Director – Digital Performance Marketing

Are you a strategic digital marketing leader with a passion for driving impact through innovation?

Join UNICEF Canada – one of Canada’s most respected and historic charities – and be part of a high-impact, mission-driven team working across Canada and globally to create a better world for children.

We are seeking a talented individual for the role of Director – Digital Performance Marketing.

Position Details

Why UNICEF & UNICEF Canada?

UNICEF is the world’s farthest-reaching humanitarian organization for children. Across 190 countries and territories, and in the world’s toughest places, we provide and advocate for education, health and nutrition services. Protect children from violence and abuse. Bring clean water and sanitation to those in need. Keep them safe from climate change and disease. Serve as the world’s largest provider of vaccines. Before, during and after emergencies, we’re on the ground with life-saving help and hope. The needs of children around the world continue to increase and the role of UNICEF is more important than ever.

UNICEF Canada is one of 32 National Committees located in high-income countries around the world. Our team exists to fundraise for UNICEF’s highest priorities, and to work neutrally with governments and the private sector in Canada and internationally to advance the rights and well-being of children and youth. 

As UNICEF Canada prepares to launch a bold new Strategic Plan in 2026, a key priority will be amplifying our voice through our policy and advocacy efforts to further advance the children’s rights in Canadian laws, policies and budgets. 

Be part of this next phase of impact!

The Opportunity

UNICEF Canada is seeking a strategic, entrepreneurial, data-informed, and results-driven Director of Digital Performance Marketing to drive a multi-fold increase in UNICEF’s digital income efforts. Through performance-driven strategy across key pillars, including creative, on-platform media buying (especially Google and Meta ads), and user experience optimization, the role will work to elevate our presence across advocacy, awareness, and engagement campaigns.

In this pivotal role, you will oversee large-scale digital media investments and budgets, optimizing spend to maximize ROI while ensuring every initiative advances UNICEF’s mission as Canada’s leading children’s charity. Success will require exceptional partner and agency management, the agility to juggle competing priorities, and a collaborative, solutions-focused mindset. You’ll work closely with our Brand & Marketing, Communications, Technology, Analytics, and Fundraising teams to deliver integrated, mission-driven campaigns that inspire donors and transform children’s lives around the world.

As a dynamic people leader, you will also inspire and guide a high-performing team responsible for driving innovative and performance-driven digital experiences that power fundraising growth and advance UNICEF’s programmatic goals.

Are you ready to set the vision for how digital fuels fundraising, amplifies impact, and deepens engagement with supporters nationwide? If so, we want to hear from you.

Key Accountabilities

Strategic Leadership & Planning & Results (50%)

• Develop high-level strategies for all performance marketing campaigns across the full marketing funnel and advertising networks such as Google and Meta Ads to meet organizational priorities and fundraising goals.
• Oversee large-scale budgets for digital paid media campaigns, ensuring efficient and profitable allocation of spend.
• Collaborate with internal teams to plan, execute, and optimize acquisition campaigns, including budgeting, forecasting, optimization, delivery, and performance analysis.
• Work with digital solutions specialists, data analysts, and other marketing teams to ensure proper tracking, analytics, measurement, reporting, and goal setup.
• Partner with Development and Programs teams on campaign planning and budget development.
• Lead the building, setup, and management of ad campaigns PPC  across platforms like Google Ads, Bing Ads, and social media (Meta, YouTube, etc.) - and emerging paid media platforms -, focusing on continuous improvement.
• Own the strategy and execution of high-impact digital creative assets across Meta, YouTube, Google, and other acquisition channels. Drive improvement in user experience, conversion rates, and conversion value optimization through A/B testing of ad copy, landing page strategies, and other campaign elements to improve profitability and efficiency.
• Work with the Business Solutions Team on website strategy, donation form optimization, vendor management, UX/UI, SEO, SEM, and conversion rate optimization.
• Lead annual planning and quarterly reviews to evaluate progress and adjust departmental goals.
• Oversee vendor procurement and agency partnerships to ensure high-quality, cost-effective execution.
• Bring thought leadership to the team by identifying emerging trends and experimenting with novel approaches to drive acquisition performance.
• Partner with Brand and Communications teams to ensure consistent messaging and user experience across all digital channels.
• Ensure campaigns adhere to brand guidelines.
  -Help UNICEF in reaching its annual and long-term business goals
  -Ensure financial sustainability and profitability.

