Growth & Performance Marketing Manager

We have an opportunity for a Growth & Performance Marketing Manager. (This role is based in Cape Town ) About Travelstart Travelstart is South Africa’s leading online travel agency, helping hundreds of thousands of travellers discover, compare, and book their journeys every day. We’re entering a new phase of growth - scaling our app, expanding our acquisition channels, and building the performance marketing and measurement infrastructure that will power the next chapter of the business. It’s a moment of real momentum, with the opportunity to shape how millions of people experience travel. About the role This isn’t a role where you inherit a playbook - it’s where you build one. As our Performance Marketing Manager, you’ll own the full paid media and tracking ecosystem, with a clear mandate: connect every rand spent to real business outcomes and drive sustainable, scalable growth. You’ll play a central role in shaping how Travelstart grows - across web and app - influencing acquisition strategy, attribution, and performance for years to come. What you’ll be doing Paid Media & DSPs Plan, execute and optimise campaigns across Criteo and other DSPs with a performance-first approach Own Meta Ads and TikTok Ads — from strategy and audience architecture to creative iteration and budget management Run Google Ads campaigns end-to-end: YouTube, Display and PMAX Manage App Campaigns, including Google UAC and Apple Search Ads, with a focus on CAC efficiency and LTV Tracking, Governance & Measurement Implement and maintain robust tracking infrastructure: Google Analytics 4, Google Tag Manager, Meta/TikTok Pixels and Floodlight Own AppsFlyer tracking - event mapping, attribution windows, cohort analysis and SDK governance Build and maintain deep linking infrastructure to ensure seamless web-to-app and app-to-app journeys Lead offline conversion tracking and data integration to close the loop between ad spend and actual bookings Audit and enforce tagging governance across all digital touchpoints Analytics & Business Strategy Go beyond platform-reported numbers - build your own view of true ROAS, incrementality and contribution margin Connect media performance to top-line business metrics: revenue, booking volume, app installs and repeat rate Identify growth opportunities through data and translate them into concrete channel strategies Report to senior leadership with clear, concise performance narratives — not just dashboards Cross-functional Collaboration Partner with the tech and dev team on tracking implementation, deeplinking and feed/data infrastructure Work closely with the creative team to brief, test and iterate on ad creative across formats and platforms Collaborate with the broader marketing team to align paid media with CRM, SEO and brand campaigns Be the internal authority on performance marketing best practices - educate and upskill as needed What we’re looking for 3-5 years of hands-on performance marketing experience in e-commerce or a high-volume transactional environment Proven track record running paid campaigns across Meta, Google, TikTok and programmatic DSPs like Criteo Deep understanding of mobile marketing - App Campaigns, Apple Search Ads, AppsFlyer and deeplinking Strong technical tracking skills: GA4, GTM, Pixels, Floodlight and offline conversion imports Analytical rigour - comfortable working with raw data, building your own models and challenging platform-reported metrics Ability to translate performance data into business strategy, not just optimisation tactics Excellent collaborator - you know how to work with engineers, designers and business stakeholders equally well Self-starter who can operate independently, manage budgets responsibly and escalate when needed Nice to have Strong e-commerce background is highly valued — this role demands a conversion-focused mindset and comfort with high-volume transactional environments Experience at an OTA or travel tech company (anywhere in the world) is a significant advantage Familiarity with PPC/Search strategy beyond automated bidding Exposure to incrementality testing, media mix modelling or attribution modelling Experience working with data teams or BI tools (Looker, BigQuery, etc.) Why join Travelstart Travel is deeply embedded in South African culture - and at Travelstart, we’re building the platform that makes it simpler, smarter, and more accessible for millions of people to explore the world. You’d be joining at a pivotal moment. The decisions we make now across performance marketing, app growth, and measurement will shape our trajectory for the next five years. This isn’t about incremental optimisation - it’s about building a best-in-class growth engine from the ground up. You won’t be stepping into a rigid structure or inheriting legacy constraints. You’ll have real ownership, with the autonomy to build, test, and scale what works — supported by the right budget, tools, and a highly collaborative team across product, tech, and marketing. Your work will be visible. Your impact will be measurable. And your thinking will directly influence how we grow. We’re a team that moves fast, values ownership, and believes great marketing sits at the intersection of creativity and data. If you’re looking for a role where you can draw a straight line between your decisions and business outcomes, you’ll feel right at home here.