Ad Sales Lead

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in Illinois.

📋 Description

• Oversee the direct advertising strategy and revenue outcomes for the Central region, focusing on named-account prioritization, pipeline development, forecasting, and quarterly execution.

• Build and cultivate senior relationships across brands and agencies, introducing new clients and transforming strategic accounts into enduring, high-value partnerships.

• Manage complex, high-impact deals from start to finish, encompassing prospecting, positioning, negotiation, closure, renewal, and expansion.

• Articulate Duolingo’s distinctive strengths, including premium attention, native formats, character IP, and brand equity, into compelling commercial narratives that align with advertiser goals.

• Collaborate closely with Account Management, Ad Ops, Product, Design, and Engineering teams to advance deals, design viable programs, and enhance both advertiser and learner experiences.

• Provide actionable market insights to sales and product leadership to guide pricing, packaging, measurement, and the development of future ad formats.

• Assist in creating repeatable systems and standards for a growing advertising business, encompassing account planning, CRM maintenance, proposal quality, and pipeline management.

⛳️ Requirements

• 8+ years of experience in direct digital advertising sales, demonstrating a robust history of fostering senior client relationships and securing significant new business.

• Proven success in selling premium video and native/custom ad formats within digital, mobile, or consumer app settings.

• Established capability to function as a senior seller in an early-stage or evolving organization, effectively balancing strategic thought with hands-on implementation.

• Strong commercial acumen regarding pricing, packaging, negotiation, and account prioritization.

• Ability to influence senior decision-makers at brands and agencies while effectively collaborating with cross-functional internal partners.

• Solid understanding of ad technology and mobile app ecosystems, with the ability to leverage data to evaluate campaign performance, shape proposals, and inform sales strategies.

• Exceptional communication and presentation abilities, characterized by a clear, persuasive style and comfort in navigating ambiguity.

🏝️ Benefits

• Take a peek at how we care for our employees' holistic well-being with our benefits here.