Associate Director, Affiliate Marketing

Associate Director, Affiliate Marketing

Knoxville, TN / Atlanta, GA

Full time

The Associate Director, Affiliate Marketing will help lead affiliate strategy and execution across a portfolio of national clients, driving performance through smart partnerships and data-backed decision-making. Reporting to the Director of Affiliate Marketing, this role will work cross-functionally with media leadership and internal teams to scale affiliate programs and deliver measurable growth. We are looking for a strategic thinker and relationship builder with a proven track record in affiliate marketing, platform management, and publisher development.

Where youll be working: Knoxville or Atlanta. Relocation assistance may be offered.

What you will be doing:

• Architect affiliate strategies, build partnerships with vendors/publishers/affiliates, and optimize client campaigns and budgets.
• Lead the development and execution of affiliate marketing strategies that drive revenue growth.
• Manage a team of affiliate marketers and ensure they meet goals and growth objectives.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with affiliate partners and publishers to secure premium opportunities, better rates, and improved placements.
• Identify and recruit new affiliate partners across various channels including editorial, influencer, network, loyalty, and brand-to-brand.
• Confidently present affiliate strategies and campaign performance to clients regularly.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams such as brand, legal, analytics, and paid media to coordinate campaign execution.
• Monitor and analyze performance data to identify opportunities for KPI improvement, scale increase, and marketing efficiency enhancement.
• Develop testing roadmaps and test & learn frameworks to optimize campaign effectiveness continuously.
• Oversee new campaign launches, including tracking setup, pixel placements, suppression lists, creative updates, and troubleshooting.
• Handle day-to-day affiliate communications, field questions, and resolve issues for smooth execution.
• Drive strategic planning across accounts, focusing on high-impact initiatives and growth opportunities.

What you bring:

• 4+ years of experience in affiliate marketing, preferably in a fast-paced agency or performance-driven environment.
• Hands-on experience with affiliate platforms such as Impact, CJ, Rakuten, Awin, etc.
• Strong analytical skills and proficiency in Excel/Google Sheets for reporting and forecasting.
• Deep understanding of the digital media landscape and CPA/ROAS campaigns across paid search, paid social, programmatic, native, and newsletters.
• Exceptional communication and relationship management skills.
• Ability to prioritize, manage deadlines, and lead complex projects.
• A proactive mindset, creative deal-making skills, and the ability to identify new affiliate opportunities.
• A sense of humor and a genuine desire to enjoy work while achieving results.
• Preferred Experience:
• Managing influencer or creator partnerships within networks like LTK, Mavely, Magiclinks, or the YouTube Shopping Affiliate Program.
• Managing customer referral programs.
• Building or scaling affiliate programs from scratch.
• Working with paid media platforms like Google, Meta, and TikTok as part of broader strategies.
• Comfort presenting to senior leadership and translating complex data into actionable insights.

Were a nationally recognized team of elite search engine marketers, winners of seven US Search Awards in the past two years, including:

Best PPC Campaign

Best Use of Search Retail/Ecommerce

Join one of North Americas top independent agencies. We connect data and creativity to deliver business results, creating a positive flywheel effect for growth. Recognized by AdAge, Adweek, Communication Arts, Fast Company, Forbes, and Fortune, Tombras was named 2025 AdAge Agency of the Year and 2024 AdAge Independent Agency of the Year.

Family-first culture, dog-friendly offices, unlimited PTO, and generous parental leave for all caregivers.

Comprehensive medical plans (PPO or High Deductible) for employees and dependents.

Opportunities for rapid career development within a modern downtown Knoxville location.

We are committed to diversity and equal opportunity employment. We participate in the E-Verify program.

This job description is not exhaustive and duties may change or be added at any time. It may require travel, long drives, sitting for extended periods, and occasional lifting under 10 pounds.