARKET
THE ROLE
Thrive Market is on a mission to make healthy and sustainable living easy and affordable for everyone. As we enter our next phase of growth, YouTube and Connected TV are becoming increasingly important acquisition channels for introducing new audiences to Thrive Market and driving measurable member growth.
We’re hiring an Associate Director, YouTube & CTV Acquisition to lead the strategy, execution, and continued growth of our video acquisition program. This person will own YouTube and CTV across media planning, audience strategy, budget allocation, agency management, creative testing, measurement, and optimization.
The ideal candidate combines deep, hands-on YouTube expertise with a strong understanding of the CTV ecosystem. They know how to connect upper-funnel video investment to downstream acquisition results, build rigorous testing programs, and translate performance data into clear decisions. This role reports to the Senior Director of Member Growth.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Own the end-to-end acquisition strategy for YouTube and CTV, including channel planning, audience segmentation, budget allocation, buying approach, testing, and performance optimization.
- Lead the hands-on management and optimization of YouTube campaigns through Google Ads strategies, including Demand Gen, Video Reach, Video View, Ad Formats (In-Stream, YouTube Select, and YouTube Shorts) and ad types.
- Develop and manage direct and programmatic CTV campaigns across platforms such as Hulu, Peacock, Paramount+, Amazon, Disney+, Roku, and other streaming partners.
- Deep understanding of the CTV/OTT landscape with experience in a variety of audience targeting and buying methods like direct buys with publishers, PMPs, and partnering with DSPs (The Trade Desk, DV360, Amazon, Roku), to define the right CTV media mix that drives profitable growth.
- Build an integrated video strategy across YouTube and CTV, managing audience overlap, reach, frequency, sequencing, and channel roles throughout the customer journey.
- Serve as the day-to-day lead for Thrive Market’s agency partner or partners, setting clear expectations and holding them accountable for strategy, execution, reporting, testing, and performance.
- Own multi-million-dollar media budgets, including forecasting, allocation, pacing, bidding, and optimization against acquisition and business goals such as CAC, CPA, ROAS, conversion rate, and incremental member growth.
- Develop a structured creative testing roadmap across video formats, including concepts, messaging, offers, hooks, lengths, calls to action, and aspect ratios.
- Partner closely with Creative to write actionable briefs, evaluate performance, identify learnings, and ensure a consistent pipeline of new video assets.
- Establish measurement frameworks that connect YouTube and CTV investment to downstream member acquisition, including incrementality testing, geo-lift and holdout studies, brand lift studies, MMM, MTA, and view-through attribution.
- Partner with Data and Analytics to strengthen attribution, reporting, audience activation, platform signals, and measurement consistency across channels.
- Maintain clear account structures, naming conventions, UTM standards, testing documentation, change logs, pacing updates, and recurring performance reporting.
- Evaluate emerging video opportunities such as YouTube Shorts, shoppable video, creator-led advertising, addressable TV, and new streaming inventory.
- Support expansion into adjacent channels, including programmatic video and paid streaming audio, when they complement the broader acquisition strategy.
- Serve as Thrive Market’s internal subject matter expert on YouTube and CTV, helping stakeholders understand channel performance, measurement considerations, creative needs, and investment trade-offs.
QUALIFICATIONS
- 7+ years of experience in performance, growth, or acquisition marketing, with deep expertise across YouTube and Connected TV.
- Significant hands-on experience building, managing, and optimizing YouTube campaigns through Google Ads.
- Strong knowledge of YouTube campaign types and inventory, including Demand Gen, Video Reach, Video View, YouTube Select, and YouTube Shorts.
- Proven experience developing and scaling CTV strategies across direct publisher relationships and programmatic buying platforms.
- Familiarity with major CTV and programmatic platforms, including The Trade Desk, DV360, Amazon DSP, private marketplaces, and direct streaming partnerships.
- Track record of managing multi-million-dollar video budgets and delivering measurable acquisition or revenue outcomes.
- Strong understanding of how YouTube and CTV contribute across the customer journey, from awareness and consideration through conversion and member acquisition.
- Experience designing and evaluating incrementality tests, geo-lift or holdout studies, brand lift studies, MMM, MTA, and view-through attribution.
- Demonstrated ability to lead creative testing programs, write effective briefs, interpret creative performance, and provide actionable feedback.
- Experience managing media agencies and holding external partners accountable to strategic and performance goals.
- Strong analytical skills and proficiency with platforms such as Google Analytics, Amplitude, Looker, or similar tools.
- Experience in a subscription, e-commerce, direct-to-consumer, or consumer marketplace business; experience in health, grocery, or wellness is a plus.
- Experience with programmatic video or paid streaming audio is a plus but not required.
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent relevant experience.
- Clear, influential communicator who is comfortable operating in ambiguity and continuously improving performance through testing and iteration.
BELONG TO A BETTER COMPANY
- Comprehensive health benefits (medical, dental, vision, life and disability)
- Competitive salary (DOE) + equity
- 401k plan
- 9 Observed Holidays
- Flexible Paid Time Off
- Subsidized ClassPass Membership with access to fitness classes and wellness and beauty experiences
- Ability to work in our beautiful office in Playa Vista
- Free Thrive Market membership with exclusive employee discount
- Coverage for Life Coaching & Therapy Sessions on our holistic mental health and well-being platform
© Thrive Market 2026 All rights reserved.
- Compensation may vary depending on several factors, including a candidate’s qualifications, skills, competencies and experience, and geographic location.
- Total Compensation includes Base Salary, Stock Options, Health & Wellness Benefits, Flexible PTO, and more!
- This position requires traveling to our HQ office in Los Angeles, California, twice a year for all-company summits; once in the summer and once in the winter.