Insight & Analysis (30%)

• Stay ahead of industry trends and actively evaluate new tools, platforms, and tactics that can drive performance.
• Design and manage a digital experimentation roadmap with regular reviews to drive continuous optimization.
• Develop and oversee an analytics framework, including campaign and web performance reporting. Use data to surface insights and take decisive action to improve efficiency, revenue, and ROI across all acquisition channels.
• Identify opportunities to streamline processes, automate workflows, and reduce campaign delivery costs.

People Management (20%)

• Build and lead a high-performing team with clear accountabilities aligned to organizational strategy.
• Oversee annual goal setting, performance planning, and reviews in line with people management practices.
• Anticipate long-term risks and proactively plan for challenges and contingencies.
• Foster a culture of integrity, purpose, performance and alignment with UNICEF’s mission and values.
• Champion employee engagement, learning and development, and DEI initiatives.

Qualifications

• Post-secondary degree or diploma in marketing or a related field, or equivalent education and experience.
• 7+ years of progressive experience in growth marketing, performance marketing  
  Deep experience in digital advertising (Meta, Google Ads, Programmatic, etc.) and a track record of managing large-scale (budgets of $4M+) high-performance campaigns.
• Proven ability to build and lead high-performing teams across paid media ad operations, and/or content, technology, and post-acquisition.
• Ability to connect paid media efforts to broader business goals and identify new growth opportunities.
• Hands-on experience with CRO tools and A/B testing methodologies to improve conversion rates. Strong financial acumen with experience overseeing budgets, forecasting, and reforecasting.
• Deep knowledge of digital platforms and technologies (e.g., GA4, BigQuery, Tag Manager, Meta, Google).
• Skilled in vendor procurement and contract management with agencies and external partners.
• Experience integrating digital campaigns with traditional media (TV/DRTV/PSA, radio, print, OOH).
• Strong analytical mindset to interpret complex campaign data and make data-driven decisions for optimization.
• Strong strategic and analytical thinker with excellent attention to detail and project management skills.
• Strong analytical skills with experience working in Excel/Google Sheets, Power BI, or similar BI tools.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including experience delivering compelling presentations.
• Collaborative and adaptable, with success working cross-functionally in fast-paced environments.
• Experience in a digital agency environment is an asset.
• Passion for UNICEF Canada’s mission and values.

An Employer of Choice: What We Offer

UNICEF Canada is where diverse talent & passion come together to create extraordinary impact for every child. We are committed to being an employer of choice and building a culture that is inclusive, ambitious, compassionate, and high-impact.

Members of the UNICEF Canada team have access to the following employee benefits:

Our Commitment to Inclusive Workplaces & Recruitment

UNICEF Canada is an inclusive workplace and is committed to championing diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility. Requests for accommodation can be made at any stage of the recruitment process.

At UNICEF Canada, we believe strongly in personal connections and our hiring process is entirely human-driven. We do not use AI or automated systems to review applications or conduct interviews. Each candidate is evaluated by our experienced team to ensure a fair and thoughtful hiring experience.

How to Apply

Please submit your resume and cover letter as one document to careers@unicef.ca by 11:59PM EST on September 30, 2025. Please include your salary expectations in your cover email and reference Director – Performance Marketing in the subject heading.. 

UNICEF Canada thanks all applicants for their interest in this opportunity, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Consistent with our Child Safeguarding Policy, all successful candidates must receive clearance by a police background check (including a vulnerable sector screen).

About UNICEF and UNICEF Canada

UNICEF is the world’s farthest-reaching humanitarian organization for children. Across 190 countries and territories, and in the world’s toughest places, we work to help children survive, defend their rights, keep them protected, healthy and educated, and give them a fair chance to fulfill their potential.

UNICEF Canada is one of 32 National Committees located in countries around the world. Our team exists to fundraise for UNICEF’s highest priorities, and to work neutrally with governments and the private sector in Canada and internationally to advance the rights and well-being of children and youth.