Growth Marketing Manager, Performance - Korea
Speak📌 Core Information
🔹 Job Title: Growth Marketing Manager, Performance - Korea
🔹 Company: Speak
🔹 Location: Seoul, South Korea
🔹 Job Type: Full-time
🔹 Category: 🚀 Growth Marketing
📌 Essential Job Details
🚀 Job Overview
As the Growth Marketing Manager for Performance in Korea, you'll lead Speak's paid acquisition strategy for the Korean market. You'll be responsible for executing and optimizing marketing campaigns across multiple channels, with a direct impact on a significant portion of Speak's marketing budget. Your work will drive user growth for Speak's AI-powered language learning app, which has already become the top-grossing education app in South Korea.
ASSUMPTION: This is a full-time position based on the comprehensive responsibilities described and the company's growth stage. The role appears to be senior-level given the budget responsibility and strategic importance to the company's Korean market operations.
📋 Key Responsibilities
✅ Lead execution of paid media campaigns across multiple channels, maximizing lifetime value (LTV)
✅ Collaborate with marketing designers to produce and test high volumes of creative assets
✅ Systematically test and refine campaigns through audience segmentation, ad placements, and retargeting
✅ Analyze performance data daily to make real-time campaign adjustments
✅ Identify, test, and manage new growth channels to drive user acquisition
✅ Ensure campaigns consistently meet LTV and efficiency targets
✅ Optimize creative assets and landing pages for maximum conversion rates
🎯 Required Qualifications
Education: Not specified
Experience: 5+ years managing and optimizing paid user acquisition channels
Skills:
- Hands-on media buying, ad placement, and real-time bidding expertise
- Proficiency with both in-app and web-based campaigns
- Strong marketing analytics and A/B testing skills
- Ability to partner with creative teams to produce high-converting assets
- Fluency in business English
- Clear communication skills with international stakeholders
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience running both app and web campaigns
- Experience with channels beyond Meta and Google
- Experience managing large-scale campaigns (over 1 billion KRW/~1 million USD)
ASSUMPTION: While no specific education requirements are stated, this type of senior marketing role typically requires at least a bachelor's degree in marketing, business, or a related field. Korean language proficiency is likely expected given the market focus, though this isn't explicitly stated.
💰 Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: Not specified
Benefits: Not specified
Industry Comparison: Growth Marketing Managers with performance focus in South Korea typically earn between ₩60-100 million KRW annually depending on experience. At a unicorn-status startup like Speak ($1B valuation), compensation may be competitive with potential equity components.
ASSUMPTION: The salary estimate is based on industry standards for similar roles at well-funded tech companies in Seoul. As a Series C company with unicorn status, Speak likely offers competitive compensation and standard tech company benefits, which may include health insurance, equity/stock options, and paid time off.
📌 Applicant Insights
🔍 Company Context
Industry Position: Speak is a leading AI-powered language learning platform that has achieved top grossing status in the education app category in South Korea. The company has expanded to over 40 countries globally.
Company Size: 90+ team members across global offices
Company Stage: Series C funded with a $1B valuation (as of December 2024), making it a unicorn status startup
Investors: Backed by prestigious investors including Accel, OpenAI, Founders Fund, Y Combinator, Khosla Ventures, Lachy Groom, and Josh Buckley
ASSUMPTION: The company appears to be in a high-growth phase given its recent Series C funding and expansion to 40+ countries. The mention of achieving product-market fit suggests the company is now focusing on scaling operations.
📊 Role Analysis
Career Level: Senior
Reporting Structure: Not specified, but likely reports to a Head of Marketing, CMO, or Growth Director
Team Size/Composition: Not specified, but mentions collaboration with marketing designers
Growth Opportunities: High potential for growth given the company's expansion phase, with possible advancement into director-level roles overseeing multiple markets or broader marketing functions
ASSUMPTION: The career level is inferred based on the 5+ years of experience required and the strategic importance of the role. The reporting structure is assumed based on standard organizational hierarchies in growth-stage startups.
🌍 Location & Work Environment
Office Type: Likely in-office at Speak's Seoul location
Geographic Context: Seoul is a major tech hub in Asia with a vibrant startup ecosystem. The city offers excellent public transportation, diverse food options, and a mix of traditional and modern culture.
Work Schedule: Not specified, likely standard business hours with flexibility common in tech companies
Regional Considerations: South Korea has a strong mobile-first digital culture, with high smartphone penetration and advanced digital advertising ecosystem. English language apps are in high demand due to educational emphasis.
ASSUMPTION: The work environment details are inferred based on Speak having a dedicated Seoul office and the nature of the role requiring close collaboration with designers and other team members. The listing does not explicitly mention remote work options.
💼 Interview & Application Insights
Typical Process: For senior marketing roles at tech startups, the process typically includes:
- Initial screening call with recruiter or hiring manager
- Portfolio/case study review of previous marketing campaigns
- Technical interview focused on performance marketing strategies
- Panel interview with marketing team and cross-functional stakeholders
- Final interview with executive leadership
Key Assessment Areas:
- Track record of optimizing LTV:CAC ratios
- Experience with Korean digital advertising platforms
- Data analysis and campaign optimization skills
- Creative production and testing methodologies
- Cross-cultural communication abilities
Application Tips:
- Quantify previous campaign results (ROAS, CAC, LTV improvements)
- Highlight experience with Korean market or similar East Asian markets
- Demonstrate understanding of language learning or education app user acquisition
- Showcase experience managing large marketing budgets efficiently
ATS Keywords: performance marketing, paid acquisition, LTV:CAC, media buying, user acquisition, growth marketing, A/B testing, campaign optimization, creative testing, Korean market, app marketing
ASSUMPTION: These insights are based on standard practices for similar roles in the tech industry and may vary based on Speak's specific hiring processes.
