Growth.Talent
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Director, Growth Marketing & Acquisition

Stepful • New York, NY

Growth MarketingDirecteurOn-siteFull time$180K - $220K
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D2C + B2BPaid Social & SearchNYC On-site$180K-$220KEdTechSeries BMulti-channel

The Challenge

Stepful is the #1 EdTech company in the U.S. (per TIME 2025) and you're hired to scale their dual-channel acquisition engine. You'll own strategy and execution across D2C consumer programs and B2B enterprise partnerships, with a multi-million dollar budget and a growing team reporting directly to VP of Growth.

Your Mission

First 3 Months
1

Audit and baseline current CAC, LTV, and payback periods across D2C and B2B channels; identify quick-win optimization opportunities and implement first round of tests

2

Build and ship growth measurement dashboard with cohort analysis, attribution modeling, and real-time budget allocation visibility across Meta, TikTok, YouTube, and Search

3

Define acquisition strategy and OKRs for next 12 months; align team and leadership on growth levers (paid, organic, referral, partnership flywheels)

4

Hire and onboard 1-2 key growth marketers to fill immediate team gaps and establish repeatable talent processes

By 6 Months
1

Achieve 15-25% reduction in blended CAC or 20%+ improvement in conversion rates through full-funnel optimization and platform shifts

2

Scale monthly paid spend 1.3-1.5x while maintaining or improving unit economics; prove ROI on emerging platforms (TikTok, YouTube Shorts, etc.)

3

Build and launch 2-3 new growth loops (referral mechanics, content-to-paid flywheel, B2B partnership acceleration); measure and iterate to profitability

4

Establish predictive LTV and cohort retention models; inform product and curriculum decisions with growth data insights

KPIs You'll Own

Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)

Blended CAC across all channels; target reduction of 15-25% YoY through optimization and platform arbitrage.

Lifetime Value (LTV)

Revenue or tuition per enrolled student, tracked by cohort and acquisition channel; inform payback period and ROI modeling.

CAC Payback Period

Months to recover acquisition cost; target <6-9 months for D2C to fund reinvestment cycles.

Conversion Rate (Signup to Purchase)

D2C funnel conversion at each stage; optimize landing page → signup → payment through testing and UX iteration.

Return on Ad Spend (ROAS)

Revenue generated per $1 spent on paid channels; track by platform, creative, and audience segment.

Retention & Cohort Health

Month-over-month or semester-over-semester retention; enrollment completion rates and net revenue expansion from B2B partnerships.

Tools & Stack

Meta Ads ManagerTikTok AdsYouTube AdsGoogle Search AdsMixpanel or AmplitudeTableau or LookerSegment or mParticleShopify or custom billing platform

Your Team

Your Manager

VP of Growth Marketing

Current Team

Existing growth marketing team (size TBD); you'll expand with 1-2 new hires in first 6 months

Director role (net-new or backfill); will hire mid-level growth marketers and potentially specialists in paid social or conversion optimization

The Package

Salary

$180K-$220K base

Variable

Performance bonus likely (10-20% of base, tied to growth metrics)

Equity

Stock options typical for Y Combinator-backed Series B (0.3-0.8% for Director-level)

Remote

On-site in NYC, 5 days/week (described as 'hybrid opportunity' but primary expectation is Manhattan office)

Benefits & Perks

Mission-driven EdTech impact; direct connection to improving healthcare access and career outcomes
Series B backing with proven investors (Y Combinator, Reach Capital, Oak HC/FT); financial runway and scaling support
Leadership role with immediate team building and hiring authority
Multi-million dollar budget ownership; hands-on strategic and tactical control
Fast-paced, data-driven culture with transparency on metrics and learning velocity
Likely standard startup benefits: health insurance, 401(k), PTO, professional development

Company Intelligence

Stepful is an online, instructor-led healthcare training platform (named #1 EdTech in the U.S. by TIME 2025) that helps underserved learners launch careers in Medical Assisting, Pharmacy Tech, Nursing, and allied roles. They operate dual D2C consumer programs and B2B partnerships with major employers (CVS, NY-Presbyterian, HCA, Providence, Walgreens) to address the national healthcare worker shortage.

Funding

$31.5M Series B (led by Oak HC/FT); backed by Y Combinator and Reach Capital

Customers

CVS, NY-Presbyterian, HCA, Providence, Walgreens (B2B); D2C direct learner enrollment

Culture

Mission-driven, data-obsessed, fast-moving. Core values: Care First, Learn Quickly, Build Together, Own It. Emphasis on experimentation, iteration, and mutual accountability.

Is This Role For You?

For You If
  • You've scaled paid acquisition (Meta, TikTok, YouTube, Search) at a B2C or marketplace startup and can prove 20%+ efficiency gains or revenue growth
  • You thrive in ambiguity and can build growth strategy from first principles—defining channels, testing positioning, and iterating cohorts rapidly
  • You're comfortable owning full-funnel P&L (CAC, LTV, retention, payback) and can make data-informed budget allocation decisions autonomously
  • You've hired and mentored growth teams; you believe in raising team capability and establishing repeatable processes for testing and scaling
  • Mission resonates: you care about access to education and healthcare and see Stepful's impact as a core driver of your work
Won't Work If
  • You've only managed brand awareness or top-funnel metrics; this role demands bottom-line accountability for CAC, ROI, and revenue contribution
  • You prefer hands-off leadership; you'll need to roll up sleeves on campaign setup, audience segmentation, and creative testing even as you scale a team
  • You're risk-averse or need 100% product roadmap clarity before committing strategy; Stepful is a scaling startup with intentional ambiguity and frequent pivots
  • You view EdTech or mission-driven work as secondary; culture and mission-alignment are central to Stepful's identity and team dynamics

Interview Process

1

Screening Call

VP of Growth Marketing or Talent Partner; 30 min on background, growth philosophy, and fit with Stepful's dual D2C/B2B model

2

Growth Strategy Deep Dive

Take-home or live workshop; you'll propose a 90-day acquisition strategy for either D2C or B2B channel, with CAC and ROAS targets

3

Case Study / Past Campaign Review

Walk through a campaign or growth lever you led; explain testing methodology, learnings, and what you'd do differently in hindsight

4

Team & Leadership Round

Meet current VP of Growth, possibly Founder/CEO; conversation on team scaling, hiring philosophy, and long-term vision

5

Offer & Equity Discussion

Finalize base, bonus structure, equity grant, and start date

Interested in this role?

Apply now and hear back within days, not weeks.

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About Growth Marketing Roles

Growth marketers drive user acquisition, activation, and retention through data-driven experimentation. They sit at the intersection of product, data, and marketing — running A/B tests, building funnels, and scaling what works.

A/B testingFunnel optimizationSQL & analyticsPaid acquisitionProduct-led growth
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