📌 Core Information
🔹 Job Title: Director of Growth, Konnect
🔹 Company: Kong
🔹 Location: United States (Remote)
🔹 Job Type: Full-time
🔹 Category: Software Development
🔹 Date Posted: July 3, 2025
🔹 Experience Level: 5-10 years
🔹 Remote Status: Remote (US only)
🚀 Job Overview
Key aspects of this role include:
- Driving activation and conversion improvements across the Konnect platform
- Owning and scaling the self-serve assist motion to support users through friction points
- Partnering closely with Product, Design, and Product Analytics to improve user journeys
- Leading a team of two initially, with plans to grow as the team scales
- Reporting to the VP of Product Growth and contributing to the company's PLG strategy
ASSUMPTION: This role requires a balance of strategic thinking and hands-on execution, with a focus on driving measurable results through user funnel optimization and growth experimentation.
📋 Key Responsibilities
✅ Own and scale the in-product chat experience to help users when they get stuck in their self-serve journey
✅ Improve the user journey from signup to conversion and expansion by partnering with cross-functional teams
✅ Lead the roadmap for A/B testing and experiments, including pricing and packaging tests, onboarding improvements, and friction reduction
✅ Collaborate with Sales, Support, and Customer Success to ensure a smooth handoff from self-serve to sales-assisted motions
✅ Lead weekly and monthly business reviews to drive accountability and share insights across the organization
ASSUMPTION: This role requires strong analytical skills, a data-driven mindset, and the ability to work effectively with various teams to achieve growth goals.
🎯 Required Qualifications
Education: Bachelor's degree in a relevant field (e.g., Business, Marketing, or a related discipline)
Experience: 7+ years in growth or product roles, with at least 3 years of experience managing and developing high-performing teams
Required Skills:
- Proven track record of owning key stages of the user funnel and driving measurable results
- Confidence in owning metrics, running A/B tests, and working cross-functionally with various teams
- Ability to understand developer user journeys, API integration challenges, and speak credibly about technical product features with engineering teams
- Thrive in fast-paced, high-autonomy environments
Preferred Skills:
- Experience with API products, developer tools, or B2B infrastructure
ASSUMPTION: Candidates with experience in API-focused products or developer tools may have a competitive advantage in this role.
💰 Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: $207,690 - $269,960 per year (US only, based on location)
Benefits:
- Healthcare Benefits
- 401(k) Plan
- Short and Long Term Disability Benefits
- Basic Life and AD&D Insurance
Working Hours: Full-time (40 hours/week)
ASSUMPTION: The salary range provided is based on the company's disclosed range and industry standards for similar roles. Benefits may vary depending on the employee's location.
📌 Applicant Insights
🔍 Company Context
Industry: Kong operates in the Software Development industry, focusing on API management and cloud services. The API economy is growing rapidly, with APIs acting as the nervous system of the cloud.
Company Size: Kong is a mid-sized company with 501-1,000 employees, providing a balance between a startup-like environment and the resources of a larger organization.
Founded: Kong was founded in 2017 and has since grown to become a leading API gateway provider, with over 300 million downloads.
Company Description:
- Kong enables any company to become an API-first company by providing a unified cloud native API platform
- The platform is easy to use and works in any environment, unleashing developer productivity, automating security, and boosting performance of APIs and microservices at scale
- Kong's mission is to build the nervous system that will safely and reliably connect all of humankind
Company Specialties:
- API management
- Cloud services
- Big data
- Cloud computing
- API analytics
- API docs
- Microservice architecture
- API development
- Developer platform
- API innovation
- Hybrid cloud
- Professional services
- Plugins
- API infrastructure
- Security
- Monolith to microservices migration
- Observability
- Service mesh
- Insomnia
- Kong
- Kuma
- GitHub
- Gateway
- API gateway
- And cloud security
Company Website: konghq.com
ASSUMPTION: Kong's focus on APIs and cloud services makes it an attractive employer for candidates interested in cutting-edge technology and developer tools.
📊 Role Analysis
Career Level: This role is at the senior management level, reporting directly to the VP of Product Growth and overseeing a team of two initially, with plans to grow.
Reporting Structure: The Director of Growth, Konnect will report to the VP of Product Growth and collaborate with various teams, including Product, Design, Product Analytics, Sales, Support, and Customer Success.
Work Arrangement: This role is remote solely, with a focus on US-based candidates. The work arrangement is full-time, with a typical workweek of 40 hours.
Growth Opportunities:
- As the team grows, there will be opportunities for the Director of Growth, Konnect to mentor and manage additional team members
- With success in this role, there may be opportunities to take on broader responsibilities within the company's PLG strategy
- Kong's rapid growth and expansion present numerous career growth opportunities for motivated employees
ASSUMPTION: This role offers significant growth potential, both in terms of team expansion and career progression within the company's PLG strategy.