🛠️ Tools & Technologies
While not explicitly mentioned, this role likely requires proficiency with:
- Ad platforms: Facebook Ads Manager, Google Ads, Apple Search Ads, TikTok Ads
- Korean platforms: Naver, Kakao
- Analytics tools: Google Analytics, AppsFlyer, Amplitude, Mixpanel
- Visualization tools: Tableau, Looker, Data Studio
- A/B testing platforms: Optimizely, VWO
- Campaign management tools: Braze, Iterable, Leanplum
ASSUMPTION: These tools represent standard marketing technology for mobile app growth roles and may not all be used at Speak. The exact tech stack would be confirmed during the interview process.
👔 Cultural Fit Considerations
Company Values: Based on the job description, Speak appears to value:
- Mission-driven work (reinventing language learning)
- Data-informed decision making
- Craft and continuous growth
- Thoughtful, selective team building
- Global perspective and cross-cultural collaboration
Work Style: The role suggests a fast-paced environment with emphasis on testing, iteration, and real-time optimization. Cross-functional collaboration (especially with design teams) appears important.
Self-Assessment:
- Are you comfortable managing significant marketing budgets with direct ROI accountability?
- Can you balance creative marketing with data-driven decision making?
- Are you effective at communicating complex performance data across cultural and language barriers?
- Do you thrive in a high-growth global startup environment?
ASSUMPTION: These cultural elements are inferred from the company's mission statement, growth trajectory, and the described work environment. The actual company culture may have additional dimensions not captured here.
⚠️ Potential Challenges
- Managing large marketing budgets with high performance expectations
- Balancing rapid creative testing with maintaining brand consistency
- Navigating cross-cultural communication between Korean market and global stakeholders
- Adapting to the fast pace of a high-growth startup in expansion mode
- Competing in a crowded language learning app market requiring innovative acquisition strategies
ASSUMPTION: These challenges represent common difficulties in similar roles and companies and are not specific criticisms of Speak's work environment.
📈 Similar Roles Comparison
This Growth Marketing Manager role at Speak differs from similar roles in several ways:
- vs. Growth Marketing Manager at established companies: Likely offers more autonomy, broader channel responsibility, and potential for greater impact, but possibly with fewer established processes
- vs. User Acquisition Manager: More strategic with broader scope beyond just acquiring users, including creative development and potentially retention aspects
- vs. Digital Marketing Manager: More performance and data-focused, with greater emphasis on ROI metrics rather than brand building
- vs. Marketing Manager at non-tech companies: More technical, data-driven, and focused on digital acquisition channels
ASSUMPTION: This comparison is based on standard industry role delineations and may vary depending on specific company structures.
📝 Sample Projects
In this role, you might work on projects such as:
- Designing and implementing a cohort-based LTV analysis framework to optimize channel allocation
- Developing a creative testing framework to rapidly identify high-performing visual and copy elements
- Building a new user acquisition strategy for an emerging Korean social platform
- Creating a retargeting campaign structure to re-engage users at optimal points in their learning journey
- Optimizing app store presence and ASO strategy to improve organic conversion alongside paid efforts
ASSUMPTION: These projects are illustrative examples based on the listed responsibilities and common initiatives for growth marketing roles in mobile app companies.
❓ Key Questions to Ask During Interview
- "What are the current LTV:CAC benchmarks for the Korean market, and how do they compare to other regions?"
- "How do you balance creative experimentation with maintaining brand consistency across markets?"
- "What attribution challenges have you faced with recent iOS privacy changes, and how has Speak adapted?"
- "How does the growth team collaborate with product development to implement insights from user acquisition data?"
- "What are the biggest opportunities and challenges for user growth in the Korean market specifically?"
- "How does Speak's approach to language learning differentiate from competitors in terms of user acquisition strategy?"
ASSUMPTION: These questions are suggested based on common considerations for growth marketing roles and may need adaptation based on specific interview context.
📌 Disclaimer
⚠️ This enhanced job description was AI-generated based on the original job listing. Information has been organized and supplemented with industry-standard insights where details were not provided. All assumptions are explicitly labeled. Applicants should verify all details directly with the employer before making decisions based on this content.
📌 Next Steps for Applicants
- Research Speak thoroughly: Understand their product, language learning approach, and Korean market position
- Prepare your portfolio: Compile case studies of your most successful performance marketing campaigns, with emphasis on metrics like LTV:CAC improvement and creative optimization
- Update your resume: Incorporate key ATS keywords identified above, focusing on quantifiable achievements in user acquisition and performance marketing
- Prepare for performance-focused questions: Be ready to discuss specific examples of how you've optimized campaigns and managed large marketing budgets
- Research Korean digital advertising landscape: Demonstrate understanding of local platforms and user acquisition channels beyond global networks
- Prepare questions: Use the suggested interview questions as a starting point, tailoring them to show your strategic thinking
If you're passionate about language learning technology and have a strong background in performance marketing, this role offers an exciting opportunity to make a significant impact at a well-funded unicorn startup that's already achieved product-market fit in the Korean market.