Head of Acquisition Marketing

About Happy Money

Happy Money is a consumer finance business focused on helping people reach important financial goals through straightforward, transparent loans provided by trusted financial institutions. Its proprietary lending platform, Hive, delivers a fully digital borrowing experience that helps consumers access credit more easily while enabling credit unions, banks, and asset managers to diversify their balance sheets and grow with confidence.

The company’s loan origination and participation programs give partners ready-made access to high-performing assets, supported by strong credit discipline and robust risk controls. Working with its lending partners, Happy Money has originated more than $6.5 billion in loans and has helped nearly 350,000 people move toward greater control of their financial future.

Happy Money operates as a fully distributed organization, and remote work is paired with full-time responsibility and strong day-to-day ownership. The company expects team members to work full-time and fully engage in their roles every day.

About the Role

Happy Money is looking for a strategic Head of Acquisition Marketing to lead and grow customer acquisition efforts, with the main objective of increasing profitable loan originations. This is a build-from-the-ground-up leadership role for a data-oriented operator who can define strategy, create a coordinated multi-channel acquisition system, and scale it efficiently. The right candidate will balance growth ambition with disciplined spending, improve customer acquisition economics, and stay ahead of changes in the market, competition, and channel landscape.

You will oversee a high-impact team executing and optimizing campaigns across direct mail, digital, lead generation, and affiliate partnerships. Success in the role will depend on using analysis, testing, and experimentation to drive growth while meeting profitability goals. The position covers both performance marketing and brand, with the near-term emphasis strongly weighted toward acquisition. Brand work will expand later as loan growth and investment capacity increase.

This leader will work closely with the Head of Lifecycle Marketing, who manages existing-borrower engagement and lead management. Together, these functions sit at the center of Happy Money’s marketing engine, supporting demand generation, customer lifetime value, and lead monetization. The company expects a player-coach mindset, meaning the role must both set direction and actively execute.

The environment is fast-moving, and the role requires someone who can coach strong teams, collaborate across Credit/Risk & Analytics, Finance, Technology, and Operations, and maintain a high standard of execution.

Key Responsibilities

• Set and manage the full acquisition strategy and execution plan to drive scalable and profitable growth for the personal loan business.
• Monitor market movements, competitor activity, customer voice, and channel changes, then turn those signals into practical strategies and tactics that build lasting advantage.
• Design and expand multi-channel performance marketing efforts across direct mail, lead-generation email, affiliate, digital, and content, making smart spending decisions based on CAC and unit economics while avoiding overdependence on any one channel.
• Lead forecasting, budget pacing, and performance reporting end to end; collaborate with Finance on monthly forecasts, deliver results within acceptable variance, and create consistent planning, documentation, and post-campaign reporting processes.
• Build a strong test-and-learn culture by using clear logic, candid analysis, and rapid learning from both successes and failures.
• Translate complex tradeoffs, issues, and recommendations into clear stories that support aligned decision-making from analysts through senior executives.
• Shape and run a high-accountability team with clear priorities, disciplined execution, and an urgent operating rhythm that consistently delivers strong results.
• Recruit, coach, and retain a high-performing growth marketing team while blending internal talent, agency and partner support, and AI agents in the right mix.
• Lead go-to-market, brand, and product marketing efforts through strong positioning, value articulation, competitive differentiation, and messaging that supports net-new acquisition.
• Serve as a point person on emerging martech, AI, and attribution, as well as product features and cross-sell opportunities that can improve growth and revenue; partner with Strategy on growth goals and with Technology on the marketing engine roadmap.

Requirements

• At least 10 years of experience in marketing and customer acquisition, including ownership of large budgets directly tied to revenue outcomes, plus 5 or more years leading marketing teams.
• Background in consumer lending, or in a closely related field, with experience growing lending or credit products and managing acquisition funnels.
• Strong working knowledge of affiliate marketplaces, paid digital, lead generation, direct mail, and email, along with a solid grasp of attribution, marketing technology, and AI use in marketing.
• Deep understanding of the economics of a lending business and the ability to make strong decisions using analysis, experience, and judgment together.
• Highly analytical thinker who can challenge ideas, operate comfortably amid ambiguity and pushback, and consistently uses a test-and-learn approach grounded in data.
• Proven ability to build high-performing teams by hiring, developing, and retaining top talent, setting a demanding standard, and leading by example.
• Demonstrated ability to take initiatives from idea through execution and measurable outcome with a builder’s mindset.
• Experience leading acquisition through a martech platform change, such as CDP, lead routing, or attribution migration.

Benefits & Perks

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage options with strong employer support.
• Eligibility for an annual bonus and long-term incentive opportunities.
• 401(k) plan with company matching.
• Generous paid time off, including sick leave, vacation, volunteer time, and additional leave types.
• 12 weeks of paid parental leave.
• Company-paid short-term disability, long-term disability, and life insurance.
• Monthly technology stipend to help cover remote-work expenses.
• Fully distributed work environment.

Compensation

The base salary range for this role is $165,000 to $220,000 USD per year.

Work Model

This is a full-time remote role based in the United States.

Additional Information

Happy Money is a fully distributed company. Remote work is expected to be paired with full-time commitment and consistent daily engagement. The role emphasizes collaboration, disciplined execution, and a balance of growth and profitability.