# Ad Sales Lead

**Company:** [Duolingo](https://hotfix.jobs/companies/duolingo)
**Location:** Remote
**Role:** Account Executive
**Salary:** $140k – $210k/yr
**Experience:** 8+ years
**Skills:** digital ad sales, premium video, native ad formats, ad tech, mobile app ecosystems, CRM, Sales Strategy, Negotiation, account prioritization, Go-to-Market Strategy
**Posted:** 2026-07-28

> Senior individual contributor leading direct ad sales for Duolingo's Central region. Build pipeline, cultivate senior brand/agency relationships, close high-value deals, and help shape regional and GTM strategy for the early-stage ads business.

## Job Description

## Responsibilities
- Own the Central region’s direct ads strategy and revenue outcomes, including named-account prioritization, pipeline development, forecasting, and quarterly execution.
- Build and grow senior relationships across brands and agencies, opening new logos and expanding strategic accounts into long-term, high-value partnerships.
- Lead complex, high-impact deals end-to-end, from prospecting and positioning through negotiation, close, renewal, and expansion.
- Translate Duolingo’s unique strengths, including premium attention, native formats, character IP, and brand equity, into clear commercial narratives tailored to advertiser objectives.
- Partner closely with Account Management, Ad Ops, Product, Design, and Engineering to move deals forward, shape feasible programs, and improve the advertiser and learner experience.
- Share actionable market feedback with sales and product leadership to inform pricing, packaging, measurement, and future ad formats.
- Help establish repeatable systems and standards for a growing ads business, including account planning, CRM hygiene, proposal quality, and pipeline rigor.

## Requirements
- 8+ years of experience in direct digital ad sales, with a strong track record of building senior client relationships and closing meaningful new business.
- Success selling premium video and native/custom ad formats in digital, mobile, or consumer app environments.
- Proven ability to operate as a senior seller in an early-stage or evolving business, balancing strategic thinking with hands-on execution.
- Strong commercial judgment across pricing, packaging, negotiation, and account prioritization.
- Ability to influence senior decision makers at brands and agencies while working effectively with cross-functional partners internally.
- Strong understanding of ad tech and mobile app ecosystems, and comfort using data to assess campaign performance, shape proposals, and inform sales strategy.
- Excellent communication and presentation skills, with a clear, persuasive style and comfort operating in ambiguity.

## Nice-to-Haves
- Established relationships with senior brand and agency leaders across the Central region.
- Experience building a direct ads business from 0→1 or scaling a newer ads product within a publisher or platform environment.
- Experience shaping go-to-market strategy, sales process, or regional coverage models beyond your own book of business.
- Familiarity with managed-service and programmatic sales motions, including how they complement one another in a scaled ads business.

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