🌍 Location & Work Environment
Office Type: Remote (no physical office)
Office Location(s): United States (candidates must be eligible for work authorization sponsorship)
Geographic Context:
- The United States has a diverse and vibrant tech industry, with numerous opportunities for growth and innovation
- Working remotely allows for greater flexibility and work-life balance, while still collaborating with a global team
- Kong's remote work environment fosters a culture of inclusivity and diversity
Work Schedule: Full-time (40 hours/week), with flexibility for a results-driven work environment
ASSUMPTION: The remote work environment at Kong offers candidates the opportunity to work from anywhere in the United States, with the flexibility to balance work and personal life.
💼 Interview & Application Insights
Typical Process:
- Online application submission
- Phone or video screen with the hiring manager
- Technical assessment or case study
- Final round interview with key stakeholders
Key Assessment Areas:
- Problem-solving skills and analytical thinking
- Growth strategy and experimentation mindset
- Cross-functional collaboration and communication
- Leadership and team management skills
Application Tips:
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your experience with user funnel optimization, growth experimentation, and team management
- Prepare for behavioral and situational interview questions that focus on your problem-solving skills and leadership style
- Research Kong's products, mission, and company culture to demonstrate your enthusiasm and alignment with the company's values
ATS Keywords: User Funnel, Growth Experimentation, Team Management, API Products, Developer Tools, B2B Infrastructure, A/B Testing, Metrics-Driven, Cross-Functional Collaboration
ASSUMPTION: The interview process at Kong is designed to assess candidates' problem-solving skills, leadership potential, and cultural fit, with a focus on driving growth and innovation.
🛠️ Tools & Technologies
- Kong's API platform and associated tools
- Analytics and data visualization tools (e.g., Tableau, Looker, or similar)
- Project management tools (e.g., Asana, Jira, or similar)
- Communication and collaboration tools (e.g., Slack, Microsoft Teams, or similar)
ASSUMPTION: Candidates should be comfortable working with a variety of tools and technologies, with a focus on data-driven decision-making and collaboration.
👔 Cultural Fit Considerations
Company Values:
- Customer-centric
- Innovative
- Collaborative
- Results-driven
- Inclusive
Work Style:
- Fast-paced and high-autonomy environment
- Data-driven and metrics-focused
- Cross-functional collaboration and communication
- Results-oriented and actionable
Self-Assessment Questions:
- Do you thrive in fast-paced, high-autonomy environments?
- Are you comfortable working with data and driving results through experimentation?
- Do you enjoy collaborating with cross-functional teams to achieve common goals?
ASSUMPTION: Kong values candidates who are innovative, collaborative, and results-driven, with a strong focus on customer-centricity and inclusivity.
⚠️ Potential Challenges
- Balancing strategic thinking with hands-on execution in a fast-paced environment
- Working with a diverse set of stakeholders to drive consensus and alignment
- Managing a team remotely, with a focus on US-based candidates
- Adapting to the unique challenges and opportunities of the API-focused product landscape
ASSUMPTION: The Director of Growth, Konnect role presents unique challenges and opportunities, requiring candidates to be adaptable, innovative, and results-driven.
📈 Similar Roles Comparison
- Unlike traditional marketing roles, this role focuses on driving growth through user funnel optimization and experimentation, rather than brand awareness or customer acquisition
- API-focused products present unique challenges and opportunities, requiring candidates to have a strong understanding of developer user journeys and API integration challenges
- This role offers significant growth potential, both in terms of team expansion and career progression within the company's PLG strategy
ASSUMPTION: The Director of Growth, Konnect role is unique in its focus on API-focused products and user funnel optimization, presenting candidates with a challenging and rewarding growth opportunity.
📝 Sample Projects
- Developing and implementing a self-serve assist motion strategy to improve user activation and conversion
- Conducting A/B tests to optimize pricing and packaging, onboarding, and friction reduction
- Collaborating with cross-functional teams to improve the user journey from signup to conversion and expansion
ASSUMPTION: The Director of Growth, Konnect role offers candidates the opportunity to work on high-impact projects that drive measurable results and contribute to the company's PLG strategy.
❓ Key Questions to Ask During Interview
- Can you describe the team structure and how this role fits into the broader PLG strategy?
- How does Kong support the professional development and growth of its employees?
- What are the key priorities for this role in the first 30, 60, and 90 days?
- How does Kong approach cross-functional collaboration and decision-making?
- What are the most significant challenges facing the Konnect platform, and how can this role address them?
ASSUMPTION: Asking thoughtful and insightful questions during the interview process demonstrates a candidate's interest in the role and their ability to contribute to the company's success.
📌 Next Steps for Applicants
To apply for this position:
- Submit your application through the provided link
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your experience with user funnel optimization, growth experimentation, and team management
- Prepare for behavioral and situational interview questions that focus on your problem-solving skills and leadership style
- Research Kong's products, mission, and company culture to demonstrate your enthusiasm and alignment with the company's values
- Follow up with the hiring manager one week after submitting your application to express your interest in the role
⚠️ This job description contains AI-assisted information. Details should be verified directly with the employer before making decisions.
