Senior Performance Marketing Manager

📌 Core Information

🔹 Job Title: Senior Performance Marketing Manager

🔹 Company: Tailscale

🔹 Location: Remote (United States)

🔹 Job Type: Full-time

🔹 Category: Marketing

🔹 Date Posted: June 30, 2025

🔹 Experience Level: 4-7+ years

🔹 Remote Status: Remote OK

🚀 Job Overview

Key aspects of this role include:

• Owning and scaling Tailscale's paid marketing channels
• Managing and optimizing campaigns across digital and physical channels
• Driving traffic, activations, subscriptions, and sales pipeline
• Collaborating cross-functionally to amplify Tailscale's broader GTM strategy

ASSUMPTION: This role requires a strong understanding of B2B performance marketing, advertising tech, and a deep curiosity about Tailscale's target audiences.

📋 Key Responsibilities

✅ Own and operate Tailscale's paid marketing program end-to-end, including strategy, execution, measurement, and optimization

✅ Manage spend and campaigns across Google Ads, Bing, YouTube, LinkedIn, Reddit, newsletters, podcasts, billboards, and other growth channels

✅ Develop and execute an experimentation roadmap across performance and brand campaigns

✅ Define and track key metrics (CAC, payback, activation rate, ROAS, LTV:CAC, etc.) in partnership with growth, sales, data, and finance

✅ Write creative briefs and partner with brand and content teams to develop compelling ad creative

✅ Analyze campaign performance and share insights and recommendations across the team

✅ Support major campaign motions including product launches, competitor takeouts, and account-based marketing (ABM) initiatives

✅ Stay current on ad platform changes, best practices, and SaaS benchmarks

ASSUMPTION: This role involves a high level of autonomy and requires strong project management skills to balance multiple campaigns and initiatives.

🎯 Required Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business, or a related field (or equivalent experience)

Experience: 4-7+ years of experience in B2B performance marketing, preferably at a high-growth SaaS company

Required Skills:

• Proven track record of scaling and optimizing paid programs across multiple channels
• Strong analytical mindset with comfort using tools like Looker, Google Analytics, and Excel/Sheets
• Clear communicator and strategic thinker with the ability to drive cross-functional alignment
• Program manager who thinks in systems, templates, and repeatable playbooks
• Outcome-orientation and a desire to build the best performance marketing program in the industry
• Relentless curiosity about Tailscale's target audiences, users, and the company itself
• Comfort with ambiguity and a willingness to experiment and iterate quickly

Preferred Skills:

• Experience using developer tools, infrastructure, networking, or security startups
• Desire to become a people manager

ASSUMPTION: While a degree is preferred, relevant experience and a strong portfolio can also be considered.

💰 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $131,000 - $164,000 USD per year

Benefits:

• Comprehensive group benefits with no waiting period
• Remote first company with a change of scenery allowance
• Support for personal and professional development ($1500 USD annually)
• Paid time off and a healthy work-life integration
• Build-your-own home office setup (company-owned laptop, monthly internet reimbursement, and $1000 USD for customization)
• Generous parental leave program from the first day

Working Hours: Full-time (40 hours per week, flexible schedule)

ASSUMPTION: The salary range provided is based on industry standards for similar roles and experience levels in the United States.

📌 Applicant Insights

🔍 Company Context

Industry: Software Development, specifically focused on secure networking and privacy solutions

Company Size: 51-200 employees (as of 2025)

Founded: 2019

Company Description:

• Tailscale simplifies secure networking for teams of any scale
• Offers a simple, secure, and easy-to-use alternative to traditional corporate VPNs
• Built on WireGuard, an open-source secure network protocol

Company Specialties:

• Security
• Privacy
• Log Processing
• Connectivity
• Remote Access
• 2FA/MFA
• WireGuard
• Computer Networking
• Computer Networks
• VPN
• and SASE

Company Website: https://tailscale.com

ASSUMPTION: Tailscale is a well-funded, high-growth startup with a strong focus on innovation and customer success.

📊 Role Analysis

Career Level: Senior Individual Contributor (with potential for team lead growth)

Reporting Structure: This role reports directly to the Head of Marketing

Work Arrangement: Remote OK, with a flexible schedule and change of scenery allowance

Growth Opportunities:

• Potential to grow into a team lead role as the team scales
• Opportunities to work on high-impact campaigns and initiatives
• Chance to learn and grow within a fast-paced, innovative company

ASSUMPTION: This role offers significant growth potential for the right candidate, with opportunities to make a significant impact on Tailscale's marketing efforts.

🌍 Location & Work Environment

Office Type: Remote first, with corporate co-working space access (WeWork or similar)

Office Location(s): Toronto, Ontario, Canada and Berkeley, CA, USA

Geographic Context:

• Tailscale has a global user base and operates remotely, allowing for a diverse and distributed team
• The company has offices in Toronto and Berkeley, but employees are encouraged to work from anywhere with a reliable internet connection
• Tailscale hosts annual company retreats and team off-sites to facilitate in-person collaboration and team-building

Work Schedule: Full-time (40 hours per week), with a flexible schedule and the ability to work from anywhere

ASSUMPTION: Tailscale's remote-first work environment offers employees the flexibility to balance work and life responsibilities while collaborating with a global team.

