Manager, Digital Acquisition

Foresters Financial•Toronto, ON

4d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Manager, Digital Acquisition owns the strategy, delivery, and performance of paid digital acquisition programs that generate high-quality leads to support Canadian direct-to-consumer sales. This role is accountable for full-funnel outcomes, including lead volume, quality, conversion performance and efficiency and works closely with Sales, Marketing, IT, Legal, Compliance and external partners to continuously improve results. As the primary lead for digital acquisition programs, the Manager drives data-informed decisions, optimizations and conversion outcomes to support sustained sales growth.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Digital Media, Computer Science or related discipline
Minimum 7 years progressive digital marketing experience across key performance channels such as paid search, display and social with a strong focus on using data and insights to drive measurable business and sales outcomes.
Experience leading full funnel, always-on acquisition programs demonstrating continuous optimization and incremental performance improvements across lead volume, quality, conversion and efficiency
Proven experience partnering closely with Sales teams to improve lead conversions, sales productivity and revenue outcomes, including establishing feedback loops and performance insights across the funnel
Experience working with digital marketing and sales enablement technologies, including CRM, marketing automation and call center platforms (e.g., Salesforce, Amazon Connect, or similar), to support targeted acquisition and effective lead management
Demonstrated success managing agency and vendor relationships, including providing strategic direction, overseeing campaign execution, and holding partners accountable for performance, innovation, and results
Experience making investment and optimization budget recommendations based on performance data, forecasts and business priorities
Strong analytical capability, with hands-on experience in data-driven decision-making, A/B testing, performance reporting, and attribution analysis, and the ability to translate insights into clear recommendations
Proven ability to lead within complex, cross-functional environments without direct authority, influencing senior stakeholders and partners to align on priorities and deliver outcomes
Deep understanding of digital acquisition and performance marketing principles, including full-funnel measurement, optimization, and conversion-focused strategies
Strong knowledge of digital performance metrics, attribution approaches, and media optimization, with the ability to interpret results beyond last-click and explain performance in a business context
Demonstrated business acumen, including strategic thinking, financial and analytical skills
Proven ability to lead through influence in cross-functional, matrixed environments, building alignment among internal teams and external partners
Experience working within regulated or compliance-sensitive environments, with a strong appreciation for governance, privacy, and brand standards
Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to translate complex performance data and technical concepts into clear insights and recommendations for senior leadership
Strong problem-solving skills, with a structured, hypothesis-driven approach to testing, optimization, and continuous improvement

Nice To Haves

Experience in financial services, insurance, or other highly regulated industries.
Hands-on familiarity with digital media platforms and tools (e.g., Google Ads, Meta Business Manager, analytics and testing platforms), sufficient to provide informed strategic direction and challenge agency recommendations
Exposure to cross-channel measurement approaches, including attribution modelling, media mix modelling, or analysis of traditional-to-digital interactions (e.g., DRTV impact on organic and digital leads)
Knowledge of Canadian advertising, privacy, and consent requirements (e.g., CASL, privacy legislation), as they relate to digital marketing and lead generation
Experience contributing to or leading test-and-learn programs that inform creative, channel strategy, or operating model improvements

Responsibilities

Own the end-to-end paid digital acquisition strategy across channels (e.g., search, display, social, email journeys), with full accountability for lead volume, lead quality, cost efficiency, and downstream sales conversion performance across the funnel
Define success metrics, performance targets, and optimization priorities in partnership with Sales and Marketing leadership, ensuring acquisition programs directly support sales targets
Set campaign and messaging strategy for digital acquisition, informed by audience insights, funnel performance, and cross-channel dynamics
Lead the design, evolution, and optimization of the digital acquisition ecosystem, including website experiences for improved conversion, testing frameworks, CRM and marketing automation workflows, and integrations with platforms such as Salesforce and Amazon Connect
Partner closely with Sales to ensure effective lead routing, follow-up, and feedback loops that improve conversion rates and sales productivity
Own troubleshooting across the acquisition funnel, including responding to Sales feedback, diagnosing campaign performance issues and resolving martech-related challenges to ensure continuity, accuracy and efficiency of digital acquisition programs
Lead the development of clear, insight-driven creative briefs for digital acquisition campaigns, translating business objectives, audience insights, performance learnings, and compliance requirements into actionable direction for internal creative teams and agency partners
Collaborate with creative and brand to guide the development, testing, and evolution of ad creative, ensuring messaging, formats, and concepts are optimized for performance while aligning with brand standards
Use performance data and test-and-learn insights to continuously refine creative strategy and campaign approach across the funnel
Serve as the primary owner of the digital media agency relationship, providing strategic direction, approving campaigns, optimizing budget and holding partners accountable for performance, innovation, and continuous improvement
Ensure agency activity aligns with enterprise priorities, compliance requirements, and brand standards, while driving best-in-class execution and optimization
Lead cross-functional planning and delivery of acquisition initiatives, coordinating across Marketing, Sales, IT, Legal, Compliance, and external partners to manage risks, dependencies, and readiness
Translate business objectives and program changes into clear briefs, requirements, and roadmaps that enable efficient execution and stakeholder alignment
Own performance reporting and forecasting for digital acquisition, delivering clear insights, recommendations, and trade-offs to senior leadership
Collaborate closely with the Business Intelligence and Analytics team to support ongoing performance reporting, advanced analytics, and insight generation that informs acquisition strategy, optimization and decision-making
Support measurement and attribution approaches that account for cross-channel influence, including the impact of traditional media (e.g., DRTV) on organic and digital lead generation, and provide insight-driven recommendations on channel mix, investment timing, and performance interpretation
Proactively identify risks, gaps, and opportunities, recommending changes to investment levels, channel mix, targeting, or operating models to improve outcomes
Stay current on evolving digital platforms, privacy and regulatory considerations, attribution approaches, and consumer behavior trends
Champion test-and-learn approaches that improve effectiveness, scalability, and long-term acquisition capability