Lead SEM Manager (Remote, United States)

Introduction:

The Zebra is revolutionizing how consumers research and shop for insurance. We intentionally strive to build diverse teams that feel inclusive for all. Our motto is "All Stripes Welcome," and we put that into practice by valuing both traditional and non-conventional backgrounds and perspectives. Our Zeebs are passionate about learning, growing, & working together to tackle exciting problems.

The Growth Marketing team's vision is to drive sustainable, scalable customer acquisition by combining data-driven experimentation, compelling storytelling, and cross-functional collaboration to unlock long-term business growth. 

We’re looking for a Lead SEM Manager  to join our Growth Marketing team. Reporting to our Director of SEM, you’ll own and scale high-impact search engine marketing campaigns that fuel business growth. You’ll play a critical role in developing and executing data-driven paid search strategies across Google and Bing, continuously optimizing performance and uncovering new growth opportunities.

Location:

Our employees can choose to work remotely in the U.S. Join us in our Austin, Texas office, or opt for a hybrid setup. Whether you prefer the structure of an office, the convenience of remote work, or a mix of both, we support what works best for you!

Please note - At this time we are not able to hire in California, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and New York. 

What You'll Do:

• Scale and optimize paid search programs across Google and Bing, ensuring campaign performance aligns with business goals.

• Design and execute experiments to improve efficiency, reduce CAC, and drive high-intent traffic.

• Analyze performance across the full funnel, from click to conversion to revenue, using robust attribution frameworks.

• Collaborate with analytics and engineering teams to ensure accurate tracking, clean data pipelines, and actionable reporting.

• Work with creative partners to craft compelling ad copy and visual assets that convert.

• Surface insights and trends from campaign data and broader market signals to inform strategy and share learnings across the growth team.

• Continuously innovate, testing new tools, platforms, and tactics to evolve our SEM playbook.

What We're Looking For: 

As we evaluate candidates across all roles, we look for folks with a strong sense of ownership, excellent communication and collaboration skills, and a dedication to continuous improvement.

• 7+ years in performance marketing, with deep expertise in SEM and CRO across Google Ads and Bing in high-growth environments.

• Strategic and hands-on, with proven success in keyword strategy, ad testing, audience targeting, and bid optimization.

• Highly analytical, with strong Excel skills and experience in Looker, Tableau, Google Analytics, and building actionable reports.

• Collaborative and communicative, able to align cross-functional teams and clearly translate data into insights.

• Experimentation-driven, with a customer-first mindset and emerging experience using AI tools for data analysis and decision-making.

Experience that will Impress the Heck out of Us:

• Certifications / Skills

  • Google Analytics

  • Google Ads

  • Google Tag Manager

  • SQL

• Experiences:

  • AI prompts for data analysis and video/image generation

  • People or agency management

  • Landing page and display ad design

  • Finance or insurance industry

Interview Process:

• Recruiter Screen (30 min): Introductory conversation to assess fit, interest, relevant experience, and logistics.

• Hiring Manager Interview (30 min): Deep dive into SEM strategy, campaign ownership, cross-functional collaboration, and growth mindset.

• Excel Exercise (45-60 min): Real-time working session testing pivot tables, calculated fields, number formatting, and data sorting; followed by Q/A.

• Final Panel Interview (75 min): Competency-based interviews with cross-functional team members focused on collaboration, communication, analytical thinking, and culture add.

Benefits & Perks:

Inclusive and healthy environments are crafted intentionally. All of our employees can join and participate in (or create your own!) Employee Resource Groups. Here are some other wonderful perks of working here:

• Competitive Compensation & Stock Option Offering

• Health, Dental, Vision & Disability Coverages

• End early Fridays (wrap up work at 2pm CST on Fridays!)

• Sabbatical program for tenured employees

• HSA offering + employer contribution

• Fertility support through Carrot 

• $100 monthly wellness perk

• $300 pet reimbursement program

• 401k with match

• Unlimited PTO (paid time off)+ flexibility to enjoy it

• Paid Parental Leave Program

• Learning & Development Opportunities

• Join a team that truly lives their values (outside of the office. Cliche, we know… but we really mean it)

The base salary range for this position is $105,000-$125,000 per year. The final salary amount will be determined based on a variety of factors, including experience, skills, internal equity, and insights gained throughout the interview process.

About The Zebra:

The Zebra is the nation’s leading, independent insurance comparison site. With our dynamic, real-time quote comparison tool, consumers can identify insurance companies with the coverage, service level, and pricing to suit their unique needs. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, The Zebra has sought to bring transparency and simplicity to insurance shopping since 2012 -- it's “insurance in black and white.”

We've garnered the attention and investment of some of the nation’s top venture capitalists. Check out all of our awards & recognition!

Our core mantra is "All Stripes Welcome." As part of our dedication to maintaining an inclusive and diverse workforce, we provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform core job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation!