Performance Marketing Manager

StudentUniverse is the world’s leading travel booking platform for students and young travelers. Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, StudentUniverse specializes in providing exclusive discounts, flexible booking options, and curated travel deals to help students explore the world on a budget. With operations spanning the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia, StudentUniverse partners with top airlines, hotels, and tour providers to offer exceptional value to its members.

Founded in 2000, StudentUniverse is part of Flight Centre Travel Group, one of the world’s largest travel retailers and corporate travel managers. Guided by the purpose of “opening up the world for those who want to see,” StudentUniverse inspires the next generation to experience new cultures, build connections, and embrace life-changing travel adventures.

About The Opportunity

As the Performance Marketing Manager, you will be responsible for managing, optimizing and scaling paid acquisition plans and campaigns. You will execute data-driven digital marketing campaigns, run tests, and continuously refine our strategies to improve efficiency and performance for Google (PMax, display, video, search, mobile, etc.), paid social channels (Meta, TikTok, Pinterest, Twitter, Snapchat, etc.), and other paid channels.

This role is ideal for someone who thrives in a fast-moving startup environment, enjoys problem-solving, and has a blend of performance marketing expertise and growth hacking mindset.

Key Responsibilities

Campaign Management

• Drive customer acquisition and performance marketing initiatives across multiple digital platforms.

• Plan, execute, and optimize campaigns spanning paid search (Search Engine Marketing [SEM], Pay-Per-Click [PPC]), paid social, affiliate marketing, and display advertising.

• Scale media spend effectively to maintain strong Return on Investment (ROI), Return on Ad Spend (ROAS), and Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) benchmarks.

• Manage and test campaign structures including ad groups, keyword strategy, ad creatives, copywriting, audience targeting, and media mix.

• Build attribution models and analytics frameworks to measure campaign effectiveness and customer journey insights.

• Continuously refine bidding strategies and optimize marketing budgets to drive performance and efficiency.

Data Analysis and Optimization

• Analyze campaign performance data to uncover insights and trends, identify areas for improvement, and implement data-driven optimizations to improve results.

KPI Tracking and Reporting

• Monitor and report on key performance indicators (KPIs), including:

  • CPA: Cost Per Acquisition

  • CTR: Click-Through Rate

  • CVR: Conversion Rate

  • ROI: Return on Investment

  • CAC: Customer Acquisition Cost

  • ROAS: Return on Ad Spend

Budget Management

• Allocate and manage budgets across channels to ensure responsible spending that maximizes ROI and minimizes CAC.

A/B Testing & Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO)

• Design and run A/B tests to compare campaign variants and apply Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) strategies to improve user experience and funnel performance.

Staying Updated on Trends

• Remain current on industry trends, algorithm updates, and digital best practices to ensure competitive advantage and innovation in performance marketing.

Collaboration

• Partner cross-functionally with supply and partnerships, finance, tech development, SEO, creative, email, social, and brand teams to align on objectives and drive shared success.

Experience & Qualifications

• Strong analytical skills – Ability to interpret data, spot trends, and make informed, data driven decisions
• Experience with digital marketing platforms – Proficient in tools such as Google Ads, Facebook Ads, Google Analytics, and related performance platforms
• Understanding of digital marketing strategies – Solid grasp of tactics across paid search, social, display, affiliate, and performance based marketing
• Creativity and problem solving – Able to generate original campaign ideas and resolve challenges with thoughtful, agile solutions
• Communication and collaboration – Effective at working cross functionally with internal teams and external stakeholders
• Self starter – Capable of working independently in a fast paced environment

Work Perks! - What’s in it for you:

FCTG is renowned internationally for having amazing perks and an even better culture.  We understand that our people are our most valuable asset. It is the passion and dedication of our teams that keep the company on top of the industry ladder. It’s also why we offer some great employee benefits and perks outside of the norm.

• Have fun: At the heart of everything we do at Flight Centre is a desire to have fun.
• Reward & Recognition: Celebrate the success of yourself and others at our regular Buzz Nights and at the annual Global Gathering - You'll have to experience it to believe it!
• Use your smarts: Our people use their quick thinking, expertise, and tenacity to always figure things out.
• Love for travel: We were founded by people who wanted to travel and want others to do the same. That passion is something you can’t miss in our people or service.
• Personal connections: We are a big business founded on personal relationships.
• Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion through initiatives like Diversity Day (paid leave to observe a holiday or cultural celebration of your choice) Employee Resource Groups (Racial Equity, Gender Equity, LGBTQ2IA+, Accessibility, Environmental Justice), DEI education initiatives, and equitable practices, including regular equity assessments and inclusive recruitment protocols.
• A career, not a job: We offer genuine opportunities for people to grow and evolve
• We back our people all the way: We are strongly committed to supporting every single employee in their professional and personal development.
• Giving Back: Our Corporate Social Responsibility program supports nominated charities through volunteering and fundraising, complemented by our Office Environmental Program, LEED® Gold-certified office spaces, and 1 paid Volunteer Day per calendar year.

Benefits Include:

• Paid Time Off: A comprehensive time off package, including up to 15 vacation days (prorated upon hire and increasing to 20 days after 2 years of employment), 5 sick days, 3 personal days, 1 Diversity Day, 1 Volunteer Day, and 8 recognized holidays annually.
• Travel perks/discounts
• Health & Wellness Programs and Employee Financial Wellness Services
• National/International Award Nights and Conferences
• Health benefits including, medical, dental, vision, gender affirming care, and fertility care
• Insurance including hospital indemnity, AD&D, critical illness, long-term and short-term disability
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Employee Assistance Program
• 401k program with partial match
• Tuition Reimbursement Program
• Employee Share Plan – Ability to purchase company stock on Australian Stock Exchange with partial company match, subject to terms and conditions
• Global career opportunities in a network of brands and businesses

*Vacation, Personal, and Sick time accrual rates will vary based on full-time or part-time employee status. Recognized Holidays are either paid time off or, if required to work due to job requirements, holiday pay rate, and may vary depending on state.

#LI-ED1#SU#LI-Onsite

Location – Boston, MA

If this sounds like the opportunity you have been waiting for then APPLY NOW.

For this position, we anticipate offering an annual salary of $90,000. Base salary is dependent on relevant factors, including experience, geographic location, and job requirements.

We thank all candidates for their interest; however, only those selected to continue in the process will be contacted.

Our number one philosophy? Our people. Flight Center Travel Group USA’s promise is to provide an environment with equality of respect, dignity and opportunity for all our employees. We value an inclusive and supportive workplace which truly reflects the diversity of our society.

We are an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer committed to providing a barrier-free pathway throughout our recruitment process. We welcome accommodation requests to help make our hiring and onboarding experience as accessible as possible. Please advise us about accommodation needs at any point by contacting our Recruitment Team at careers@us.flightcentre.com

🏆 Travel Weekly Magellan Awards: Silver Winner for Accessibility and Inclusivity (2023)
🌟 GBTA WINiT: DEI Leadership Pinnacle Award (2023)
✈️ CHHR: 5-Star DE&I Employer (2023, 2024)
🌍 Seramount, FCTG Mexico : Member of the Global Inclusion Index (2023, 2024)
🏅 Newsweek: America’s Greatest Workplaces for Diversity (2024)