💼 Interview & Application Insights

Typical Process:

• Phone or video screen with the hiring manager
• Technical assessment or case study
• Final interview with the marketing leadership team
• Offer and onboarding

Key Assessment Areas:

• Performance marketing expertise and strategy
• Analytical skills and data-driven decision-making
• Communication and collaboration skills
• Cultural fit and alignment with Tailscale's values

Application Tips:

• Highlight relevant experience and achievements in performance marketing
• Include a well-structured resume that emphasizes skills and accomplishments
• Tailor your cover letter to demonstrate your understanding of Tailscale's mission and values
• Prepare for behavioral and situational interview questions that focus on your problem-solving skills and marketing strategy

ATS Keywords: Performance Marketing, SEM, Paid Social, Out-of-Home Advertising, Sponsorships, Analytical Skills, Campaign Management, Creative Brief Writing, Cross-Functional Collaboration, Experimentation, B2B Marketing, Advertising Technology, Data Analysis, Communication Skills, Program Management, Curiosity

ASSUMPTION: Tailscale's interview process is designed to assess the candidate's skills, cultural fit, and strategic thinking, with a focus on real-world problem-solving and collaboration.

🛠️ Tools & Technologies

• Google Ads
• Bing Ads
• YouTube Ads
• LinkedIn Ads
• Reddit Ads
• Newsletter platforms (e.g., Mailchimp, HubSpot)
• Podcast platforms (e.g., Libsyn, Buzzsprout)
• Out-of-home advertising platforms (e.g., AdQuick, Billboards in a Box)
• Sponsorship platforms (e.g., Grapevine Village, Eventbrite)
• Analytics tools (e.g., Looker, Google Analytics, Excel/Sheets)

ASSUMPTION: The specific tools and technologies used may evolve over time as Tailscale's marketing strategy and channels grow and change.

👔 Cultural Fit Considerations

Company Values:

• Simple
• Secure
• Private
• Easy to use
• Innovative
• Customer-focused

Work Style:

• Remote and flexible
• Collaborative and cross-functional
• Data-driven and analytical
• Experimentation and iteration
• Customer-centric

Self-Assessment Questions:

• Do you align with Tailscale's core values of simplicity, security, and privacy?
• Are you comfortable working remotely and collaborating with a global team?
• Do you thrive in a data-driven, experimental work environment?
• Are you passionate about Tailscale's mission to make secure networking easy and accessible?

ASSUMPTION: Tailscale's culture values simplicity, security, privacy, and ease of use, with a strong focus on innovation and customer success.

⚠️ Potential Challenges

• Managing a high volume of campaigns and channels simultaneously
• Balancing strategic thinking with day-to-day campaign management
• Keeping up with the fast-paced, ever-changing landscape of digital advertising
• Collaborating effectively with a remote, global team

ASSUMPTION: These challenges can be mitigated with strong project management skills, a clear understanding of Tailscale's marketing strategy, and a willingness to adapt and learn.

📈 Similar Roles Comparison

• Unlike traditional corporate VPNs, Tailscale offers a simple, secure, and easy-to-use alternative for teams of any scale
• Tailscale's target audience is primarily technical users and teams, with a focus on developer tools, infrastructure, networking, and security startups
• Career growth opportunities at Tailscale may differ from more established enterprise marketing roles, with a greater emphasis on innovation and experimentation

ASSUMPTION: Tailscale's unique value proposition and target audience set it apart from traditional enterprise marketing roles, offering a unique opportunity for growth and impact.

📝 Sample Projects

• Developing and executing a multi-channel campaign to drive user activations during a major product launch
• Analyzing campaign performance data to optimize spend and improve ROAS across multiple channels
• Collaborating with the content team to create compelling ad creative that resonates with Tailscale's target audience

ASSUMPTION: These sample projects illustrate the breadth and depth of responsibilities for the Senior Performance Marketing Manager role at Tailscale.

❓ Key Questions to Ask During Interview

• Can you describe the current state of Tailscale's paid marketing channels and any upcoming changes or initiatives?
• How does Tailscale approach cross-functional collaboration, and what are the key stakeholders for this role?
• What are the most significant challenges facing Tailscale's marketing efforts, and how can this role address them?
• How does Tailscale support the growth and development of its marketing team members?
• What are the key performance indicators (KPIs) for this role, and how will success be measured?

ASSUMPTION: These key questions help applicants understand the role's context, expectations, and opportunities for growth and impact.

📌 Next Steps for Applicants

To apply for this position:

• Submit your application through this link
• Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your relevant experience and skills for this role
• Prepare for behavioral and situational interview questions that focus on your problem-solving skills and marketing strategy
• Follow up with the hiring team one week after submitting your application to express your interest and reiterate your qualifications
• If selected for an interview, be prepared to discuss your approach to performance marketing, data-driven decision-making, and collaboration

⚠️ This job description contains AI-assisted information. Details should be verified directly with the employer before making decisions.